Equipment for making pellets by hand

A person is constantly looking for ways to save on the fuel used, and one of the most optimal solutions to this problem will be pellets themselves.

This kind of solid fuel is suitable for use in furnaces, fireplaces and even some types of boilers designed to heat a house in the winter season.

Pellets are small fuel briquettes obtained by pressing some types of wood waste, peat, and also sowing crops such as straw or husk.

These fuel cells are produced using special equipment that can be made by hand.

In general, pellets are considered to be a fairly economical and safe type of solid fuel, which in many respects surpasses such common elements as coal or fuel oil.

Anyone can produce pellets on their own.

All that is necessary for this is to have a special machine and know the technology of production of this type of solid fuel, which everyone can master in a short time.

Basic characteristics of

pellets In general, pellets are called small briquettes obtained from pressing various materials.

Most often they are produced by processing sawdust and other wood waste. In addition, they can be made from bark, branches, as well as dry foliage and needles.

Rarely pellets are produced by pressing straw, oil cake and even peat.

Despite such a variety of materials from which this type of solid fuel can be obtained, the use of sawdust is considered to be the most justified.

These wood residues have the maximum energy output, which means that they will more effectively heat the house in the winter season.

It is conditionally accepted to divide pellets into three main groups.

The first class includes granules, so-called "premium", which are suitable for use in heating systems of an autonomous type. They can only be made from sawdust and other wood waste.

The second group includes industrial or industrial grade pellets.

Their manufacture is carried out by pressing various soil impurities, wood bark, as well as foliage or needles.

These granules have a higher zoning than the "premium" granules, but they are not much inferior to the latter in their energy intensity.

The main advantage of such pellets is considered to be rather low cost.

The last third type of pellet includes the most low-grade granules, which are manufactured by processing agricultural waste.

They have a fairly high level of zoning, but can not boast of high energy intensity.

Most often this kind of pellets is used in large boiler houses, where the cost of used fuel plays a role.

The main advantages of

pellets The main advantage of this type of solid fuel is high environmental friendliness. When using it, the emission of all kinds of harmful substances into the atmosphere is minimal.

When burning pellets, as a rule, water vapor and carbon dioxide are released, which are absorbed by plants without any consequences.

It should be noted that pellets are excellent for pyrolysis, which means that they can be used in boilers of long burning, which are distinguished by their high efficiency.

If you install equipment that will automate the process of loading pellets into the boiler, human participation in the work process will be minimized.

Due to the compact size of the granules, they do not need to use large volumes of the corresponding space to store them, in addition, pellets can be easily transported to the place of use.

The process of pellet production does not require the use of any chemical additives or modifiers, which means that no unpleasant odors are generated during their burning.

If you use high-quality fuel of this type, then its heat transfer will be several times greater than the same index for such common elements as, for example, conventional wood or coal.

This type of fuel does not decay or preet, which means that the probability of its self-ignition is practically reduced to zero.

The use of pellets allows several times to reduce the cost of heating the house in the winter season.

In addition, if pellets are produced independently, then it is possible to minimize financial costs even more.

Necessary equipment

If you want to set up your own pellet production, you will need to purchase or manufacture the appropriate equipment yourself.

The most optimal option is to buy a ready-made machine, but its cost can be simply too much for many.

In order to make all the necessary equipment on its own, it will be necessary to purchase an appropriate electric motor, gearbox, as well as the transmission and the actuator.

You can assemble the frame under the machine by yourself, and for this you will need:

• channel;
• corner;
• I-bit.

Connect the elements together by welding, while not forgetting the reinforcement of the structure by installing additional stiffeners.

Next, the actuator is installed, which is a special cylinder-type capacity.

After the actuator has been installed, it must be connected to the electric motor using a chain transmission and gearbox.

Next we need to make a matrix.

For this purpose, use a metal sheet with a thickness of at least ten millimeters.

The matrix is ​​cut to the required dimensions, with corresponding holes for the granules. The disk thus obtained is attached to the gear shaft using a keyed connection.

The pressure required for pellet production will be provided by means of a worm pair, which is mounted directly in the cylinder.

In order for the finished machine to work without fail and ensure the production of effective solid fuel, it is necessary to use only quality components and fully comply with the technology of its production.

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Production technology

The process of pellet production can be divided into several different stages.

First of all, you should correctly prepare the raw materials used for these purposes. To do this, it is sorted, separated from unnecessary impurities and thoroughly dried.

Then the crushing of raw materials is carried out, for which it is filled up in the so-called receiving part of the cylinder of the machine.

Compression of raw materials is carried out in the working area of ​​the equipment, and the granules themselves are obtained by punching it through the corresponding matrix holes.

In the end, the granules must acquire the required shape and size, and also gain the appropriate density.

At the final stage of the work, the finished pellets are taken from the storage tank and sent for compulsory drying.

The room for drying the finished solid fuel must have adequate humidity and temperature.

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In the production of pellets, the recommended chip size should be on average from thirty to fifty millimeters, with a thickness of up to two millimeters.

It should also be ensured that the raw materials used are thoroughly dry, for which you can purchase a special mobile dryer.

The moisture content of sawdust should be from ten to twelve percent, otherwise it will not be possible to form sufficiently strong granules.

To obtain high-quality pellets, it is necessary that the pressing holes of the matrix have a conical shape, slightly tapering downwards.

Self-production of pellets can significantly reduce the cost of heating the house, although for this it is necessary to invest in the appropriate equipment and master the technology of their production.