RICHI Biomass Pellet Machine——Knows Your Material, Masters Your Pellet

A biomass pellet machine is equipment designed to process agricultural and forestry waste, as well as organic fibers, into high-density pellet fuel.

Using high-pressure extrusion technology, it compresses raw materials—such as sawdust, straw, rice husks, wood shavings, peanut shells, hay, sunflower shells, and sugarcane bagasse—into uniform pellets. This process increases the density and combustion efficiency of the materials, making them easier to store and transport.

These pellets are primarily used in the biomass energy sector, serving as fuel for industrial boilers and heating systems. They are also used as bedding for livestock and for various industrial applications.

We have extensive application experience with woody biomass, crop straw, and various agricultural processing by-products.

• Wood-based raw materials: Pine, fir, poplar, eucalyptus, and various wood residues such as sawdust, shavings, chips, bamboo scraps, bamboo powder, and fruit tree branches.;
• Straw-based raw materials: Corn stalks, wheat straw, rice straw, cotton stalks, rapeseed stalks, bean stalks, reeds, etc.;
• Shell-based raw materials: Rice husk, peanut shells, sunflower shells, walnut shells, coconut shells, palm fiber, bagasse, tobacco stalks, etc.;
• Mixed raw materials: Complex blends such as wood-straw mixtures, wood-rice husk mixtures, and fungus residue-wood mixtures, etc.

In fact, no two factories have identical raw material conditions. Even for the same type of wood chips, moisture content, fiber structure, and ash content can vary by region and season. Therefore, we focus on the specific condition of the raw material rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution.

If you have unique or mixed raw materials, we will adjust the process and equipment configuration based on the material composition, ratio, and target capacity to meet your needs.

There is no standard size for the production line footprint; it mainly depends on the raw material type, production capacity, and process configuration.

For example, a small-scale pellet line typically requires only a few hundred square meters, while medium to large-scale projects may need thousands of square meters. This space must also accommodate raw material storage, finished product warehousing, and vehicle access.

Even with the same capacity, different materials have different space requirements. For instance, wood chip projects have a relatively simple process, while materials like straw and Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) usually require additional crushing and drying sections, thus increasing the footprint.

However, limited space does not mean building a pellet plant is impossible. Many projects are planned based on existing workshops. By adjusting equipment layout and process configuration, we can maximize the use of existing space while ensuring proper operation and maintenance.

If you already have a workshop or land, please provide the approximate dimensions and target capacity. We will assess the required area based on your actual situation and plan the optimal equipment layout.

Yes, and the wear occurs at different locations depending on the material.

For example, hardwood chips are dense and hard. They exert greater pressure on the ring die and rollers, resulting in a shorter replacement cycle for wearing parts compared to softwood.Low-cost solutions may lead to frequent production line stoppages when raw materials fluctuate, shorter replacement cycles for wear parts, and higher energy consumption per ton of pellets.

Although straw materials like rice husks and wheat straw are not very hard, they have high ash and silica content, which accelerates the wear on die holes and roller surfaces over long-term production. Notably, rice husks typically cause more ring die wear than standard wood chips.

Long-fiber materials like Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) place higher demands on the feeding system and rollers. Furthermore, if the raw material is mixed with impurities like sand or metal, it will significantly shorten the service life of the ring die, rollers, and even bearings.

However, normal wear is part of pellet production and does not mean the equipment cannot process these materials. By selecting the appropriate ring die material, compression ratio, and pre-treatment process, long-term stable production is achievable for most materials. For materials with high sand content or high abrasiveness, we can add front-end processes like iron and sand removal to reduce the consumption of wearing parts.

This depends mainly on the raw material type and the intended use of the pellets, but most of our projects meet the common requirements of the fuel pellet market.

For example, wood fuel pellets typically have a diameter of 4-12 mm and a length of 10-30 mm. The pellet density can usually reach 1.0-1.4 t/m³, and the moisture content is generally controlled between 8%-12% to meet storage, transport, and combustion requirements.

If the pellets are for animal bedding, cat litter, or other special uses, the density, length, and moisture content can be optimized by adjusting the die specifications and process parameters. For instance, bedding pellets focus more on absorbency, while export fuel pellets may need to meet standards such as ENplus or ISO 17225.

Therefore, there is no fixed set of parameters suitable for all products. The actual specifications are determined based on the material characteristics, product application, and target market requirements.

If your existing pellet production equipment passes technical testing and its parameters match, it can be integrated into the new solution’s control system and process chain, enabling seamless interconnection between old and new equipment.

This depends entirely on the material itself.

For instance, wood chips with proper size and moisture can be pelletized directly. But long-fiber materials like straw and EFB must be crushed first. High-moisture materials also need drying.

So, we don’t use a standard solution. Instead, we design the pre-treatment process specifically for your material and capacity needs.

There is no fixed standard, as the capacity can be configured based on the raw material type, investment scale, and market demand.

For small-scale projects, capacity typically starts from a few hundred kilograms per hour; medium to large-scale projects can reach several tons or even tens of tons per hour. Even with the same capacity, the process configuration varies by material. For example, wood chip and straw projects have different requirements for pre-treatment and drying.

Therefore, when planning a project, we select the most suitable capacity solution by considering current needs, raw material supply, and future expansion plans.

Yes, but not all materials are suitable for arbitrary mixing ratios.

In practice, mixtures like wood chips with straw, or wood chips with rice husks, are quite common. A reasonable ratio not only improves raw material utilization but also enhances pellet forming and combustion performance.

However, differences in fiber structure, ash content, and moisture content mean that an unreasonable ratio can affect output, pellet strength, and the service life of wearing parts. Therefore, before production, we adjust the process parameters and equipment configuration based on the material composition and final application.

In most cases, no.

Common biomass materials like wood chips, straw, peanut shells, and sugarcane bagasse can be compressed using their own natural lignin under appropriate temperature and pressure, without the need for additional binders.

However, for special materials with low fiber content or poor forming performance, or for products requiring specific strength, small amounts of additives can be added as needed to improve the forming effect.