Temperature control in energy grass pellet production – Effects on process stability and pellet quality

Pilot scale ring and die pelletizing of reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) was performed in experimental designs for screening and optimization of pellet quality parameters bulk density and durability and for determination of specific energy consumption under different settings. Control variables included die temperature, raw material moisture content, and steam conditioning. By using a unique experimental setup, where die temperature could be controlled, all factors could be varied independently.