IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i12p3137-d1679235.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Properties of Pellets from Forest and Agricultural Biomass and Their Mixtures

Author

Listed:
  • Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski

    (Department of Genetics Plant Breeding and Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-724 Olsztyn, Poland
    Centre for Bioeconomy and Renewable Energies, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland)

  • Michał Krzyżaniak

    (Department of Genetics Plant Breeding and Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-724 Olsztyn, Poland
    Centre for Bioeconomy and Renewable Energies, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland)

  • Ewelina Olba-Zięty

    (Department of Genetics Plant Breeding and Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-724 Olsztyn, Poland
    Centre for Bioeconomy and Renewable Energies, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland)

Abstract

Pellets can be produced not only from forest dendromass but also from agricultural dendromass derived from short rotation coppice (SRC) plantations, as well as surplus straw from cereal and oilseed crops. This study aimed to determine the thermophysical properties and elemental composition of 16 types of pellets produced from four types of forest biomass (Scots pine I, alder, beech, and Scots pine II), four types of agricultural biomass (SRC willow, SRC poplar, wheat straw, and rapeseed straw), and eight types of pellets from mixtures of wood biomass and straw. Another aim of the study was to demonstrate which pellet types met the parameters specified in three standards, categorizing pellets into thirteen different classes. As expected, pellets produced from pure Scots pine sawdust exhibited the best quality. The quality of the pellets obtained from mixtures of dendromass and straw deteriorated with an increase in the proportion of cereal straw or rapeseed straw in relation to pure Scots pine sawdust and SRC dendromass. The bulk density of the pellets ranged from 607.9 to 797.5 kg m −3 , indicating that all 16 pellet types met the requirements of all six classes of the ISO standard. However, it was determined that four types of pellets (rapeseed, wheat, and two others from biomass mixtures) did not meet the necessary requirements of the Premium and Grade 1 classes. The ash content ranged from 0.44% DM in pellets from pure Scots pine sawdust to 5.00% DM in rapeseed straw pellets. Regarding ash content, only the pellets made from pure Scots pine sawdust met the stringent requirements of the highest classes, A1, Premium, and Grade 1. In contrast, all 16 types of pellets fulfilled the criteria for the lower classes, i.e., Utility and Grade 4. Concerning the nitrogen (N) content, seven types of pellets met the strict standards of classes A1 and Grade 1, while all the pellets satisfied the less rigorous requirements of classes B and Grade 4.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski & Michał Krzyżaniak & Ewelina Olba-Zięty, 2025. "Properties of Pellets from Forest and Agricultural Biomass and Their Mixtures," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-25, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:12:p:3137-:d:1679235
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3137/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3137/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrea Acampora & Vincenzo Civitarese & Giulio Sperandio & Negar Rezaei, 2021. "Qualitative Characterization of the Pellet Obtained from Hazelnut and Olive Tree Pruning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Dias, Goretty M. & Ayer, Nathan W. & Kariyapperuma, Kumudinie & Thevathasan, Naresh & Gordon, Andrew & Sidders, Derek & Johannesson, Gudmundur H., 2017. "Life cycle assessment of thermal energy production from short-rotation willow biomass in Southern Ontario, Canada," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 343-352.
    3. Rajitha Lakshan Rupasinghe & Priyan Perera & Rangika Bandara & Hiran Amarasekera & Richard Vlosky, 2023. "Insights into Properties of Biomass Energy Pellets Made from Mixtures of Woody and Non-Woody Biomass: A Meta-Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-38, December.
    4. Stolarski, Mariusz J. & Stachowicz, Paweł & Dudziec, Paweł, 2022. "Wood pellet quality depending on dendromass species," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 498-508.
    5. Sae Byul Kang & Bong Suk Sim & Jong Jin Kim, 2017. "Volume and Mass Measurement of a Burning Wood Pellet by Image Processing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-13, May.
    6. Lelis Fraga & Eduardo Ferreira & Pedro Ribeiro & Carlos Castro & Jorge Martins & José C. Teixeira, 2023. "Combustion Instability and Ash Agglomeration in Wood Pellets Boiler," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-18, September.
    7. Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski & Michał Krzyżaniak & Ewelina Olba-Zięty & Jakub Stolarski, 2023. "Changes in Commercial Dendromass Properties Depending on Type and Acquisition Time," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Han, Kuihua & Gao, Jie & Qi, Jianhui, 2019. "The study of sulphur retention characteristics of biomass briquettes during combustion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    9. Jankowski, Krzysztof Józef & Dubis, Bogdan & Kozak, Marcin, 2021. "Sewage sludge and the energy balance of Jerusalem artichoke production - A case study in north-eastern Poland," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    10. Algirdas Jasinskas & Vytautas Kleiza & Dionizas Streikus & Rolandas Domeika & Edvardas Vaiciukevičius & Gvidas Gramauskas & Marvin T. Valentin, 2022. "Assessment of Quality Indicators of Pressed Biofuel Produced from Coarse Herbaceous Plants and Determination of the Influence of Moisture on the Properties of Pellets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-16, January.
    11. Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski & Michał Welenc & Michał Krzyżaniak & Ewelina Olba-Zięty & Jakub Stolarski & Sławomir Wierzbicki, 2024. "Characteristics and Changes in the Properties of Cereal and Rapeseed Straw Used as Energy Feedstock," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-13, March.
    12. Vincenzo Civitarese & Andrea Acampora & Giulio Sperandio & Alberto Assirelli & Rodolfo Picchio, 2019. "Production of Wood Pellets from Poplar Trees Managed as Coppices with Different Harvesting Cycles," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-16, August.
    13. Samuelsson, Robert & Larsson, Sylvia H. & Thyrel, Mikael & Lestander, Torbjörn A., 2012. "Moisture content and storage time influence the binding mechanisms in biofuel wood pellets," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 109-115.
    14. Kallis, Kyriakos X. & Pellegrini Susini, Giacomo A. & Oakey, John E., 2013. "A comparison between Miscanthus and bioethanol waste pellets and their performance in a downdraft gasifier," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 333-340.
    15. Jakub Stolarski & Sławomir Wierzbicki & Szymon Nitkiewicz & Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski, 2023. "Wood Chip Production Efficiency Depending on Chipper Type," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-15, June.
    16. Magdalena Kachel & Artur Kraszkiewicz & Alaa Subr & Stanisław Parafiniuk & Artur Przywara & Milan Koszel & Grzegorz Zając, 2020. "Impact of the Type of Fertilization and the Addition of Glycerol on the Quality of Spring Rape Straw Pellets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-11, February.
    17. Roy, Murari Mohon & Dutta, Animesh & Corscadden, Kenny, 2013. "An experimental study of combustion and emissions of biomass pellets in a prototype pellet furnace," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 298-307.
    18. Carvalho, Lara & Wopienka, Elisabeth & Pointner, Christian & Lundgren, Joakim & Verma, Vijay Kumar & Haslinger, Walter & Schmidl, Christoph, 2013. "Performance of a pellet boiler fired with agricultural fuels," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 286-296.
    19. Esperanza Monedero & Henar Portero & Magín Lapuerta, 2018. "Combustion of Poplar and Pine Pellet Blends in a 50 kW Domestic Boiler: Emissions and Combustion Efficiency," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Dominika Sieracka & Jakub Frankowski & Agnieszka Łacka & Stanisław Wacławek & Wojciech Czekała, 2025. "The Energy Potential of White Mulberry Waste Biomass," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stolarski, Mariusz J. & Stachowicz, Paweł & Dudziec, Paweł, 2022. "Wood pellet quality depending on dendromass species," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 498-508.
    2. Stachowicz, Paweł & Stolarski, Mariusz J., 2024. "Pellets from mixtures of short rotation coppice with forest-derived biomass: Production costs and energy intensity," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    3. Ozgen, S. & Cernuschi, S. & Caserini, S., 2021. "An overview of nitrogen oxides emissions from biomass combustion for domestic heat production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    4. Sungur, Bilal & Basar, Cem, 2023. "Experimental investigation of the effect of supply airflow position, excess air ratio and thermal power input at burner pot on the thermal and emission performances in a pellet stove," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 1248-1258.
    5. Sungur, Bilal & Topaloglu, Bahattin, 2019. "An experimental investigation of the effect of smoke tube configuration on the performance and emission characteristics of pellet-fuelled boilers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 121-129.
    6. Dudziec, Paweł & Stachowicz, Paweł & Stolarski, Mariusz J., 2023. "Diversity of properties of sawmill residues used as feedstock for energy generation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 822-833.
    7. Rocío Collado & Esperanza Monedero & Víctor Manuel Casero-Alonso & Licesio J. Rodríguez-Aragón & Juan José Hernández, 2022. "Almond Shells and Exhausted Olive Cake as Fuels for Biomass Domestic Boilers: Optimization, Performance and Pollutant Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    8. Hossain, Tasmin & Jones, Daniela S. & Godfrey, Edward & Saloni, Daniel & Sharara, Mahmoud & Hartley, Damon S., 2024. "Characterizing value-added pellets obtained from blends of miscanthus, corn stover, and switchgrass," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    9. Giulio Sperandio & Alessandro Suardi & Andrea Acampora & Vincenzo Civitarese, 2024. "Eco-Efficiency of Pellet Production from Dedicated Poplar Plantations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-23, June.
    10. Díaz-Ramírez, Maryori & Sebastián, Fernando & Royo, Javier & Rezeau, Adeline, 2014. "Influencing factors on NOX emission level during grate conversion of three pelletized energy crops," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 360-373.
    11. Marcin Jewiarz & Krzysztof Mudryk & Marek Wróbel & Jarosław Frączek & Krzysztof Dziedzic, 2020. "Parameters Affecting RDF-Based Pellet Quality," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    12. Fournel, S. & Palacios, J.H. & Morissette, R. & Villeneuve, J. & Godbout, S. & Heitz, M. & Savoie, P., 2015. "Influence of biomass properties on technical and environmental performance of a multi-fuel boiler during on-farm combustion of energy crops," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 247-259.
    13. Tu, Yaojie & Zhou, Anqi & Xu, Mingchen & Yang, Wenming & Siah, Keng Boon & Subbaiah, Prabakaran, 2018. "NOX reduction in a 40 t/h biomass fired grate boiler using internal flue gas recirculation technology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 962-973.
    14. Urte Stulpinaite & Vita Tilvikiene & Egidijus Zvicevicius, 2023. "Co-pelletization of Hemp Residues and Agricultural Biomass: Effect on Pellet Quality and Stability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-12, August.
    15. Duong, Van Minh & Flener, Ursula & Hrbek, Jitka & Hofbauer, Hermann, 2022. "Emission characteristics from the combustion of Acacia Mangium in the automatic feeding pellet stove," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 183-194.
    16. Nunes, L.J.R. & Matias, J.C.O. & Catalão, J.P.S., 2014. "Mixed biomass pellets for thermal energy production: A review of combustion models," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 135-140.
    17. Jakub Styks & Marek Wróbel & Jarosław Frączek & Adrian Knapczyk, 2020. "Effect of Compaction Pressure and Moisture Content on Quality Parameters of Perennial Biomass Pellets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, April.
    18. Wentao Li & Mingfeng Wang & Fanbin Meng & Yifei Zhang & Bo Zhang, 2022. "A Review on the Effects of Pretreatment and Process Parameters on Properties of Pellets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-23, October.
    19. Maaz Hassan & Naveed Usman & Majid Hussain & Adnan Yousaf & Muhammad Aamad Khattak & Sidra Yousaf & Rankeshwarnath Sanjay Mishr & Sana Ahmad & Fariha Rehman & Ahmad Rashedi, 2023. "Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment of Biomass Pellets Biofuel in Hazara Division, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-23, August.
    20. Sungur, Bilal & Topaloğlu, Bahattin, 2020. "Experimental analysis of combustion performance of biodiesel absorbed pellets in a domestic boiler," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:12:p:3137-:d:1679235. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.