Supplementary Material

A-1 Equipment lists

A-2 Detailed Cost Tables
A-3 Sensitivity Analysis Details

For manuscript

Techno-economic analysis of decentralized biomass processing

depots
Patrick Lamers1,*, Mohammad S. Roni1, Jaya Tumuluru1, Jacob J. Jacobson1, Kara G. Cafferty1,
Kevin Kenney1, Farzaneh Teymouri2, Bryan Bals2
1
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USA
2
Michigan Biotechnology Institute, 3815 Technology Blvd. Lansing, MI 48910, USA
* Corresponding author: patrick.lamers@inl.gov

1
A-1 Equipment lists
All calculated depot design cases are set to an hourly capacity of 9.07 metric tonnes (Mg). The

individual equipment sizes in below tables may show less than 9.07 Mg per hour indicating that

several types of the specific machinery were required to reach the 9.07 Mg per hour capacity.

Table S1. Grinder.

Input Depot type depending on preprocessing operations
CPP HMPP AFEX
Effective throughput (Mg/hour) 4.54 4.54 4.54
Fuel type electrical electrical electrical
Fuel use (kWh/Mg) 19.85 18.95 18.95
CAPEX
Minimum equipment list prices (all in 2011$) 180,000 180,000 180,000
Useful life (hours) 15,000 15,000 15,000
Salvage value (% of list price) 30 30 30
Repair and maintenance cost
(measured as % of list price or any other 10 10 10
unit)
OPEX
Manpower (number of operators required) 0.5 0.5 0.5
Feedstock Characteristics
Input feedstock moisture (%wt) 30 30 30
Output feedstock moisture (%wt) 30 30 30

2
Table S2. Hammer Mill.
Depot type depending on preprocessing operations
Input
CPP HMPP AFEX
Effective throughput (Mg/hour) 4.54 1.81 4.54
Fuel type Electricity Electricity Electricity
Fuel use (kWh/Mg) 13.23 66.15 13.23
CAPEX
Minimum equipment list prices (2011$) 105,225 105,225 105,225
Useful life (hours) 40,000 40,000 40,000
Salvage value (% of list price) 30 30 30
Repair and maintenance cost 10 10 10
(measured as % of list price)
OPEX
Manpower (number of operators 0.5 0.5 0.5
required)
Feedstock Characteristics
Input feedstock moisture (%wt) 30 30 30
Output feedstock moisture (%wt) 30 30 30

3
Table S3. Dryer.
Depot type depending on preprocessing
Input operations
CPP HMPP AFEX
Effective throughput (Mg/hour) 1.81 4.54 1.81
Fuel type Electricity Electricity Electricity
Fuel use (kWh/Mg) 330.76 55.13 330.76
CAPEX
Minimum equipment list prices (2011$) 354,310 35,009 354,310
Useful life (hours) 168,000 168,000 168,000
Salvage value (% of list price) 30 30 30
Repair and maintenance cost (measured as % of list 10 10 10
price or any other unit)
OPEX
Manpower 0.5 0.5 0.5
(number of operators required)
Feedstock Characteristics
Input feedstock moisture (%wt) 30 30 30
Output feedstock moisture (%wt) 9 19 9

4
Table S4. Densifier.
Depot type depending on preprocessing
Input operations
CPP HMPP AFEX
Effective throughput (Mg/hour) 4.54 4.54 4.54
Fuel type Electricity Electricity Electricity
Fuel use (kWh/Mg) 82.69 55.13 82.69
CAPEX
Minimum equipment list prices (2011$) 304,264 304,264 304,264
Useful life (hours) 100,000 100,000 100,000
Salvage value (% of list price) 30 30 30
Repair and maintenance cost (measured as % of list 10 10 10
price or any other unit)
OPEX
Manpower (number of operators required) 0.5 0.5 0.5
Feedstock Characteristics
Input feedstock moisture (%wt) 9 19 9
Output feedstock moisture (%wt) 9 9 9

5
Table S5. AFEX: Chemical Pretreatment.
Specification Data
Effective throughput (Mg/hour) 8.64
Horse power 600
Fuel type Electricity and natural gas
60.64kWh/Mg (Electricity)
Fuel use
and 325 kWh/Mg (Natural gas)
Dry matter loss (%) 0
CAPEX
Minimum equipment list prices (2011$) $3,101,027
Useful life (hours) 262,800
Salvage value (% of list price) 15
Repair and maintenance cost 5
(measured as % of list price or any other unit)
OPEX
Manpower (number of operators required) 1
Ammonia consumption (kg/Mg) 22.15
Feedstock Characteristics
Input feedstock moisture (%wt) 9
Output feedstock moisture (%wt) 42

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A-2 Detailed Result Tables
Standard Depot: Conventional Pelleting Process (CPP)
Table S6. CPP total capital investment costs.
Direct Cost (US$)
Horizontal bale grinder 324,000
Rotary dryer 1,579,200
Hammer mill 206,400
Pellet mill 630,400
Conveyor equipment1 268,800
Dust collection equipment2 286,400
Surge bin 96,800
Miscellaneous equipment3 84,000
Total fixed capital cost $3,476,000

Other Direct Cost (% of total fixed capital

cost)
Instrumentation and control 2%
Piping (installed) 3%
Electrical (installed) 2%
Building (including 3%
services)
Yard improvements 2%
Service facilities (installed) 8%
Land 1%
Total other direct cost 21% $729,960

Indirect Cost (% of total fixed capital

cost)
Engineering and supervision 4%
Construction expenses 4%
Contractor’s fee 2%
Contingency 5%
Total indirect cost 15% $521,400
Total capital investment $4,727,360

1
Schuon Twin Bale Infeed, Schuon Bale Merge, Schuon Single Bale Infeed
2
Primary Cyclone, Material handling fan with dust hood,
3
W&B Twine Remover, Danske Moisture Meter, Dings Electro Magnet, Kelderman Baler Rejector

7
Table S7. CPP operating and fixed costs (US$/Mg).
Ownership cost Operating cost Total
Machine Type I&D IH&T R&M Fuel Labor
Horizontal bale grinder 1.90 0.07 2.65 1.30 1.65 7.56
Rotary dryer 1.80 0.32 0.29 11.80 3.23 27.28
Hammer mill 0.55 0.04 0.07 0.87 1.65 3.19
Pellet mill 0.93 0.07 0.77 5.41 1.29 8.47
Conveyor equipment4 0.24 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.30
Dust collection equipment5 0.25 0.04 0.00 0.56 0.00 0.86
Surge bin 0.09 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.11
Miscellaneous equipment6 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.19
Total 5.83 0.58 3.77 29.82 7.83 47.84

Legend: I&D: Interest and Depreciation; IH&T: Insurance, Housing and Taxes; R&M: Repairs and Maintenance

4
Schuon Twin Bale Infeed, Schuon Bale Merge, Schuon Single Bale Infeed
5
Primary Cyclone, Material handling fan with dust hood,
6
W&B Twine Remover, Danske Moisture Meter, Dings Electro Magnet, Kelderman Baler Rejector

8
Standard Depot: High-Moisture Pelleting Process (HMPP)
Table S8. HMPP total capital investment costs.
Direct Cost (US$)
Horizontal bale grinder 324,000
Hammer mill 515,200
Pellet mill 630,400
Cross flow pellet dryer 64,000
Conveyor equipment7 268,800
Dust collection equipment8 286,400
Surge bin 96,800
Miscellaneous equipment9 84,000
Total fixed capital cost $2,269,600
(% of total fixed capital
Other Direct Cost (US$)
cost)
Instrumentation and control 2%
Piping (installed) 3%
Electrical (installed) 2%
Building (including 3%
services)
Yard improvements 2%
Service facilities (installed) 8%
Land 1%
Total other direct cost 21% $476,616
(% of total fixed capital
Indirect Cost (US$)
cost)
Engineering and supervision 4%
Construction expenses 4%
Contractor’s fee 2%
Contingency 5%
Total indirect cost 15% $340,440
Total Capital Investment $3,086,656

Table S9. HMPP fixed and operations costs (US$/Mg).

Ownership Cost Operating Cost
Machine Type I&D IH&T R&M Fuel Labor Total
Horizontal bale grinder 1.90 0.07 2.65 1.30 1.65 7.56
Hammer mill 1.38 0.10 0.15 4.33 4.15 10.11
Pellet mill 0.93 0.07 0.77 3.61 1.29 6.66
Cross flow pellet dryer 0.08 0.01 0.01 3.61 1.29 4.99
7
Schuon Twin Bale Infeed, Schuon Bale Merge, Schuon Single Bale Infeed
8
Primary Cyclone, Material handling fan with dust hood,
9
W&B Twine Remover, Danske Moisture Meter, Dings Electro Magnet, Kelderman Baler Rejector

9
 Conveyor equipment10 0.24 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.30
Dust collection equipment11 0.25 0.04 0.00 0.56 0.00 0.86
Surge bin 0.09 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.11
Miscellaneous equipment12 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.19
Total 5.03 0.34 3.58 13.45 8.38 30.78

Legend: I&D: Interest and Depreciation; IH&T: Insurance, Housing and Taxes; R&M: Repairs and Maintenance

10
Schuon Twin Bale Infeed, Schuon Bale Merge, Schuon Single Bale Infeed
11
Primary Cyclone, Material handling fan with dust hood,
12
W&B Twine Remover, Danske Moisture Meter, Dings Electro Magnet, Kelderman Baler Rejector

10
Quality Depot: AFEX
Table S10. AFEX total capital investment costs.
Direct Cost (US$) (US$)
AFEX grinder 324,000
Chemical pretreatment 2,564,800
AFEX dryer 1,579,200
AFEX hammer mill 206,400
AFEX pellet mill 630,400
Conveyor equipment13 268,800
Dust collection equipment14 286,400
Surge bin 96,800
Miscellaneous equipment15 84,000
Total fixed capital cost $6,040,800
Other Direct Cost (% of total fixed capital cost)
Instrumentation and control 2%
Piping (installed) 3%
Electrical (installed) 2%
Building (including
3%
services)
Yard improvements 2%
Service facilities (installed) 8%
Land 1%
Total other direct cost 21% $1,268,568
Indirect Cost (% of total fixed capital cost)
Engineering and supervision 4%
Construction expenses 4%
Contractor’s fee 2%
Contingency 5%
Total indirect cost 15% $906,120
Total capital investment $8,215,488

13
Schuon Twin Bale Infeed, Schuon Bale Merge, Schuon Single Bale Infeed
14
Primary Cyclone, Material handling fan with dust hood,
15
W&B Twine Remover, Danske Moisture Meter, Dings Electro Magnet, Kelderman Baler Rejector

11
Table S11. AFEX fixed and operations costs (US$/Mg).
Ownership Cost Operating Cost
Machine Type
I&D IH&T R&M Fuel Labor Total
AFEX grinder 1.90 0.07 2.65 1.30 1.65 7.56
Chemical pretreatment 3.45 0.45 1.26 8.53 0.87 14.56
AFEX dryer 1.80 0.32 0.29 11.80 3.23 27.28
AFEX hammer mill 0.55 0.04 0.07 0.87 1.65 3.19
AFEX pellet mill 0.93 0.07 0.77 5.41 1.29 8.47
Conveyor equipment 0.24 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.30
Dust collection equipment 0.25 0.04 0.00 0.56 0.00 0.86
Surge bin 0.09 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.11
Miscellaneous equipment 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.19
Total 9.36 1.05 5.03 38.36 8.70 62.49

Legend: I&D: Interest and Depreciation; IH&T: Insurance, Housing and Taxes; R&M: Repairs and Maintenance

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A-3 Sensitivity Analysis Graphs
Table S12. Parameter ranges and variations for a triangular distribution-based sensitivity analysis.

CPP/AFEX HMPP
Parameter Min Max Peak Min Max Peak
4.54 18.14 9.07 4.54 18.1 9.07
Depot size (Mg/hour)
4
Electricity price (US$cents/kWh) 4 14 6 4 14 6
220.5 551.27 330.7 33.0 88.2 55.13
Dryer energy use (kWh/Mg)
1 6 8 0
38.59 165.38 82.69 33.0 88.2 55.13
Pellet mill energy use (kWh/Mg)
8 0
Grinder energy use (kWh/Mg) 11 33 19.8 11 33 19.8
Legend: Min: Minimum value; Max: Maximum value
Hammer mill energy use 5.51 33 13 44.1 99.2 66.12
(kWh/Mg) 2

1
 40.03 87.73

41.60 68.81

45.33 53.01

47.56 49.57

47.56 49.19

40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00

Figure S1. The impact of electricity price, energy consumption of different equipment used at CPP on depot
fixed and operations cost.

27.33 49.31

29.51 32.93

29.56 32.95

29.62 32.93

30.36 32.33

25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 45.00 50.00 55.00 60.00

Figure S2. The impact of electricity price, energy consumption of different equipment used at HMPP on
depot fixed and operations cost.

1
 53.53 110.34

56.44 76.78

60.32 68.26

62.89 66.13

62.60 64.30

50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00 100.00 110.00

Figure S3. The impact of electricity price, energy consumption of different equipment used at AFEX on depot
fixed and operations cost.