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Computer aided design of wood pellet machines

Preprint · June 2018

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.24891.31521

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Computer aided design of wood pellet machines

Marek Macko1, Adam Mroziński2

Abstract
The work presents the construction solution of a wood pellet machines according to
the original concept. In order to determine the construction features of the machine, the
SolidWorks application with simulation modules was used. The effect of these simula-
tions was to determine the range of constructional features of the pellet machine work-
ing system. The usefulness of the CAD / CAE application in the scope of determining
the acceptable range of construction features of the pellet machine was indicated.

Keywords: wood-pellets, energy biomass, fuel, pellet machines, CAD, CAE

1 Introduction

Currently, many research centres are searching for new materials for energy purposes
and research on their properties, including of biomass energy. The stage of preparation for
further operations is usually grinding [1,2,3,4,5,6]. In this area, numerous works are carried
out to estimate the energy demand for the process. In the area of energy and material recy-
cling, work is underway to develop polymer and wood materials [7,8,9].
The European Union produces about 50% of the world's production of wood
pellets. However, the demand for pellets in the EU alone accounts for 75% of the
entire wood pellet market in the world. Therefore, the EU is the largest wood pel-
let market in the world, with around 20.5 million tonnes of pellets consumed in
2015. In all consumption from 2015, approx. 65% of the volume of all pellets was
used for heat production and 35% for energy production. Currently, the demand
for wood pellets is expected to increase to 22.5 million tonnes in 2017.
When it comes to heating homes, the market looks quite stable compared to the indus-
trial use of pellets. About 60% of the pellets used to produce heat were burned by
households. However, recent rather mild winters, as well as lower prices of fossil

1 Marek Macko () mackomar@ukw.edu.pl, Kazimierz Wielki University, Institute of

Mechanics and Applied Computer Sciences, Kopernika 1, 85-074 Bydgoszcz, Poland
2
University of Technology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Al. Kaliskiego 7,
85-791 Bydgoszcz, Poland
2

fuels, have reduced pellet consumption by households. It should be noted, however,

that when heating industrial or public buildings such as hospitals and swimming pools,
the impact of weather conditions is less important to the amount of burning pellets.
The main consumers of wood pellets in the EU are: Great Britain, Italy,
Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, France as well as Austria [10]. Current-
ly, pellets are produced by several dozen manufacturers and several more production
lines are under construction. The largest Polish producers have production capacities at
the level of 60,000. - 90,000 tons/year. Over half of producers produce less than
30,000 tons/year. The largest number of companies producing pellets is located
in wooded areas, in particular in the north-western part of the country [11,12,13].
Pellets compete with fossil fuels, thanks to a competitive price in relation
to the calorific value, low ash content, moisture and toxic substances. The produc-
tion of pellets is a complex issue and requires a precisely designed technological
line as well as high quality raw material [11,12].
Pellets are granules with a diameter of 6 - 25 mm and a length of several
dozen mm made of compressed sawdust, without the use of any additives. The biggest
advantages are the low ash content (below 1.5%), moisture (<8%) and toxic substanc-
es. It is an ecological fuel because the amount of CO2 it emits during combustion
is balanced by the amount absorbed by plants during photosynthesis [13,14,15,16].

2 Methods of pellet’s production technology

The scheme of the granulation process is shown in Figure 1. The raw material
layer is supplied under the roll, which presses the material into the matrix.
When the roll moves further along the surface, the raw material is delivered again,
which causes the granules to be formed. The principle of rotary pelletizers is cy-
clic pressing, pressing rolls, shredded material through a series of cylindrical holes
made in the matrix. During the formation of pellets, the material hits the re-
sistance, which causes friction and heat and pressure that is crucial in the for-
mation of pellets. At the exit it is broken by the breaking element [13-15].

Fig. 1 Scheme of the granulation process [11].

 3

The pellet production process is complex and requires a carefully designed

production line as well as a high-quality raw material. The raw material must be
pre-prepared before it is granulated, it should have a defined fraction, low humidi-
ty and it must be free from contaminants that may cause damage to the
die or pressing rolls. To compress straw or sawdust, a high compression matrix
is required. Such a matrix is characterized by a greater thickness of the layer and
also has funnels compressing on the rake face and stress relief funnels at the out-
let. The dimensions of the matrix and rolls for hard materials are different, as well
as others for soft materials.
An annular or flat matrix can be used for granulation. In both cases, the bio-
mass is fed into the drum, where one or more press rollers compress it into the cy-
lindrical die holes. The dies in both cases can of course be replaced, which allows for
changing the diameter of the cylindrical holes, and thus the production of pellets of
various sizes. Biomass pressing increases its temperature. The pressure level in the
matrix should be adjusted, among other things, to the type of granulated biomass.
Pellet machines with a ring matrix, most often work in a centrifugal system by
means of one, two or three rotating rollers pressing the wood pulp to the inside sur-
face of the die. The pellets are pressed outside the die and cut there to the right length.
This is the most popular variety of devices for producing wood pellets. The efficiency
of this type of equipment, with a given raw material, depends directly on the working
surface of the die and is a derivative of its circumference and width. It also depends on
the surface pressure of the rollers to the die, and this is determined by the width of the
rollers and their number. In addition, the speed of the die and the pressure rollers, as
well as the thickness of the pressed layer, determine the efficiency.

3 Methodology

Designed by the Alchemik company (in cooperation with WIM UTP in Byd-
goszcz), the JP series pelleting machine is used for the production of sawdust pel-
lets as well as straw. As part of cooperation with the Alchemik company and im-
plementation of the so-called the research voucher was carried out optimization
work on the pellet plant construction. As part of the work, the SolidWorks program
was used (optimization of components' strength and kinematics of their movement).
Finally, a pellet machine with low efficiency (one of the design assumptions) was
obtained, which is up to 100 kg/h (fig. 2.). The dimensions of the pellet machine are
1846.5mm x 1835.9mm x 880mm. The course of pellet formation in the Alchemik
ring pellet machine is as follows: Properly crushed and dried material goes to the
conditioner, which, by subjecting it to steam, causes its softening. Then the snail in
the conditioner delivers the raw material to the drum. Then the material is pressed
through the holes in the rotary die by means of two rollers. Finally, the finished
granulate falls through the hole in the hatch and is subjected to cooling [8, 9].
4

Fig. 2. Design of pellet machine by the company Alchemik from the JP series: 1 - hatch, 2 - base,
3 - main drive motor, 4 - screw drive motor, 5 - gear transmission I, 6 - worm system, 7 - matrix,
8 - mechanism working with a set of rollers, 9 - housing, 10 - shaft I, 11 - gear II, 12 - nut I,
13 -cover, 14 - screw I, 15 - cap II, 16, 17 - screws II and III, 18, 19 - hubs, 20 - grooves I,
21, 22 - shafts II and III, 23 - housing, 24, 25 - screws II and III, 26 - ring, 27 - overlay,
28, 29 - nuts III and IV, 30 - shaft II, 31 - groove II [18].

4 Results

Computer-aided design methods aimed at finding optimal machine con-

struction variants are widely known [19, 20, 21]. CAD / CAE tools were used in
the design and construction process, including the SolidWorks application.
It is a program for parametric three-dimensional modeling (3D CAD). It allows to
design solid models, as well as sheet metal, welded structures, molds, surface
models. In addition, it allows to assemble all elements into one project and to pre-
pare production documentation. Additionally, for many years there are add-ons
available to perform computer simulations, such as SolidWorks Simulation, Mo-
tion, Flow Simulation and environmental analysis.
The SolidWorks Simulation solution provides the following options:
- virtual simulation of many different physical environments as part of an intui-
tive, efficient interface,
- conducting a number of structural simulations, such as static linear and nonlinear
simulations, vibrational simulations, material fatigue, thermal, optimization and
non-linear dynamic simulations,
- performing simulations of rigid bodies taking into account time and events,
- comparing the parameters of products made of different materials,
 5

- streamlining the projects of products affected by liquids or gases: simulation of

liquid flow and heat transfer (CFD analysis),
- detection and elimination of manufacturing defects at the earliest stages of de-
signing plastic parts and injection molds,
- conducting simulations of the environmental impact on the developed products.
All components were designed as parts, and then the complete machine was
assembled. The strength calculations have been used. With the addition of Solid-
Works Motion, it is possible to carry out a number of kinematic and dynamic sim-
ulations. The attention was paid to the working part of the pellet machine (fig. 3).

Fig. 3 A view of the SolidWorks application screen with the pellet machine's working chamber.

In the first part of the investigation, the kinematic and dynamic dependencies
between the moving part of the drum and the inner disk were estimated. The pur-
pose of these tests was to determine the permissible range of angular displace-
ments and, consequently, high stresses in order to force the material into the canal
in the drums. The range of angular displacement of the moving drum is shown in
fig. 4a, while the range of changes in the kinetic energy of the drum being started
is shown in fig. 4b. whereas fig. 5a and 5b show the momentary relations of the
torque of the shaft and drive plate as well as the drum reaction force during lo-
ading. A characteristic feature is the non-linear range of displacement changes be-
tween the selected edges of the openings and the fixed part of the housing, espe-
cially in the initial part of each cycle (each new rotation). The measurement time
was set at 3,8 s. In terms of changes in the total kinetic energy of the inner drum
after disconnecting the drive, a non-linear decrease in the value in the range of
4,5 to 0,8 J can be observed. The purpose of this test was to check the range of in-
ertia of the drum after moving it.
 6

177

89
Przemieszczenie k¹towe1 (deg)

-87

-175
0.00 0.38 0.76 1.14 1.52 1.90 2.28 2.66 3.04 3.42 3.80
Czas (s ec)

4 .5

3 .5
Ca³kowita energia kinetyczna1 (d¿ul)

2 .6

1 .7

0 .8
0 .0 0 0 .3 8 0 .7 6 1 .1 4 1 .5 2 1 .9 0 2 .2 8 2 .6 6 3 .0 4 3 .4 2 3 .8 0
Cza s (s e c)

Fig. 4 The range of angular displacement of the moving drum – a, the range of changes in the ki-
netic energy of the drum being started – b.

3966
Moment obrotowy napêdu1 (newton-mm)

2974

1983

991

0
0.00 0.23 0.46 0.68 0.91 1.14 1.37 1.60 1.82 2.05 2.28
Czas (s ec)

4.4

3.8
Si³a reakcji1 (newton)

3.2

2.5

1.9
0.00 0.23 0.46 0.68 0.91 1.14 1.37 1.60 1.82 2.05 2.28
Czas (s ec)

Fig. 5 The momentary relations of the torque of the shaft and drive plate – a, the drum reaction
force during loading – b.
 7

5 Summary and conclusions

The pellet machine working system was tested in order to determine the struc-
tural features. The simulation part contains the results of the temporary angular di-
splacement of the moving drum. Additionally, the results are also attached to the
results of momentary relations. Although the simulation results are cognitive and
approximate, there are some regularities that are used in the final parameter selec-
tion.The pellet drying machine designed by SolidWorks application is the most
important element of the pellet production process. The quality of the final prod-
uct depends directly on its work. In the pellet range, the quality of pellets depends
on the following factors:
a) mechanics of pressure - the force of pressing the rolls against the die,
b) process kinematics - the mutual speed of the rolls that determines the thickness
of the pressed layer,
c) geometrical features of the die with holes - the shape of the so-called grooves
in pressure rollers, height and diameter of holes (die thickness), shape of fun-
nel openings from the inside and outside of the die,
d) the characteristics of the matrix must be adapted to the type of wood - various
dependencies arise in the course of work, and changing even one characteristic
may lead to unexpected consequences,
e) way of feeding wood pulp - speed and uniformity of feeding and spreading
wood pulp on the entire width of the matrix.
The shape of the die and the pressure system basically determine the type of
pellet machine. There are two types of matrices on the wood pellet market: flat
(circular) and spatial (annular). The process of pelleting is a high-energy process
(energy consumption of the process depending on the material processed can
range from approx. 10-15 to approx. 80-100 kWh/t.) Working systems "matrix-
compacting rollers" pelleting equipment wear out after a short period of work
(about 1/10 - 1/15 of the lifetime of the whole device).
There are factors, which are important for the successful course of granulation
in pellets - and thus for obtaining a high quality of the final product: the quality of
the raw material used for production, performance of the granulating machine and
the course of the granulation process, friction in the matrix, surface and material
from which the matrix has been are done, length and diameter of holes in the matrix,
the thickness of the biomass material that is subjected to the pressure of the rollers
on the surface of the die - the thickness of the material layer reaching the die holes,
compression frequency - the speed at which the press roll moves.
Undoubtedly, research on the structural development of pelleting machines
should be carried out. The use of advanced CAD/CAE simulations can contribute
to the improvement of structural parameters thanks to strength, kinematic and flow
analyzes.
 8

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