Archive for March, 2009
Good And Bad Biomass Pellets
Wood pellets and fuel pellets in general made from a range of materials are being used in more homes and business for heating purposes. The key feature of pellets is their ability to be used in systems that replicate current oil and gas systems. This means the transition between the two systems is made a lot simpler. The other benefit that pellets offer is their low maintenance requirements and high efficiency. Pellets really do provide new opportunities to bring more renewable energy sources into use. However many people, even people who currently use pellets know that there are differences between different brands and there are different qualities of pellets. Users need to be aware of these differences so they can make an educated decision when deciding which brand of pellets to purchase. Premium quality fuel pellets made from wood are the most used form of biomass energy. Premium wood pellets have to meet certain criteria and standards to be called ‘premium’. These features of premium pellets are based around their high heat, high efficiency low maintenance abilities. For the pellets to provide these qualities, they require certain features, namely their density, moisture content, fines content and ash percentage. If the pellets fall short on any of these criteria, they cannot be regarded as premium pellets.
A low moisture content of below 10% is one of the key characteristics of premium fuel pellets. Low moisture content means a more efficient burn is possible which results in more heat produced and therefore they are more efficient. Fines are particles, which didn’t form into pellets, or have broken away from the pellets, this dust doesn’t burn very efficiently and can increase the ash content and possibly cause other issues around clinkers. Another important aspect is ash percentage. Premium wood pellets must have low ash content, so their maintenance level is as low as possible. An ash content below 2% is expected, with some pellets producing ash content as low as 0.5%. To achieve this the material the pellets are made from is very important. It will either be softwoods or hardwoods, with bark removed. Hardwood pellets are supposed to produce less ash than softwood pellets, however many users find the opposite is true. Finally density is an overlooked factor of a premium quality pellet, however it is arguably the most important. Earlier it was stated how fines or pellet dust reduce efficiency as they do not burn as efficiently. Well pellets with a low density as they start to burn, break apart easily and turn to dust, meaning they loose burning efficiency. So for burning you want pellets that are nice and dense, but how can you tell which are dense and which are not. Well dense pellets usually have a surface shine, so this is an easy feature to look out for.
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It Requires A Considerable Leap
It Requires A Considerable Leap
These days with vehicles abounding and trends in energy usage and polution lending to the increasing popularity of green energy and emission regulation in vehicles to stop environmentally detrimental materials from motor vehicles. Whether for the benefit of improved mechanics, the wonderful use of filtering to free warm or cold conditioned clean air of pollutants or improving modern air fresheners, activated carbon is used in vehicles and many other applications.
For instance, take the activated carbon air conditioning mechanism involving replaceable filters that clean the contents of the air before it is cycled into the vehicle, providing clean air free of contaminants and odor. As another example of activated carbon used in vehicles, the evaporatize emissions control system to manage fuel stream hydrocarbon content manages and scrubs the molecular weight hydrocarbons in a vapor stream from a vehicle’s fuel tank. This method of activated carbon adsorbtion, using granular activated carbon or a carbon monolith to scrub a vapor stream going to the engine to ensure peak operating of the engine both prevents contaminants from fouling engine processes with a stream of gasoline vapor that could cause inconsistent fuel to the engine, acts as a preventative maintenance preventing buildup from damaging the engine later.
Bulk activated carbon is highly prized on markets today as it can be used for activated carbon water treatment in aquariums at home, in tanks at Sea World and other marine life habitats and in the processes of managing wastewater and sewage treatment. Consider that that systems related to filtering out organic and other contaminants is so related to a major source of the activated carbon used in the filtering processes.B ulk activated carbon, including powder activated carbon is derived in large amounts from the chemical treatment of wastewater and sewage sludge and can be forwarded to a supplier to further treat and be used in activated carbon water and activated carbon air treatment methods.
It sure is leap of understanding to know how effective and efficient activated carbon products are being made from well, our wastewater and …sewage and being applied in so many industries in such environmentally friendly ways. A heck of a way for organic byproducts to be employed, but using these materials this way instead of digging a giant hole of a landfill and burying it, well that’s something. The methods works so well I’m glad to know this bit of trivia. They’re using ‘em this way and it’s used in so many applications, plus saving the world, dolphins at seaworld and cars, which I think is great, don’t you?
Production Principles Of Premium Quality Wood Pellets
Fuel pellets and particularly wood pellets are growing in popularity as a new form of practical renewable energy. Premium wood pellets are currently the most popular type of fuel pellet. Premium wood pellets have a very high heat value and their moisture percentage can be as low as 0.5%. Premium pellets also produce the least amount of fine and have the best density. All these features mean premium wood pellets produce the most amount of heat with the fewest particulate emissions and maintenance. However although premium wood pellets may currently be the most popular fuel pellets, many other types of ‘biomass’ can be turned into pellets. Other agricultural products and waste can be processed into pellets. The potential for biomass densification is huge, and will only grow into the future when energy and renewable energy is taken as seriously as needs be.
So how are wood and other biomass materials turned into pellets? First the material must be ground down to a small uniform size, around 4mm. The material must also be fairly dry for the process to work. The material is then fed into a pellet mill or pellet press. All pellet mills follow the same basic principles of operation, although their designs do differ. You have a die with holes drilled in it; depending on what size pellet you want the hole is drilled to that size. There is then a roller or roller assembly, which sits on the surface of the die. There will be at least 2 rollers, but some pellet mills have more. As the material enters the pellet mill, it falls under the rollers and is compressed through the holes in the die. This whole process causes a lot of friction and this creates heat, this is needed though to help the material form a pellet. When the pellet leaves the die, a knife cuts it to a set length dependant on what the pellets will be used for. Pellet boilers and stoves for example prefer pellets up to an inch in length. Longer pellets can cause issues in the auger feed system, and in some cases can even break the auger. Once the pellets have been cut by the knife they leave the pellet mill. When they come out of the pellet mill they may look like you could use them straight away. However these pellets are still soft and fragile. They must cool, and during cooling they turn hard. Once they have finished cooling they can be used for their purpose.
In many cases though you will not want to use the pellets there and then, so you need to store them. You can store the pellets in many different ways, however you must take into consideration 2 key points. Keep them away from moisture and reduce moving them, as they will break apart.
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Cleaning Up Our Planet
Cleaning Up Our Planet
If you are the type who buys carbon credits for any travel you do, who drives a hybrid, who uses only high efficiency light bulbs and other electronics, who reuses wherever possible, and who buys locally then you are doing an admirable job for the environment. Humans on the whole are running through our resources way too quickly and are also spewing way too much pollution out into the environment. The environment simply cannot sustain a full on assault for much longer. As such any step you can take to reduce your consumption is a positive one for the planet. You can always take additional steps though and should follow the example of some of the big macadamia nut shell processors in Hawaii when attempting to find new ways to conserve. Historically their plants produced a lot of waste by product but it turns out they can turn this by-product into an environment saving filter. This filter is called activated carbon and is a remarkable product given its ability to filter pollutants out of both water and air. You can use these filters in your home to filter all sorts of pollutants you create from furnace exhaust to water runoff from your downspouts.
Biomass Pellets, What Are Their Advantages?
As current energy sources come under more scrutiny for the levels of carbon dioxide they contribute to the atmosphere, alternative energy sources are being considered to provide us with the energy we need. Nuclear energy by some is seen as a solution, as it does not contribute to global warming. However nuclear power plants are extremely expensive to produce, have high risks associate to the plants themselves and to the waste they produce. Nuclear waste is an issue which still needs to be solved; simply burying it underground for future generations to deal with is not a responsible and sensible solution. Wind and solar are ever improving forms of renewable energy that will play an important role in our low carbon energy future. However both have issues in terms of their use of land and energy on demand. Solar panels only produce energy when the sun shines and wind turbines when the wind blows.
Biomass is any cellulose material, which can be used as an energy source. Biomass includes wood, straws and grasses to name but a few. Biomass is part of the carbon cycle, so it does not contribute to global warming; it simply recycles available carbon within the atmosphere to grow more biomass. Efficient burning is not possible with biomass in its raw form, and must be processed to be a true green fuel. To achieve efficient combustion with the highest levels of heat output and the lowest levels of particulates and emissions, the biomass must be compressed. By compressing the biomass a denser material is formed, which performs far better in stoves and boilers. One type of biomass compression is a pellet. A high density and low moisture content are the key qualities to efficient pellet burning. Due to these qualities pellets perform very well, and many pellet stoves and boilers can achieve 99% efficiency.
The most popular form of biomass fuel pellet are wood pellets. They are commonly made from softwood and hardwood by-products. They produce very low ash and high heat and low maintenance. Wood pellets are very popular in Europe and particularly Sweden, and their popularity is growing all over the world. Pellets flow like a liquid due to their consistent shape, size and density. These properties mean that pellets are suitable for screw auger and hopper systems. With automatic cleaning systems on stoves and boilers, maintenance levels can be kept to an absolute minimum. This replicates current oil and gas heating systems, making the transition for the user as small as possible. Designing alternative energy systems that fit into our current lifestyle is very important to convenience people over to the change. Once you factor in the cost benefits of pellets compared to oil or gas, many people see the advantages.
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The Carbon Cycle And Biomass Fuel Pellets
Carbon and carbon dioxide are now firmly in the spot light on how they affect climate change and global warming. Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere results in increased temperatures, thus affecting the global climate. Increased carbon dioxide levels are due to our prolonged and ever increasing use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are effectively a carbon store, which is kept deep under ground. If oil, gas and coal remain underground, they do not contribute to the carbon cycle. When we burn fossil fuels, we released the carbon they contain as carbon dioxide and this increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we continue to use fossil fuels, we continue to increase the levels of carbon dioxide in the air, increasing the global temperature. Therefore its globally agreed that we must move away from fuels which increase the levels of carbon, which are carbon positive, on to fuels which are carbon neutral or carbon negative. Solar and wind are two forms of renewable energy which do not impact on the carbon cycle, however they will only play a part in our energy future, they cannot be the whole solution.
Biomass is also a renewable form of energy, which will contribute to our energy future. Biomass is any cellulose plant life which can potentially used as a fuel source. This includes wood, straw, grasses and many other different biomass forms. A practical way to use and efficiently use and create energy from these materials is to upgrade them into pellets. Today wood pellets are becoming more popular, however grass pellets, straw pellets and other biomass pellets must be utilized also. Using biomass pellets is either carbon neutral or even carbon negative. Biomass and plants in general are part of the carbon cycle; they consume carbon dioxide for use in photosynthesis to grow. When the plants die and decay or are used in combustion, the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. As new biomass grows they then re-consume this carbon dioxide, and therefore the process is part of a cycle and does not contribute additional carbon to the atmosphere.
If biomass is ash is properly used, biomass can be carbon negative. The ash remaining from biomass combustion is an excellent soil conditioner. It enables the soil to hold more water and nutrients, which enables better plant growth. This ash contains carbon from the air, which is then trapped into the soil. This is essentially a reversal of the process of the effects of burning fossil fuels. It is even possible to use biomass ash to reclaim unfertile desert land in countries such as Australia. Once this land is productive again more crops can be grown accelerating the process of reducing the percentage of carbon in the atmosphere to suitable levels.
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What Makes Fuel Pellets Carbon Neutral Energy
Pellets can be made from a wide selection of resources to produce energy. Biomass as a term is a general definition to describe a wide range of organic materials, which can be used as fuel to produce energy. Biomass includes wood, straw sand grasses for a few examples. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by biomass for photosynthesis to grow. Therefore biomass contains carbon which is has extracted from the atmosphere. When biomass is burnt this carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere. So unlike fossil fuels, which place surplus and additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as long as more biomass is grow it is part of the carbon cycle and does not contribute to global warming. Biomass can actually be regarded as carbon negative if suitable steps are taken. Once biomass has been burnt the ash which remains is an excellent soil conditioner. Biomass ash, or specifically wood ash was used in the Amazon hundreds of years ago to increase crop productivity. The soil is called Terra Preta, and the soil is noticeably a darker colour than the orange soil of the Amazon.The biomass ash holds water and nutrients in the soil, which improves crop productivity. The ash also contains some carbon from the biomass, and this carbon came from the air. So by placing biomass ash into the soil you are effectively trapping carbon in the ground, and therefore the process is carbon negative.
Carbon in the atmosphere can be reduced and crop growth can be increased by producing and burning biomass pellets. By using biomass ash as a soil conditioner it is even possible to reclaim baron dessert land, and turn it back into productive soil.
Not only are biomass pellets a carbon neutral or carbon negative fuel, they are also renewable and sustainable. Fossil fuels for example are not renewable, there is only a finite supply of resources, and once we use them we cannot replace them. Biomass on the other hand can be grown quickly, to replace the biomass used in the first place. Biomass such as Oak grows much slower than willow. So considerations need to be given to which biomass generates the best yield returns in the shortest time period and uses the least acres of land. Our first need is to produce enough food crops, so this is the first need of productive land. However the residues and waste from food crops is also biomass, which can be used as a fuel. More efficient use of land and resources needs to be achieved if the world is to produce enough fuel and food.
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Activated Carbon and Big Island plans
Big Island plans
Big Island Carbon LLC is planning to begin constructing a plant in Hawaii that will turn macadamia nut shells into premium grade, granular activated carbon. The plant will be located in Kaie Hana Industrial Park within the community of Kawaihae on the island of Hawaii. The macadamia nuts will be supplied by local growers on the island and the product, granular activated carbon will be used in filtration devices such as air and water filters. The goals of this project are multifold and will benefit the community. It will provide employment during construction – about one hundred workers will be needed during the ten months it will take to build the plant. In addition, the plant will provide steady employment after the plant is built. Currently, Hawaii economy is very dependent on agriculture and tourism, both of which fluctuate greatly with the seasons. The new plant will help the macadamia growers by increasing demand for macadamia nuts. It will also diversify the island’s economy, making it more stable in case of, for example, crop failure and poor tourism years. In addition, it will provide high-tech jobs, and by making use of otherwise discarded shells, it is making use of otherwise unused resources; it is efficient and good for the environment.
Activated Carbon - A Solution to Water Issues
Needs a Solution to Water Issues
As is the case with many cities across the country, Alliance, Ohio is suffering from water problems. In particular the taste and smell of the water is offensive and many of the residents are fearful that the water is unsafe for consumption. Given the central role water plays in our lives this is an unacceptable but all too common occurrence. The root of the problem lies in the sensitivity of our water system to external factors. The environment is always changes and so the water supply is always subject to having new compounds introduced that can alter its taste, smell, and health. We live in a society that is heavily reliant on manufacturing and one of the unfortunate side effects of this reliance is that it is inevitable that industry will introduce new compounds into the environment. These compounds will get to the water supply regardless of whether they are dumped directly into the water or whether they are releases into the atmosphere and subsequently enter the water supply via rain. Unfortunately completely containing such pollution is all but impossible and so that leaves towns like Alliance with only one option. These towns need to find ways to filter their water supply to remove bad taste and smell as well as any potentially unsafe contaminants. Fortunately a decent option in the form of activated carbon exists. Activated carbon has the potential to clean the water supply and ensure the population has a safe and good tasting supply despite the environmental factors that surround the supply.
Activated Carbon for Clean Air
Activated Carbon for Clean Air
One of the most controversial but also one of the most critical issues out there today is that of the environment. There is much evidence out there that the globe is warming, our waterways are becoming polluted, and fertile landscape is being ruined and that this destruction is the result of human actions. There is an enormous push to ruin the greatest human causes of this destruction, which are namely the emission of waste from burning of fossil fuels and from the dumping of chemicals and other byproducts of production onto the land and into the waterways. As such there is a massive industry push underway that is being supported by government to cleanup the environment and this is being done by an area of industry being called green industry. The most famous aspect of this economy is alternative energy production such as solar and wind but of equal impact if not more is filtration of polluted air and water. The most successful way of accomplishing this is via activated carbon. Activated carbon provides an excellent short-term solution as it does an amazing job of filtering air and water. In the short- term it is not feasible to rework processes and manufacturing flow and so the best method to reduce emissions and benefit the environment is to filter out pollutants so as to minimize output of harmful substances. Visit here for more information about activated carbon and activated charcoal.
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