Monday, March 23, 2009

Why use Pellet Fuel

By Aiden Normski

In the middle of the United States energy shortage in 1970's engineers came up with wood pellets as an alternative fuel, Saw mills, paper mills and manufacturing facilities can all generate wood pellets from wood waste. By using a pellet stove and wood pellets we can substitute many forms of fuel like electricity, fossil fuels, gas and propane. Likewise pellet fuel can be used in a variety of appliances like freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts, furnaces and commercial furnaces.

The conveniences that come from Pellet Fuel

Pellet fuel is clean and allergy-free. No dust or dirt is brought into the home with pellet fuel compared to other fuels.

The storage footprint of wood pellets is relative low compared with the likes of cordwood and is 4times smaller and typically a six cubic foot of pellet fuel will last the whole winter. So it can be stored in rather small places such as garages, basement and sheds.

Pellet Fuel is easy to use. Load once a day. Precisely regulated fuel feed automatically operates the stove according to owner-determined settings.

Efficiency of Pellet Fuel

Pellet fuel is more efficient fuel than cordwood. Pellets have five to 10 percent moisture content in comparison to 30 to 60 percent for cordwood and woodchips. This means pellets are a more efficient fuel to burn which in the long run saves money.

Pellet fuels have a much higher Btu content than cordwood. Wood pellets have a btu in the order of 350,000 perm cubic foot compared to cordwood which would be around 70,000 to 90,000 for cordwood or wood chips. So you can see wood pellets will produce a higher heat than any cordwood could give.

Environmental benefits of pellet fuel

It's an all natural fuel and once dried and compressed the pellets will hold their form and shape and don't require any types of glue or binders.

Wood pellets are a very clean fuel compared to others and tests have shown that pellet fuel has a value of 1.2 grams which is approx 4 times lower than the EPA given by the United States.

Sustainability of Pellet Fuel

One of the big attractions of pellet fuel it is created from waste and is also made from waste products. Therefore pellet fuel as become a practical way to use a biomass materials from sustainable forest initiatives, especially for commercial applications

Other Biomass products. Cornstalks, straw, wastepaper and even animal waste can be converted into pellets. - 15252

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