Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW

Agriculture No 53 (Agricultural and Forest Engineering) 2009: 6772

(Ann. Warsaw Univ. of Life Sci. SGGW, Agricult. 53, 2009)

Convectional drying of chips for energy purposes

ARKADIUSZ GENDEK*, SZYMON G%OWACKI**
*Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW
**Department of Fundamental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW
Abstract: Convectional drying of chips for energy purposes. Investigations aimed at determination of the effect of drying medium temperature
on moisture content of material being dried. Investigations were carried out in a convectional drier
with forced air ow at the following temperature:
40, 50, 60, 70 and 80C. The results are presented
graphically. The authors described drying process
and the effect of moisture content on the pine chips
caloric value designed for energy purposes.
Key words: biomass, drying, caloric value, moisture content, chips.

INTRODUCTION
Decrease in resources of mineral fuel
and the limits for combustion products
emission to atmosphere force an introduction of modern technologies and the
improvement of fuel energy conversion.
Along with increasing requirements of
environmental protection and fuel prices, in recent years one can nd bigger and bigger interests in utilization
of wood of various origin and form for
energy purposes.
The technological process involving
combustion of wood in the form of chips
is preceded by chipping of round wood
in special chippers. This hipping can be
performed at the energy producer or the
ready wood chips can be supplied from

the neighbouring forests or wood industry plants. The chips should be stored in
the roof stores, to eliminate unfavourable effects of weather conditions, like
rain or snow. The stores can by additionally equipped with ventilation and
heating systems to decrease the biomass
moisture content.
The biomass properties are determined by such parameters as the contents of moisture and volatile particles
and chemical composition of organic
and mineral substances. These parameters determine also the physical properties of wood, i.e. its caloric value, density, porosity. However, the energy value
of wood depends mainly on its moisture
content and density, and less on its kind
and the way of preparation.
According to denition, the caloric
value is the amount of heat released in
combustion of the fuel mass unit or fuel
volume unit at its total and complete
combustion, assuming that the steam included in exhaust gases is not subjected
to condensation, though exhaust gases
reach the initial temperature of fuel
[www.wikipedia.pl]. The bigger contents of resins and wood-wool, the bigger wood caloric value. The softwood

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A. Gendek, Sz. G"owacki

contains more resins and wood-wool

than the hardwood, thus, its caloric value is higher (on the average: softwood
4.4 kWh/kg, hardwood 4.2 kWh/kg).
However, with respect to bigger density,
the hardwood has higher heating value
related to 1 stere [Ebert, 2003].
A newly cut down wood may contain
half of water by weight. Even if wood
was stored in a airy place over one year,
it would contain 1520% of moisture,
due to its hygroscopicity. As humidity
of the environment changes, the wood
exchanges water with air continuously
in such a way, that equilibrium is settled at 1520% depending on air humidity [Ebert, 2003]. The caloric value
of wet wood wastes (moisture content
of 5060%) amounts only to 68 GJ/t,
while after partial drying to air-dry state
(moisture content of 1020%) it increases to 1416 GJ/t, and almost three times
to about 19 GJ/t after complete drying
[Ha!uzo and Musia!, 2004].
The wood water content not only deteriorates its caloric value, but results
also in decreasing the re-place temperature and disturbing the combustion
process. Not all wood components are
subjected to combustion, and in chimney ducts and heating pipes the soot is
settled, creating some kind of insulation
and resulting in the heat losses. Besides,
not burnt or wrongly burnt components
pollute air in our surrounding.
Considering type of wood, its moisture content or caloric value one can
say that energy utilization of the wood

biomass is connected with its previous

preparation for obtaining energy. The
basic biomass processing process is drying, causing a decrease in biomass moisture content to a level enabling further
technological operations. Utilization of
pine chips as alternative fuel involves
not only their direct combustion but also
their processing into other forms of this
fuel, including pellets and briquettes
of higher caloric value than the raw
wood. Production of good solid fuel in
the form of pellets and briquettes calls
for application of properly dried material. The wood biomass moisture content designed for this processing should
range from 8 to 10%.
Additional aspect speaking for the
wood drying is its storage [Sztyber,
2005]. The wet chips can be stored in
a shielded place, e.g. under umbrella
roof, allowing for fresh air inow to the
layer of material. Such storing is not expensive and can be carried out for a long
time. However, variable weather causes
changes in atmospheric air humidity resulting in material rot and decay, therefore, the moisture content of material
designed for fuel should be decreased
by drying. The best method for wood
biomass drying is convectional drying,
which uses the temperature and ow velocity of drying medium to remove water from the product subjected to drying
[G!owacki and Weso!owski, 2003].
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The work aimed at determination of drying medium temperature on moisture
content of chips.

Convectional drying of chips for energy purposes 69

The wood was obtained from thinning of 50-years pine stand and the assortment S4 was bucked; prior to chipping it was kept in piles for several days.
Chipping was performed with the use of
Bandit Intimidator chipper.
To determine the mean size of chips a
sample of 1092 chips was randomly selected. Each chip was measured with the
use of caliper in three directions: length,
width and thickness. After statistical
data analysis in 95% condence interval
there were determined mean values together with standard deviation (Tab. 1).
TABLE 1. Mean size of investigated chips
Mean
Standard
value [mm] deviation

Standard
error

Length

23.06

5.36

0.162 (0.70%)

Width
Thickness

13.85

5.60

0.169 (1.22%)

3.97

1.29

0.039 (0.98%)

The convectional drying of wood

waste chips was investigated in a laboratory drier with horizontal air ow
(Fig. 1).
Each experimental run was repeated
three times. The chips were dried at the
following temperature: 40, 50, 60, 70 and
80C and at same velocity of drying medium ow equal to 1.2 m/s. The sieve load
with wet material amounted to 8 kg/m2.
Research methodic was developed
basing on the methodic for drier investigations for agricultural product drying
[Pabis and Kulik, 1998], involving the
methods for execution of drying process
measurements, discussion on selected
drying parameters, preparation of raw
material for investigations, determination of water losses in material subjected
to drying and selection of control-measuring equipment.

FIGURE 1. Laboratory drier for vegetables, fruits and mushrooms: 1 fan, 2 electric air heater,
3 pipe, 4 micromanometer, 5 contact thermometer, 6 recirculation pipe, 7 drying chamber,
8 measuring orice, 9 control panel, 10 diaphragm of fan suction opening, 11 recirculation adjusting
diaphragm

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A. Gendek, Sz. G"owacki

RESULTS OF INVESTIGATIONS
Material moisture content, particularly
of raw material designed for energy purposes is very important with respect to
fuel caloric value. The chips are the
basic material designed for combustion
in specially adapted boilers and for production of fuel in the form of pellets and
briquettes. Both the forms of raw material subjected to combustion are regarded
as the best with respect to their thermal
properties. Achievement of best energy
results calls for drying of raw material
to moisture content of 810%, enabling
to get caloric value of about 18 MJ/kg.
Therefore, the drying process is an important condition for obtaining of a good
fuel. The change in wood caloric value
depending on its moisture content is
presented in Figure 2, while results of
measurements on changes in moisture
content of material subjected to drying
in Figure 3. The exemplary measuring
points are presented for drying at ve

levels of drying medium temperature:

40, 50, 60, 70 and 80C.
The initial moisture content of material used in investigations ranged from 33
to 39%. At this range the caloric value
is small and amounts to about 10 MJ/kg.
Considering courses of drying process
one can nd that the samples dried at
40C differ substantially from others.
Drying of these samples could be completed after about 400 minutes, at nal
moisture content about 6%. It is well
known that for industrial purposes, i.e.
till achievement of relative moisture
content of 810%, it would be enough to
dry the material at temperatures 50, 60,
70 and 80C during 120 minutes. The
sample dried at 40C achieves this moisture content after 300 minutes, therefore,
the drying time is increased by 250%
when compared to other samples. It involves an increase in energy inputs for
fuel preparation. In the remaining four
samples the difference in time needed

20
18

Calorific
value[MJ/kg]
Warto#'
opa&owa

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Wilgotno#' w suchej masie [%]

Dry mass moisture content

FIGURE 2. Caloric value of wood wastes depending on their moisture content

Convectional drying of chips for energy purposes 71

40
38
36
34
32
Chips

Moisture content
Wilgotno#',
%

30

Zr(bki

28

Drying
temperature
40C
temperatura
suszenia
40 C

26

Drying
temperature
50C
temperatura
suszenia
50 C

24

Drying
temperature
60C
temperatura
suszenia
60 C

22

Drying
temperature
70C
temperatura
suszenia
70 C

20

Drying
temperature
80C
temperatura
suszenia
80 C

18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Czas Drying
suszenia,
time min

FIGURE 3. Changes in relative moisture content for samples dried at ve air temperatures

to achieve moisture content of 610% is

small and amounts to about 25 min.
SUMMARY
According to expectations, the drying
medium temperature signicantly inuences the drying process time of material designed for processing into fuel.
The investigations proved that drying
medium temperature equal to 40C is
relatively low, which calls for the prolonged drying course and increases the
energy inputs. Drying of material in the
remaining temperatures had practically
the same nature, while the time difference between these temperatures was
insignicant.

REFERENCES
EBERT HANS-PETER 2003: Palenie drewnem
we wszystkich rodzajach piecw. Studio
Astropsychologii 2003. Bia!ystok, Wydanie I.
G%OWACKI SZ., WESO%OWSKI A. 2003: Badanie kinetyki suszenia dyni w konwekcji
wymuszonej. In)ynieria Rolnicza Nr 13(55).
HA%UZO M., MUSIA% R. 2004: Ocena zasobw i potencjalnych mo)liwo+ci pozyskania
surowcw dla energetyki odnawialnej w wojewdztwie pomorskim. Biuro Planowania
przestrzennego w S!upsku.
PABIS J., KULIK T. 1998: Metodyka bada" suszarek tunelowych. SGGW.
SZTYBER J. 2005: Przechowywanie zr,bkw
drzewnych w stosach. Czysta Energia nr 3.
Streszczenie: Konwekcyjne suszenie zr(bkw
przeznaczonych na cele energetyczne. W pracy przedstawiono badanie wp!ywu temperatury
czynnika susz.cego na wilgotno+- wzgl,dn. suszonego materia!u. Jako materia!u badawczego
u)yto zr,bek le+nych przeznaczonych na cele

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A. Gendek, Sz. G"owacki

energetyczne. Suszono je w pi,ciu temperaturach

czynnika: 40, 50, 60, 70 i 80C przy sta!ej pr,dko+ci przep!ywu powietrza 1,2 m/s. Omwiono
tak)e wp!yw wilgotno+ci wzgl,dnej surowca
przeznaczonego na cele energetyczne na warto+opa!ow. paliwa drzewnego.

MS. received November 2008

Authors address:
Arkadiusz Gendek, Szymon G!owacki
Wydzia! In)ynierii Produkcji SGGW
02-787 Warszawa
ul. Nowoursynowska 164
e-mail: arkadiusz_gendek@sggw.pl
szymon_glowacki@sggw.pl