Q:What is a pellet mill?
A: A pellet mill is machine that takes raw materials
and shapes it into pellet form for multiple uses.
Q: Will I need to use a binder to make
pellets?
A:Possibly, most biomass materials, including wood, will need a binder added
to it to make it pelletize. Some clients are experimenting with steam as their binder. Leaves require no binder and paper
forms pellets just using water!
Q:What kind of materials can be pelletized?
A:Materials
such as saw dust, corn cobs, corn stalks, straw, switch grass, other grasses, (DDG) distillers grain, paper, etc. Basically, most
Biomass material that can be ground down to sawdust form can be pelletized.
Q:What are pellets
used for?
A: Pellets are used mainly for: heating, animal feed, and animal bedding. Many
other applications may apply.
Q:Is there a formula for making pellets?
A:
It is more of a process, than formula, depending on your raw material.
Q: If I purchase a pellet
mill, will you show me how to make pellets?
A: We will be happy to discuss the equipment
you need, and give you pointers on what we have learned in our own tests and trials. We have learned every material is
a little different, and requires different steps and procedures. You will have to do some experimenting of your own, to get
your material to pelletize.
Q:What is the feed rate of your different mills?
A:
The feed rate varies with the material being used. Talk to a sales associate about your specific product.
Q:Where do I get replacement parts for my Pellet Mill?
A: We stock replacement
parts for the mills.
Q: If I want to order a mill, Do you have them in stock at your warehouse?
A:
Yes, we try and keep 50 -100 mills in-stock at all times. Coolers,baggers and dryers are not normally kept in stock
and are usually available in 6 to 8 weeks.
Q:What are the approximate BTU per pound of some pellet
fuels??
A: Alfalfa Pellets = 7729 BTU/lb
Aspen Pellets =
8501 BTU/lb
Corn - Shell = 8100 BTU/lb
Dried Distillers Grain (DDG) = 9400 BTU/lb
Hardwood Pellet
= 8573 BTU/lb
Oats = 8242 BTU/lb
Soybeans = 10230 BTU/lb
Straw-Wheat Pellets = 7375 BTU/lb
Straw-Oat
Pellets = 7626 BTU/lb
Sugar Beet Pulp Pellets = 7345 BTU/lb
Sunflower Hulls = 9654 BTU/lb
Wheat
(Hard Red Spring) = 8063 BTU/lb
Q:Are there other by-products not listed
above that could be used for fuel?
A:Yes. Once you have your own pellet
mill, use your imagination and the possibilities are endless. Give it a try and share your findings.
Q:
What moisture content do I want in my finished pellets?
A:This will vary a bit, depending on
the biomass product being used. Generally, if you can get between 5-10% moisture, your pellets will burn just fine.
Q: What is the life span of the roller and die set, in a pellet mill.
A:
This is something that will vary, depending on the material being pelletized. Manufacturer guidelines state 400-600
hours(approx.) of operation, on a die. The life span also depends on proper maintance and procedures followed when pelletizing.
Q: Will I be able to just dump my sawdust in the mill, and it will make a pellet.
A:. A
binding agent will be needed to help your sawdust pelletize. A binding agent would be any oil based seed such as soybean,
sunflower, flaxseed, hammered down corn, DDG (dried distiller grain), corn starch, steam, vegtable oil ect....
Q: Can I purchase a mill without a motor.
A: Yes.
Q: Can I power my mill with the PTO from my tractor.
A: yes.
Q: I have a huge supply of wood chips, can I make pellets out of them.
A:
Yes, but you will have to grind them down to a sawdust form, to run through the pellet mill. We sell hammer mills that
will do that for you.
Q: No matter what I seem to try, I just can't make pellets.What
am I doing wrong?
A:The best thing to do is to just start over from scratch. First,clean
out your die and rollers. start up your machine and adjust roller tension. start with something basic like just your binder.
Run straight DDG, or soybeans through the machine. Now start adding some material into your binder. Keep track of how much
you started with, and keep adding material to your mix untill you find the mix that works for your material. You may also
need to adjust your moisture level along the way. Try some dryer material or add some water to your mix. Try different sizes
of your material. sometimes material can be too fine. Keep experimenting and soon you will find a mix that works for
you.
.
Q: Pellet mill is slow producing pellets.
A: First,
make sure all the holes in your die are open, and not plugged. Make sure material is correct size,1/4 inch or less. Make
sure the dies are warmed up properly prior to pelletizing. Also, when using some hard woods, production will
be slower.
Q: I made some pellets, but they just smolder in my burner, what is wrong.
A: Moisture content is too high in pellets, they need to be dried some more.
Q:
My raw material runs through the machine, and will not form a pellet.
A: Raw
material is too dry or too fine. You need a binding agent. Try adding some water and a binding agent like veggie
oil and flour, starch, wax, gluten, distillers grain,corn meal, corn, soybeans, sunflowers or experiment with something
else.
Q: Can I catch the pellets I make in a bucket, and pour them into my pellet stove.
A: No, They will be warm and moist, when they come out of the mill, 150 to 180 degrees approx.
They need to be cooled down to harden up, so they hold there form.
Q: My pellets come
out short, and in little pieces.
A: You need to add a binding agent to your material.
Q: What size does my material need to be, to run through the pellet mill?
A: All
materials must be 1/4" size or less.
Q:What size pellets can I make?
A: We
have dies sizes from 4mm-8mm, depending on the machine.
Q: What products can be used as binders
with my material?
A: Flour and veggie oil, corn oil, corn, corn meal,wax, tallow, shell corn,
soybeans, soybean meal, alfalfa,corn starch, or dried distillers grain (DDG).
Q:Have
you tried pelleting any manure?
A: Yes, we have pelletized pig, turkey and horse manure successfully.
Q:
My pellet mill will not make the production amount it is supposed to. What is wrong.
A:The production
amounts on all of the mills will vary widely. Things such as, feed rate, material being used, material size, material
moisture, material temperature, ambient temperature, humidity, binder, and amout of binder used, will all affect production
numbers. The numbers we list with our machines are a guide line, given to us by our factory, but by no means a guarantee you
will be able to produce pellets within those limits. Too many variable come into play.
Q: Other
companies advertise mills that will make pellets without using a binder. They claim the natural lignin in the wood will act
as a binding agent. Why won't yours?
A:It takes over 220 degrees of heat, to extract the natural
lignin out of the wood. Our mills do not reach that temperature inside. The only way to achieve that much heat is too add
a steam injection to your system, like the industrial models. Be carefull, and do your research before buying.
Q:I
have seen similiar pellet mills to yours on e-bay and other Web sites. Why should I buy from you, not them.
A:Do
your research and you decide. We have been in business for over 2 years. We were the first company to offer
these products in North america, We stock all parts for our machinery, and ship next day or same day if possible. We
offer a full 6 month parts warranty on our machines. We offer customer demo's, to see our machinery work,
before purchasing if you wish. Our machines are custom designed to our specifications, not just run off an assembly
line. We have a showroom with machinery, and pellet samples for anyone to come and visit. We have thousands of hours of testing
on our machines, with numerous materials.
Q: The rollers on my mill don't turn all the time,
or turn hard.
A: First check to see if they are adjusted down, to touch the die plate. Try a different
binder, or more binder with your mix. Make sure your roller are greased well. Make sure you do not have any foreign objects
jammed between the rolls and the die. Possibly your die plate it worn down too much, and needs replaced. Remove the rollers
and shaft, clean, and reinstall. Make sure your material is not too large, or even too fine.
Q:
Can I make pellets all year long.
A: Yes you can. You will be fine all summer, but when
the outside temperature dips below 60 degrees, you will need to have your mill and material indoors. You are trying to keep
the temperature inside the mill as warm as possible. The colder the surrounding temp, and the colder your material is, the
harder it is to keep the roller and die warm enough to produce pellets.
Q: Does humidity affect
my pellet production?
A:Yes, dry product in very dry weather may need moisture added. High humidity
winter or summer has proven to make pellet production more difficult. A mix of material and binder that works well
on a cool dry morning, will have to be adjusted for a warm humid afternoon. A few hours can make a difference on how you make
pellets.
Q: Do you ship worldwide.
A: Yes, We have sent mills to Canada,
Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Ireland and Australia.
.
Q:Do you ever
have any used Equipment for sale?
A: Yes, from time to time we have equipment that
has been traded in, or equipment that we have used for testing.
