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A Novel FOREST Biomass Production SYSTEMS FOR THE WORLDS BIGGEST BIOFUEL PLANTS

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  058026,  2005 ASAE Annual Meeting . (doi: 10.13031/2013.19678) @2005
Authors:   Ari Saarenmaa
Keywords:   forest biomass, logging residues, bundling, slash compacting, forest fuel transportation, biopower plants, storing of biofuel

The production of bio fuel is expensive because the material is usually scattered over the site area. Also the energy content of biomass is lower as well as the density than the fossil fuels are having. For that reason also the transportation cost is very significant. These problems usually make bio energy production systems economically uncompetitive in todays world. To tackle these problems the development work of Timberjack has been two folded: to improve the economy of the collection work in the forest site and to improve the transportation economy.

Collecting forest residuals in a new compressed way enables a cost-effective material handling. This is the key element for competitive wood energy production. Also then the power plant can be optimized to be efficient and clean when it is designed entirely for this wood material.

Collecting forest residuals in a new compressed way enables a cost-effective material handling. This is the key element for competitive wood energy production. Also then the power plant can be optimized to be efficient and clean when it is designed entirely for this wood material.

After being bundled, the slash logs are transported from the forest to the roadside with standard forwarders. Slash logs can be stored temporarily in the forest or they can be transported directly to the power plant by truck. The slash logs are usually crushed at the power plant or terminal inventory, which enables the use of very effective and economical stationary crushing or chipping method.

The bundling system makes the storing of bundles clean and easy. Because the compact bundles do not start decomposing immediately, it is possible to store them for the peak periods in energy production. The bundles can be stored either in the forest or at power plant, and the bundles can be easily dried in stacks. Moreover, the bundles are available for use throughout the year and the bundling system is not a hot chain.

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