Archive for April, 2009

Biomass Fuel Pellets And Making Pellets

Wood has been used to heat our homes for hundreds and thousands of years, it is a traditional as it can get in terms of home heating fuels. Today log stoves and boilers are quite rare, as many people have opted for oil and gas systems. The simple reasons for this change is the lifestyle changes that can be achieved by moving on to oil and gas is very appealing to most people. The levels of maintenance required for a gas or oil system is very low compared to log systems. Global Warming, climate change and price rises mean the days of oil and gas systems are numbered. There is however a compromise to oil and gas systems in the form of a pellet stoves or boilers. Pellet systems use wood pellets to provide the heat required. The pellet stove or boiler contains a hopper and feed auger. The auger into the burn chamber, to achieve the desired heat value, feeds the pellets.

Through compression, it is possible to re-form many materials into pellets. The raw material is compressed into a small cylinder shape. A good quality pellet will have a smooth surface, with a shine. Under horizontal pressure a quality pellet should break cleanly, with very little dust created. A noticeable snap notice should be heard from the pellet breaking apart. As stated pellets are simply the raw material, whether it is wood, grass or straw compressed into a small cylinder. Material compression takes place in a pellet mill. The material is compressed between a set of rollers and a die in the pellet mill. The diameter of the pellet is dictated by the diameter of the hole in the die. The most common size of pellet for use in stoves and boilers is either 6mm or 8mm, with 6mm pellets used in stoves and 8mm pellets used in boilers. The size of pellet the burner can use, depends on the size of the auger, with stoves generally having smaller augers, they use smaller pellets. Pellets can be made in large diameters, for example animal feed pellets are usually 10-12mm. Past 30mm pellets are regarded as briquettes, and briquettes are not as ideal for automatic feed systems, using augers for example. Large diameter pellets require less force to form through the die, therefore the larger the diameter of pellet the stove or boiler can take, then generally cheaper the fuel. All different types of raw materials can be upgraded into pellets, to be used as fuel, or for animal feed and bedding among other uses. By processing the material into pellets, with regards to fuel makes it far more efficient during burning.

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Granular Activated Carbon

Granular Activated Carbon

Every day we as humans both emit a great volume of pollutants into the environment and at the same time we are exposed to a great volume of pollutants. Over time the toxicity from our environment can do significant harm to our bodies. This is reflected in the increasing incidence rates of many diseases, which can be shown to have correlation with the pollution in the environment and our exposure to such toxins. By far our biggest risk to exposure comes when we consume such toxins. For most humans the number one thing we consume in terms of volume is water and if you drink tap water then the odds are you are exposed to a great number of chemicals via the water you consume. Although overall drinking water is fairly safe the chemicals used to eliminate the worst forms of bacteria and toxin can do some harm over the long term. As such it is important to filter out your drinking water so that such chemicals do not cause long-term harm to your body via conditions such as cancer. One of the most effective ways to filter out such water is via granular activated carbon. Activated carbon filters have a remarkable capacity for removing chemicals and other toxins from the water thus allowing us to have safer drinking water.

 

Pellets, Stable Prices And Energy Security

Fuel pellets, and wood pellets specifically are today seen as one of the key solutions to combat global warming and climate change in the home and business heating sector. Fuel pellets are currently predominantly made from wood, however many other purpose grown and waste products can also be turned into pellets to be used as energy. There are several advantages in turning raw materials into pellets. A pellet flows like a liquid and is therefore ideal for automatic systems in stove and boilers. The high density of pellets means they burn very efficiently, producing very little smoke and ash. The heat obtained from burning pellets is far higher than a standard log stove. Another key advantage with pellets is the reduced cost of transportation in terms of energy and money. Some coal power stations today are using wheat and barley straw in their burners. The power station uses straw dust in their burners, however it has found to be more energy efficient to upgrade the straw into pellets, transport it and then turn the pellets into dust for the burners. Through compression, upgrading raw material such as straw into pellets means far less space is taken up to hold the same amount of energy. Ten wagons of unprocessed straw, can be replaced by one lorry of straw pellets. As stated this clearly has monetary benefits, however reduced transportation means reduced carbon output via lorries, which is a massive benefit to the environment.

Many different biomass materials can be turned into pellets for efficient combustion, automated system means far less fossil fuels such as gas and oil are needed to heat our homes and businesses. Obviously pellets are a ‘greener’ option, however there are also other advantages. The high price and price fluctuations are one of the key reasons more people are considering pellets for their heating needs. The price of oil and gas is dictated by political differences, for example between Russia and the Ukraine on the supply of gas. War, in countries such as Iraq, and general instability of the main oil producing countries. Also the lack of competition, if only a few countries and companies control the supply of oil and gas, they can charge whatever prices they wish, Dubai is an example of extreme wealth created by the current energy supply chain. Much of the current issues in the world with regards to climate change, wars and larger divides between the ultra rich and poorest communities are caused by need for oil and gas. Using locally available biomass, and pellet production, all of the complications created through the use of oil and gas can be resolved.

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The Advantages Of Wood Fuel Pellets

The most traditional form of heating is the log fire, this moved onto the log stove and boiler systems, which are still used today. However most people over time chose oil and gas systems, which required much less maintaince and fuel storage. With concerns over rising temperatures, global warming and rising oil and gas prices due to limited resources, dramatically increasing global population and political issues, people are now considering changing from oil and gas systems to other more sustainable, cheaper and environmentally friendly options. Some people have chosen to go back to the log stove and boiler systems, however there are several issues with these systems. Firstly the efficiency of many of these systems is not up to modern standards. They require extensive maintaince and a large fuel store, this means log systems contradict the modern day lifestyle, many gas and oil customers have never had to use higher maintaince heating systems. This means modern heating systems that will replace oil and gas systems need to try and replicate the low maintaince and high efficiency of oil and gas systems, however with the low environmental impact and sustainability of log systems. This is where pellet stoves and boilers can fill the gap, pellet systems are a compromise between the technologies of log and oil and gas systems.

Wood logs and other wood waste can also be upgraded into pellets, however they can also be made from many other forms of biomass fuel sources such as straws and grasses. More research and development is needed on pellet burning systems to efficiently handle these fuels, however the pellet potential incorporates a far larger resource than simply using wood logs. Through heat and pressure it is possible to reform the raw material into a pellet. Pellets have a uniform shape, size and density. The reasons it is necessary to form the material into a pellet is for burning efficiency, minimum fuel storage space requirements, lower transportation costs and improved pellet stove and boiler designs. By upgrading the raw material into pellets, a standardised fuel has been created. With pellet stoves and boilers, designers can design systems to use the pellets as efficiently as possible. Fuel transportation is one of the most important issues. Image if you didn’t compress straw used for fuel into pellets. To move the same amount of fuel it could take up to 10 lorries to move the same amount as 1 lorry with straw pellets. Pellets also have very low moisture content, generally below 10%. Pellets have a much lower moisture percentage compared to logs for example. Fuel storage as with transportation is an important issue, by compressing the material into pellets, much less storage space is required to hold the same heat value of fuel.

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The Increased Demand For Pellet Burners

Pellets, and specifically wood pellets are a compressed form of their original raw material. Wood pellets for example are made from compressed wood waste from the wood industry, generally from sawmills etc. The pellets have a uniform density, size and shape and systems can be designed around this standardised fuel. For using pellets as a heating source, pellet stoves and boilers are available. Pellet stoves are generally form small, low energy demand buildings and boilers are for larger buildings with a central heating system. The pellet boiler can simply replace the current oil or gas boiler and use the existing pipe work and radiators. Hot air is generated from the pellet stove to heat the room. This means they are generally used to heat the main room of the property or are used to spread heat through the building via air vents. Some pellet stoves provide heat via convection heat and a back boiler, this means the stove will provide heat to the room in which it is placed and the rest of the property via the central heating system. 10KW of heat energy is generally the maximum available with pellet stoves, which is sufficient for the average sized home. Making the building as efficiently insulated as possible is also very important. Through proper insulation a small pellet stove can heat the property, and it will also use less fuel. Pellet boilers generally range from 10KW upwards, however they are not generally located in a room in the living space. Due to the increased maintaince required, pellet boilers are usually kept separately from the rest of the living space.

Pellet stoves and boilers due required more work than gas and oil systems, however much less than a log stove or boiler. Pellet stoves and boilers can feed themselves through a variable speed auger feed system. The feed system is controlled by a microcomputer to feed enough pellets to reach the desired temperature. The temperature is set via a wall thermostat, the same that are used to operate the temperature on a gas or oil boiler. Pellet stoves and boilers are also self-igniting via a hot rod system. This means they can be set to turn on or off at specific times. Due to the high efficiency the pellets produce very little ash, much less than burning logs. Depending on the size of the ashbin, ash removal maybe required daily, weekly or even monthly. Some units have ash compression systems to reduce how often the ashbin needs to be emptied. Pellet stoves and boilers make it possible to use an environmentally friendly fuel, with similar convenience and low maintaince of oil and gas systems. The low maintenance ahd high efficiency of pellet systems is appealing to more and more people.

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Details On Biomass Pellet Stove

Home owners have noticed their heating bills going up over the last few years. This rise in energy prices for oil and gas has been due to various political issues and other reasons. The price of our energy is outside our government’s control, and ours, and future price rises are inevitable. Many people therefore have taken a proactive approach and installed pellet stoves to heat either their living rooms or their entire house. Pellet stoves can save the owner money, however some people choose them to play their part in reducing global warming. However pellet stoves are both an environmental and cheaper fuel alternative. The pellets are made from softwood and hardwood waste products, which are then compressed to form small pellets. These pellets are uniform in size, shape and density. The stoves then have a standardised fuel, which they can use. The uniform features of pellets is this key, as pellet stove designers can design their systems around the pellet features. The moisture percentage of pellets is also very low, which is much lower than wood logs for example. As pellets are denser than logs and have lower moisture content they burn far more efficiently. This increased efficiency has several benefits in terms of more heat generated for the user and less maintenance. Maintenance will be removing the ash and cleaning the heat exchanger tubes to obtain maximum heat transfer. Some pellet stoves are so efficient and have advanced features they only require maintenance every few weeks.

There are several components that every pellet stove has. Firstly each stove has a pellet hopper. The size of the hopper depends on the brand and the rated heat output of the stove. Generally the size of the hopper will be designed to provide the stove with enough heat for at least a day, with some stoves providing fuel for up to a week. At the base of the fuel hopper is a feed auger, this auger takes pellets from the hopper and deposits them into the burn pot. The speed of the auger and timing is controlled by the stove to feed pellets when required, to obtain the chosen heat value. The stoves have a hot rod self ignite, which means the stoves can self ignite. This ability means the stove can be set-up on a timer or thermostat to provide heat when the user desires. Some pellet stoves today can even receive a start-up demand from a mobile phone, to heat the house for when the owner gets home. Pellet stoves serve as a compact, low maintenance means to provide efficient heat. Check what type of pellets the stove can use before purchasing, as some stoves will struggle to burn higher ash content pellets.

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For Purified Drinking Water Use Activated Charcoal

For Purified Drinking Water Use Activated Charcoal

Most of us are so used to the stability in life that we are at a loss when we are faced with an emergency. The book “Just in Case: How to Be Self-sufficient when the Unexpected Happens” deals with handling just such situations in real life. Through the use of cartoons and illustrated diagrams various things are explained in a very easy to understand manner. Should there be a power failure which will last for many hours or days one must know how to deal with it. One must know how to get pure drinking water by using activated charcoal. Used and muddy water can be used for sanitation but for potable water it is essential that it is purified by use of activated carbon filter. Drinking water purified by activated charcoal should be stored in a neat utensil, as water is one of the most essential items which you will require in an emergency.
The Author, Kathy Harrison says that one must be able to shut down the house in 10 minutes and be ready to move. One must know where all the switches are including gas and electricity which need to be switched off. One should have water purified by granular activated carbon stored in containers along with back packs ready to move out at short notice.

 

Green Fuel, Biomass Pellets Renewable Energy

The issues of climate change cannot be ignored. The effects of global warming are becoming more noticeable and various other options are being looked at to address the issues. One of the main contributors to global warming is the use of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. The reasons fossil fuels are a cause of climate change, is due to the carbon dioxide that is released during combustion. Fossil fuels are a carbon store deep underground, which is not currently part of the carbon cycle. The carbon cycle is where plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide, then release it into the atmosphere when the plants die and decay or are burnt. The growth of new plant then use the CO2 and the cycle continues, which means there is a constant and stable percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When fossil fuels are used, this adds to the current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the current level of plants and trees cannot full utilize it, therefore this leads to additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There is a direct effect of increased carbon dioxide leading to increased temperatures and thus climate change and global warming.

So why are wood pellets and other biomass pellets, seen as a green fuel? The reason is based on the carbon cycle mentioned above. As wood and other biomass is part of the carbon cycle, by burning the pellets we are not contributing to additional carbon dioxide. Pellets are simply a compressed form of their original raw material. Pellets have a uniform size, shape and density. Pellets provide the opportunity to produce a convenient fuel from biomass energy, and more specifically renewable energy. Wood and other biomass is a renewable form of energy as we can replace the resources we use within the cycle of using them. Fossil fuels on the other hand take thousands of years to produce; this means they are not renewable as we consume them at a far greater rate. So the fact of a renewable energy source is as important as it being part of the carbon cycle. The key points about pellets is, their uniform features and qualities mean highly reliable and efficient systems can be designed around them. Automated boilers and stoves can take full advantage of pellets. with very little maintenance requirements. Some pellet stoves and boilers can operate few weeks and even months without the need to maintain them. The high density of the pellets also means the maximum amount of heat can be obtained, making them far more efficient than log stoves for example. Pellets are continuing to grow in popularity, and this will continue into the future.

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Activated Charcoal’s Versatility

Activated Charcoal’s Versatility

One of the most versatile compounds in existence when it comes to industry, environment, and medicine is activated charcoal. Carbon is pervasive on this planet and comes in many forms. In fact without carbon we wouldn’t even have life. But activated carbon or charcoal is perhaps the most versatile form in terms of the scope of applications it is used in. Activated charcoal has a remarkable property of having a tremendous surface area. In addition to this tremendous surface area, many different forms of pollutants and toxins bind to activated carbon. This makes activated carbon a tremendous compound for use in filtration. Activated carbon filter devices exist that can both purify air and water. The applications range from filtration of the output of industrial production so that the water and air coming out of a factory is clean as well as applications within motor vehicles and within the home. At home these filters can be used to purify tap water or to clean the air of allergens. Additionally, activated carbon has applications in medicine where it can be used to remove poisons and toxins from the body. This is particularly necessary in cases where antidotes do not exist and so the only possible solution is to remove the toxins from the body.

 

Premium Wood Pellets, Other Biomass Pellets And Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is energy which can be replaced within the life time of the consumption of the original energy source. Fossil fuels are therefore not a form of renewable energy as we far out consume the rate that fossil fuels are produced. As fossil fuel resources reduce at an ever-increasing rate, other forms of energy are being considered. The other reason to reduce and stop the use of fossil fuels for energy production is their effects on the increased temperatures within our climate. As fossil fuels are used they release additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the increased in the levels of additional carbon dioxide are directly related to increased temperatures.

Another form of energy is biomass; biomass is any form of plant matter than can be used as energy. The most popular form of biomass is wood pellets or more specifically premium wood pellets used in stoves and boilers in homes around the world. The premium wood pellet market will continue to grow, however is using premium wood pellets as a fuel a renewable source of energy?

It is only partly true, that premium wood pellets are a type of renewable energy. Currently the premium wood pellet market sources its resources from the waste of the wood industry. However as the wood pellet market grows the demand for pellets will be more than the supply of wood waste. Premium wood pellets are made from hardwood and softwood waste, from pine and oak tree’s etc. The issue is these trees are not particularly fast growing trees, particularly with oak trees.

Due to the increased demand for premium wood pellets, wood waste resources will eventually not be enough, will this lead to oak trees being used for fuel. I hope not, particularly when there are so many other forms of biomass that can be used for fuel pellets. Almost all biomass can be compressed into pellets to be used in boilers and stoves. These include various types of grass pellets, straw pellets, miscanthus pellets, willow pellets, hemp pellets and reed pellets to name but a few.

Other types of biomass pellets may not burn the same as premium wood pellets, however they are renewable. Most biomass pellets produce more ash and corrosion, and most of today’s pellet stoves and boilers are only designed to burn premium wood pellets. More pellet stove and pellet boiler manufactures are designing their products with a wider range of abilities to deal with high ash, high corrosion fuels.

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