Wood Pellet Mill

The price of wood pellet mill ranges from 15,000 USD to 85,000 USD, depending on the equipment type, capacity, technical configuration and market factors.

Single wood pellet mill price (FOB Qingdao Price), including : anti-arching feeder, force feeder, pelletizer, control cabient.

• MZLH320 (22KW) : 0.2-3T/H & 14,100 -17,000 $
• MZLH350 (37KW) : 0.3-0.5T/H & 18,500 -22,000 $
• MZLH420: (90KW) : 1-1.2T/H & 26,600 -32,000 $
• MZLH520 (132KW) : 1.5-2T/H & 43,100 -50,000 $
• MZLH678 (200KW) : 2.5-3T/H & 65,100 -70,000 $
• MZLH768 (315KW) : 3-4T/H & 76,500 - 85,000 $

The wood pellet mill cost will be affected by factors such as equipment type and capacity, core component material, automation and intelligent control, brand and origin, energy and environmental protection configuration, market and supply chain factors, etc. If you want to get the accurate cost of wood pellet mill machine, please feel free to contact us to get the quotation of wood pellet machine, freight and other information.

Wood pellet mills have clear requirements for raw material size to ensure efficient pressing and pellet quality. Before entering the wood pellet mill, the raw materials need to meet the corresponding requirements. The following are specific requirements and related details:

1. Core requirements for raw material size

Optimal particle size range:

• 3~5mm (length/width): This is the ideal feed size for most flat die and ring die pellet mills. Too large will easily clog the die, and too small may affect molding.
• Thickness ≤1mm: Such as the natural form of sawdust and shavings, no additional crushing is required.

Exceptions:

• Hardwood raw materials (such as oak and birch): require finer particles (≤3mm) because the wood fibers are dense and difficult to compress.
• Softwood or straw: slightly larger size (≤8mm) can be tolerated, but the die pressure needs to be adjusted.

2. The impact of unqualified raw material size

• If the raw material size is too large (＞8mm): it will clog the die hole and reduce production; increase roller wear and shorten die life; the particle surface is rough and easy to break.
• If the raw material size is too small (powder): - poor fluidity, uneven feeding; low particle density, easy to loose; ash content increases during combustion.

3. Pretreatment equipment recommendation

If the raw material does not meet the size requirements, it needs to be pretreated by the following equipment:

• Wood crusher: crush wood chips and branches to 10~20mm (primary processing).
• Hammer mill: further grind the crushed material to 3~5mm (suitable for hardwood).
• Drum screening machine: separate qualified and unqualified particles and crush them in a cycle.

The wood pellet mill requires the raw material size to be within the range of 3~5mm, and can be flexibly adapted to different raw materials through pretreatment and equipment selection. Accurate size control can increase production by more than 30% and extend mold life.

The control of the moisture content of raw materials is crucial for wood pellet mills, which directly affects the molding efficiency, pellet quality and equipment life. The following are detailed requirements and relevant technical analysis:

1. Core moisture requirements

Optimal range:

• 10%~15%: The ideal moisture range for most ring die/flat die pellet machines.
• <10%: The raw material is too dry, the lignin is difficult to soften, the pellets are easy to loosen, and the molding rate is low.
• >15%: The raw material is too wet, it is easy to stick to the mold and clog during extrusion, and the pellets need to be dried additionally.

2. Special raw material adjustment:

• Hardwood (such as oak, birch): tolerate slightly lower moisture (8%~12%) because of the tight fiber structure.
• Softwood or agricultural waste (such as straw, rice husk): can be relaxed to 12%~18%, but the mold temperature needs to be increased.

3. Moisture control methods:

• Natural drying: suitable for small-scale production, low cost but time-consuming (1~3 days on sunny days).
• Drum dryer: commonly used in large production lines, with a temperature of 80~120℃ and a processing capacity of 1~20 tons/hour.
• Conditioner: add steam at the inlet of the pellet machine (soften lignin and improve the molding rate).

4. Linkage control of moisture and production parameters

• Mold temperature: when the moisture content is high, the mold temperature needs to be increased (to 80~100℃) to accelerate evaporation.
• Compression ratio: high-moisture raw materials need to reduce the mold compression ratio (such as 1:6 adjusted to 1:5) to reduce the risk of mold blocking.
• Capacity adjustment: for every 2% increase in moisture, the output decreases by about 5%~10%, and the feed rate needs to be reduced accordingly.

In general, the wood pellet mill equipment requires that the moisture content of the raw materials is strictly controlled at 10%~15%, which needs to be accurately adjusted by drying, conditioning and other means. The moisture content that meets the standard can increase the molding rate to more than 95%, while reducing mold wear by 30%~50%. It is recommended to equip with automated testing equipment to monitor moisture fluctuations in real time.

Complete wood pellet manufacturing process is shown below:

1. In global market, wood pellets are mostly produced from sawdust, wood shavings and other woody byproducts. Traditionally, wood pellet production line units are located on or nearby sawmills and other wood processing sites, representing complementary outlet for these wood pellet manufacturing plants. In this context, a first crucial step for wood pellet producers consists of grinding and drying the moist wood residues.
2. The energy needed for this is mainly made available by the burning of bark or any low quality wood, which likewise accumulates on site. In many cases, not only is heat produced by burning the bark, but also electricity that can be optimally used to run unit. After the wood waste is dried, it is fed into a biomass wood pellet mill. Within the wood pellet maker, dry woody materials are squeezed through a die with holes of the required size (normally 6 mm diameter, sometimes 8 mm or larger) called a matrix.
3. The high pressure of the wood pellet pressing machine causes the temperature of the wood to increase greatly, causing the surface to plasticise slightly to form a natural "glue" that binds the wood pellet together as it cools. To facilitate the wood pellet pressing process and improve quality parameters, small quantities (max. 2%) of natural binder such as starch can be added, but no glues enter the composition of wood pellets.
4. Newly compressed pellets are now ready to be cooled and sieved to remove any residual particles. Finally, wood pellets can be stored and/or bagged by wood pellet packing machine prior being delivered to end consumers.

Typically any wood raw material will require some form of processing prior to being pelletized. This can range from debarking if using whole logs (round wood) to shredding or grinding of pallets, or ag products. Once the product is shredded or ground, it could require further processing through a wood pellet hammer mill, depending on how it was received.

If the wood waste raw material is wet (over 15%) it will need to be dried. After sizing and drying if needed, the product is now ready to be pelletized. Pellets can be made in a wide range of diameters and bulk densities, which is typically determined by the end use of the pellet. The wood pellet mill ring die specifications can be changed, allowing for multiple sizes to be produced from the same wood waste pellet machine.

In most cases pellets will exit the wood pellet mill hot (100-170 degrees) and must be cooled. This is done with a pellet cooler by pulling ambient air through the pellets.

Once the wood pellet is cooled to ambient temperature, the pellets are screened to remove any fines that may have been created during the wood pellet production process. The wood pellets are now ready to be packaged by wood pellet packing machine, stored or sold in bulk.

When purchasing a wood pellet milling machine, you need to consider factors such as equipment performance, production requirements, cost-effectiveness, and long-term operation and maintenance.

1. Matching raw material characteristics

Raw material types:

• Hardwood (oak, birch) requires higher pressure (compression ratio ≥1:6), softwood (pine) or straw can be adapted to ordinary molds.
• Mixed raw materials require equipment with adjustable mold pressure and multi-stage crushing functions.
• Moisture requirements: Make sure the equipment can handle raw materials with 10%-15% moisture, or a matching drying system (+5,000−20,000).
• Impurity tolerance: Raw materials containing sand or metal need to be equipped with magnetic separation devices and wear-resistant molds (+3,000−8,000).

2. Capacity and scale adaptation

• The actual capacity is usually 80% of the nominal value (considering raw material differences and downtime).
• Overload operation will shorten the mold life by 30%-50%.

3. Core component quality

The quality of core components such as molds and rollers, transmission systems, and motor efficiency will affect their later use.

4. Automation and control systems

Select equipment and systems with different degrees of automation according to different application scenarios and budgets.

5. Energy consumption and operating costs

Unit power consumption:

• High-quality equipment: ≤50kWh/ton; low-end equipment: ≥80kWh/ton (annual difference of $15,000, calculated at 2 tons/day).
• Heat recovery: Some models can recover drying heat, saving 20%-30% of fuel costs.

Cost of wearing parts:

• Mold: 1,000-3,000/set, replaced 2-4 times a year (depending on the hardness of the raw material).
• Roller: 500-2,000/pair, replaced 1-2 times a year.

6. Environmental protection and safety compliance

Dust control:

• Cyclone dust removal (1,000-5,000) vs pulse bag dust removal (8,000-20,000, filtration efficiency 99%).
• Noise standard: EU requires <85dB (plus soundproof cover + 3,000-10,000).
• Certification requirements: CE (EU) and EPA (US) certified equipment have a premium of 15%-25%, but avoid legal risks.

7. After-sales service and supply chain

Warranty terms:

• Chinese brands: 1-2 years (core components), response time 1-7 days.
• European and American brands: 3-5 years, longer response time (spare parts price 30%-50% higher).

Local support:

Confirm whether the agent has a technical team to avoid relying on overseas remote guidance.

8. Trial and performance verification

• Must-check indicators: Particle density (≥1.1g/cm³), molding rate (≥95%), ash content (≤3%).
• Trial raw materials: Use own raw materials for testing to avoid suppliers using "ideal raw materials" to confuse.
• Continuous operation test: At least 4 hours without failure, observe whether the temperature rise and vibration are abnormal.

9. Procurement process suggestions

• Requirement list: clarify raw materials, production capacity, budget, and certification requirements.
• Supplier screening: compare 3-5 suppliers, and require customer cases and trial videos.

In general, the key to purchasing a wood pellet mill is to balance initial investment with long-term benefits. Prioritize equipment that is compatible with your own raw materials, has reliable after-sales service, and has the lowest unit production cost ($/ton), rather than simply pursuing low prices or high configurations. Industrial users are advised to give priority to modular design to facilitate future expansion.

The compression ratio of the wood pellet mill (i.e. the ratio of the die aperture length to the diameter, such as 1:6 means the aperture length is 6 times the diameter) needs to be adjusted according to the characteristics of the raw materials to balance the molding quality and equipment load. The following are the recommended compression ratios for different raw materials:

In general

• High compression ratio (1:6~1:8) for hardwood and low compression ratio (1:4~1:6) for softwood/agricultural waste.
• Preferably choose adjustable compression ratio molds (fine-tuning within ±1 range) to adapt to multiple raw material scenarios.
• For industrial production, it is recommended to equip a library of molds with different compression ratios to cope with raw material fluctuations.

According to the shape of the pressing die, pellet mill for sale can be classified as:

In both cases, there has to be a rotary element, which can be the die or the rollers. In the case of flat dies, the rollers are the moving element, whereas the most common design of ring dies is where the die is powered and rotating, and the rollers move due to the friction and movement of the die.

• Ring die pellet mills, which are applied to small, medium and large-scale pellet production industries. In other words, unless it is a scale of tens of kilograms or less than 100 kilograms, the ring die wood pelletizer can be applied to any size of wood pellet production business.
  
  In the wood pellet mill ring die, there are radial slots throughout the die. The die is positioned vertically, powder is fed into the centre of the die and spreaders evenly distribute the powder. Two or more rollers then compress the powder through the die holes. Two cutters are used to cut the wood pellets free from the outside of the die.
• Flat die wood pellet mills, is a kind of homemade wood pellet machine, which are used for very small scale wood pellet manufacturing (for home use, for mini scale). Flat die wood pellet makers use a flat die with slots. The powder is introduced into the top of the die and, as the die rotates, a roller presses the powder through the holes in the die. A wood pellet mill cutter on the other side of the die cuts the exposed pellet free.

Although we also design and manufacture flat die wood pelletizers, with the continuous improvement of the processing technology of wood pellets, the characteristics of the flat die wood pellet manufacturing equipoment are not as good as the absolute advantages of the ring die wood pellet press machine.

As a professional wood pellet mill manufacturer, we must sincerely tell everyone that the wood granulator technology must move forward, and the ring die wood granulator is the final trend. Considering the quality of equipment, durability, maintenance cost, and quality of finished pellets and other aspects, if the output you need allows, try to choose a ring die wood pelleting machine.

Usually you can see many flat die wood pellet makers on the Internet, which will confuse many customers who are in the wood pellet processing industry for the first time. In fact, well-known and professional wood pellet mill manufacturers do not recommend purchasing flat die pellet mills for wood and biomass pellets, because the quality of the actual processed pellets is not good, and the output cannot keep up.

When you browse the official websites of groups such as CPM and Buhler, you can easily see that there is only a ring die pellet mill machine (which can also be a wood pellet extruder or feed pellet extruder), and there will never be a flat die biomass wood pellet making machine.

There are different die types of RICHI ring die pellet mill for wood pellet plant that vary with regard to hole depth, hole pitch, hole width and die material.

• The depth of the hole is not related to the length of the pellet. It establishes the time the material is exposed to heat and pressure. Longer holes are recommended for materials with low lignin content to achieve better melting and, therefore, a harder, denser pellet.
• The pitch angle of the hole influences pellet compression, and it should be designed according to the feedstock.
• For biomass pellets, the most common diameters are 6 and 8 mm. These diameters, as well as the length of the pellets, are limited by the Pellet Standards to assure that the wood pellets can be fed by the screw conveyors of standardized stoves and boilers without blocking the feeding systems.
  
  Experience has shown that thinner pellets allow a more uniform combustion rate than thicker ones, especially in small furnaces. The length of the pellets affects the fuel feeding properties: the shorter the pellets, the easier to arrange for continuous flow.
• Wood pellet pressing machine ring dies are made from several different types of metal. Dies for wood pellet makers must be resistant to abrasion, strong enough to handle the forces of pellet production and corrosion resistant without negatively affecting productivity.
  
  The materials most often used are carbon steel alloy, stainless steel alloy and high chrome alloy. Obviously, the most expensive materials ensure higher resistances and productivities of the wood waste pellet machines.

These parameters have to be optimized in view of the particular feedstock to guarantee good productivity and to avoid blocking the wood pelletizing machine dies. Blocked dies can be found when:
 

• The wood pellet raw material generates more resistant force while passing through the die than the force generated by the roller;
• The wood pellet mill die hole is corroded.

If the wood pellet making machine ring die gets blocked, the material has to be drilled out. To facilitate this process, it is best to work when the die is still warm, previous to the formation of hard pellets within the die holes.

The application of wood residue pellets is increasingly widespread, but the application as fuel pellets is still dominant. Therefore, it is still necessary to discuss the raw materials of wood pellets.