EP3025106A2

EP3025106A2 - Biomass-processing device and method

Info

Publication number: EP3025106A2
Application number: EP14744534.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael KOTYK
Original assignee: Kotyk Energy AG
Current assignee: Kotyk Energy AG
Priority date: 2013-07-25
Filing date: 2014-07-25
Publication date: 2016-06-01
Also published as: CN105683691A; US20160169581A1; RU2016106106A; JP2016532544A; WO2015011279A3; CA2919301A1; RU2016106106A3; WO2015011279A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for producing energy from biomass, comprising a heat-producing apparatus for producing heat and a drying apparatus, and a method for producing energy from biomass, in particular from fibrous biomass, preferably from wood fibers, comprising the step of producing heat by burning biomass remainders reduced to small pieces, in particular wood dust. The present invention further relates to a device and a method for the material utilization of fibers from biomass, in particular wood.

Description

Biomass processing apparatus and method

DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a biomass processing device, in particular for thinnings, comprising a conveyor and a drying device and a biomass processing method, in particular for thinnings.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a pelletizer, in particular for the production of pellets from biomass, with a drying device for drying biomass, in particular fibrous biomass, and / or for comminuting biomass, a pressing device for pressing pellets, and a cooling device for cooling the pellets, as well as a process for the production of pellets. The method comprises in particular the steps of drying biomass, in particular fibrous biomass, by means of a drying device, pressing the biomass into pellets by means of a pressing device, cooling the pellets with a cooling device.

Moreover, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the material utilization of fibers from biomass, in particular wood.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for generating energy from biomass with a heat recovery device for generating heat and a drying device and a method for energy production from biomass, especially from fibrous biomass, preferably from wood fibers, with the step of generating heat by burning crushed biomass residues, in particular wood dust.

The aforementioned invention can be applied in a production plant for green electricity and / or pellets. In this case, the above-presented device and the method describe sections of such a production plant. Typical producers of pellets are operators of planing and sawmills. These win as waste product of their usual commercial activity, the required raw materials, such as wood shavings and sawdust.

For the production of pellets, the waste products from the sawmill, ie the sawdust and wood shavings, dried or post-dried. For this purpose, waste heat from existing cogeneration plants is usually used. During the drying process, the water content in the chips is reduced by the flow principle from about 50% to about 8%. In addition, the chips are freed from impurities, such as stones or metal parts.

Subsequently, the chips get into the so-called hammer mills. Here, the chips are brought to a uniform size. Before the chips are fed into a ripening container, they are provided with a fine film of water. The maturing container serves the chips for absorbing the applied water film. This should provide the necessary smoothness during the subsequent pressing process.

During the pressing process chips are fed into a pelleting plant or pellet mill, in which the chips are pressed through a steel die under high pressure by means of knurling wheels. The heat generated during the pressing process, generated by friction on the die, releases lignin. Furthermore, so-called pressing aids, which are added to the ripening container before the pressing process, are activated by the heat in order to bind the loose chips. These pressing aids act as a kind of adhesive, whereby the resulting pellets are dimensionally stable.

A doctor blade at the output of the die cuts from strands pressed strands to the length required for pellets. Decisive for the diameter of the pellets is the diameter of the press channels in the die. Depending on the desired diameter, the die can be exchanged and pellets of a different diameter can be produced. Subsequently, the pellets produced are cooled in a cooler and finally stored.

In another method of the prior art thinning wood is used instead of planing and sawdust. These are, for example, strained tree trunks or branches, but with a moist bark. The process for the recovery of Thinning wood differs from the method presented above only in that the moist bark of the thinnings wood is separated from these before crushing the tree trunks or branches and burned in the wet state. The debarked thinnings are then shredded to a size suitable for drying so that the shredded thinnings can then be pelletized in the same way as the chips described above.

The waste product obtained as wet bark is - as already described - burned, heat is generated by a wet bark combustion. This heat is used to dry the debarked and shredded thinning wood to reduce its water content. This heat can not be used directly because the water content in the flue gas is too high. In these plants, the moist hot flue gases in the heat transfer medium water must be converted by means of a heat exchanger, and be converted before the drying process with another heat exchanger in the heat transfer medium air. However, heat exchangers are maintenance-intensive and thus also cause high costs.

However, the calorific value of wood decreases with increasing humidity. Here, the moisture of the wood is an indicator of the stored water. Also, the combustion temperature when burning wet wood is below an optimum range. Because the greater the humidity of wood (so-called wood moisture) in a combustion, the more heat is needed for the evaporation of the water stored in the wood. Consequently, the combustion flames are cooled and so-called incomplete combustion occurs. Under this term, on the one hand, an incomplete oxidation and on the other hand the reduction of organic compounds or of carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon black or wood tar understood, with new compounds can be formed and emitted, such as carbon monoxide, carbon black, hydrocarbons and ash fines; moreover, some gases stored in the wood can not be released due to the low combustion temperatures. The result is a poor efficiency. The abovementioned substances are released directly to the environment in the prior art and thus lead to contamination. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method by which moisture in biomass, comprising bark or bark, is reduced prior to their combustion, thus ensuring a high combustion temperature to avoid pollutants and the Increase combustion efficiency.

In the following, biomass is sawdust, wood shavings, grinding dust, forest residue wood obtained in the thinning of forests, and / or wood chippings or wood chips.

These are the above-described forms of biomass, such as e.g. Thinning wood, wood shavings or wood chips, such as Miscanthus Giganteus and all other fast-growing plants and energy woods, or deciduous trees, e.g. Ash, chestnut, birch, beech, etc., or softwoods, e.g. Yew, spruce, fir, etc. Of course, other biomass-producing plants such as shrubs (e.g., ivy, hawthorn, blackberry) or the like may also be used. subsumed under the term biomass. The term biomass is also understood as meaning wood residues, thinning wood, by-products and / or wood chips which have both wood and bark or bark. Of course, the other, above-mentioned plants may have a bark. The term by-product is used to denote non- or poorly usable parts, e.g. of a tree. For example, by coproduct a rotten tree, a crooked trunk or a treetop (tip of a tree) is called.

The above object is achieved according to the Invention by the features of the independent claims.

Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention, it is provided that a biomass processing device has a conveyor and a drying device. It is advantageous if a heat removal channel of the drying device is connected to a heat supply channel of the conveyor to guide heat from the drying device in the conveyor. In this way, the heat used for the drying of biomass, which drops during drying within the drying device, can be guided further to the conveyor and used there to predry the biomass. Thus, it can be started even before the occurrence of the biomass in the drying device to dry them. This leads to energy savings in the drying device. Such pre-drying mainly acts on the outside of the biomass. Thus, for example, biomass can be treated with bark so that in particular the water content of the bark is reduced, which in turn increases the calorific value of the biomass. Consequently, the combustion temperature upon combustion of a biomass treated according to the invention can be increased. Because of the reduced moisture in the biomass (so-called wood moisture) less heat is needed for the evaporation of the stored water in the biomass. Thus, the combustion flames reach higher temperatures and so-called complete combustion can be achieved, whereby substances such as carbon monoxide (CO) or wood tar can be avoided. In the combustion of biomass, a high temperature is particularly favorable, since the gases stored in the biomass can escape only at higher temperatures and thus burn almost completely. This also makes it possible to deploy the ashes of the burned biomass in the forest, for example. In contrast, the ash produced during wet bark burning is hazardous waste and must be disposed of at a high cost.

As described above, heat is preferably conducted from the drying device into the conveyor. The process variable heat is transmitted via a system boundary when temperature differences between the two systems or between the drying device and the conveyor are present.

In heat transfer, due to the second law of thermodynamics, thermal energy is transferred from the higher temperature system towards the lower temperature system. This is true as long as a temperature difference between two thermally coupled systems, so they are not yet in thermal equilibrium.

In order to transfer the heat from the drying device to the conveyor, it is preferred to use a fluid such as e.g. Air to use as a carrier of heat, which absorbs the heat in a place with higher temperature and returns to another location at a lower temperature. It is also possible, instead of air, to use another fluid, such as water, oil or silicone.

Thus, it is thus possible to heat by means of e.g. To pass air from the drying device to the conveyor by a heat removal channel is connected to a heat supply channel. This connection is preferably made by means of a thermally insulated guide, e.g. a pipe or a hose realized.

In this case, the heat may be, for example, waste heat of the drying device. It is also possible for the heat introduced into the drying device to be conveyed further to the conveying device after transfer, ie after elimination of a temperature difference between the biomass in the drying device and the fluid acting as a carrier of the heat. There, the heat in the conveyor can be delivered or transferred to the biomass for pre-drying.

Ideally, the conveyor is arranged in front of the drying device. It is advantageous if the conveyor promotes biomass in the direction of the drying device. Thus, using the conveyor biomass for drying in the drying device passes. By connecting the conveyor to the drying device or by connecting the heat removal channel of the drying device with the heat supply channel of the conveyor heat, which is used to dry the biomass in the drying device, reaches the upstream conveyor. As a result, the water content of the biomass with bark can be reduced in advance, before equipping the drying device. In this way, the use of energy for drying within the drying device can be reduced. Preferably, the drying device has a Wälzbetttrockner for uniform drying and mixing. A Wälzbetttrockner is suitable to treat wood chips of biomass, such as woodchips and other organic substances. Due to its functionality, it is suitable for non-uniformly shaped bulk goods, which require long residence times for drying at moderate drying air temperatures at a relatively high initial moisture. The biomass to be dried is moved in a bed of warm air with a slowly flowing horizontal stirring paddle. The dry material is constantly circulated. The paddles are arranged so that the dry material is conveyed from an entry to a discharge. While the solid is moving, it is flowed through from bottom to top of the drying air. As a result, it is in contact with the drying air for a particularly long time, which leads to a uniform result.

Conveniently, the drying device has a tool for comminuting biomass. This serves to pre-shred the biomass, which is fed into the drying device to a certain size, so as to facilitate the drying and improve. Such a tool is preferably, for example, a hammer mill or a shredder similar to a chopper, in which comminution is carried out from a gear built up by offset rollers, a chopper drum or by means of a impact disk. Advantageously, the drying device or the tool for shredding are designed for the processing of thinnings wood. That is, on the one hand, the tool has rollers or impact disks, with the help of which such thinnings wood can be crushed with bark or by-products; and secondly, that the Wälzbetttrockner has passages through which the thinned with the tool thinnings wood remains within the Wälzbetttrockners so that heat can be continuously introduced via drying air without shredded wood thinning comes out of the Wälzbettdrockner to the outside. Nevertheless, small components with a smaller diameter than the passages can already be deposited in the drying device. Conveniently, the sorted small components are collected and another device, such as a Heat recovery unit, fed. The tool for comminution is ideally located in front of the Wälzbetttrockner. In this way, the biomass can be dried faster and more effectively

Further, it is preferred if the conveyor has at least one heat-permeable region, in particular soil, can be arranged on the biomass. Biomass including its bark can be pre-dried before being fed into a drying device with the aid of a conveying device designed in this way. It is particularly advantageous if the heat-permeable region is arranged in the bottom of the conveyor. As a result, heat introduced into the conveyor can be used to predry the biomass with bark. In other words, for example, air as a heat transfer medium can easily flow through the heat-permeable region. Characterized in that warm air is lighter than cold and a heat-transmissive region is arranged in the ground, a sufficient distance is provided, which allows to transfer the heat stored in the air to the arranged on the heat-transmissive region biomass. Thus, in particular the bark or the bark of the biomass can be dried.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the wood processing device comprises a fiberizing device and / or a separating device. With the help of the fiberization device, it is possible to further reduce the biomass from the drying device after drying. Here, a further, finer comminution of the biomass takes place.

Further, it is advantageous if the defibrating device has a mill which fibrillates the biomass. In a concrete embodiment of the mill is a hammer mill, the hammers are designed so that these energy-saving biomass crush and separate them into small-sized fiber conglomerates.

Preferably, the separation device has at least one screen, in particular a tumble screen, for separation into at least two separation fractions. The at least two separating fractions are preferably fibers and dust, in particular wood fibers, wood dust, bark dust and non-solid wood components, such as eg rotten parts in the trunk. With the aid of this embodiment, fibers and fiber conglomerates can be classified and processed according to the individual classification groups to form further products. Accordingly, it can be ensured that only high-quality material in the form of appropriately classified fibers or their conglomerates is processed to produce high quality pellets.

Advantageously, the separation device comprises optical means for optical separation in at least two separation fractions. Conveniently, the at least two separation fractions are fibers and dust, in particular wood fibers and wood dust, bark dust and / or non-solid wood components. With the help of optical separation, a high degree of purity of wood fibers can be achieved, wherein the separation or separation of the fibers from the entirety of the comminuted biomass can be ensured such that the dust and bark of the biomass is almost completely separated from the fibers. For the separation of fibers, dust and bark, a so-called visual recognition can be used, as e.g. Bark darker than wood or wood fibers. Furthermore, it is favorable if the wood processing device has a buffer. With the help of this buffer, for example, fibers can be stored after screening in the separator for further storage. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the buffer is arranged on the separating device. In this way, short distances between the separator and the buffer can be realized, which leads, for example, to energy savings and space savings within a production hall.

In another aspect of the present invention, it is contemplated that a biomass processing method beneficially proceeds in the following manner.

In a first step, ideally biomass is predried in a conveyor. In this way, the water content of the biomass can be reduced in advance, so that in the subsequent step less energy has to be expended eg for drying. In particular, the method is suitable for pre-drying biomass together with its bark. Consequently, the biomass is pre-dried before it is introduced into the drying device. This saves energy for eg a subsequent drying device. The biomass is dried mainly on the outside, whereby the bark of the biomass can be treated so that conveniently the water content of the bark is reduced. Thus, for example, the calorific value of the biomass can be increased.

Conveniently, the biomass is dried by means of a drying device in a subsequent step. In this way, the water content of the biomass is further reduced, so that processing can take place to a final product. Accordingly, combustion of the biomass due to the reduced water content can achieve a higher combustion temperature, so that improved or even complete combustion can be achieved. Because the reduced moisture in the biomass (so-called wood moisture) causes no energy losses, which are due to the evaporation of the stored water in the biomass. Thus, higher temperatures can be achieved in a combustion, avoiding carbon monoxide (CO) or wood tar. During the combustion of the biomass under high temperatures, an optimal outgassing can take place and thus an optimal combustion can be achieved. This makes it possible to spend the residual ash, including the fly ash in meadows, fields and forests.

Advantageously, the biomass is comminuted before drying in the drying device. This allows easier and more effective drying, since biomass of a certain size is easier to dry with less energy than biomass, for example in the form of tree trunks.

Preferably, heat is removed from the drying device to a heat-permeable region of the conveyor in a further step. In this way, heat, which is used to dry the biomass within the drying device, comes to pre-drying within the conveyor. Thus, energy can be saved and a process chain can be optimized with regard to energy consumption. Also, waste heat of the drying device can be guided to the conveyor. This serves as a further energy saving measure, thereby Of course, in addition to environmental aspects, the efficiency of the method according to the invention is improved.

The process variable heat - as already explained - is then transmitted over a system boundary, if temperature differences between two systems or between the drying device and the conveyor are present. In heat transfer, thermal energy, namely heat, is transferred from the higher temperature system towards the lower temperature system due to the second law of thermodynamics. This applies as long as there is a temperature difference between two thermally coupled systems, so that they are not yet in thermal equilibrium.

For guiding heat, for example, from the drying device to the conveyor, it is advantageous if a fluid, such as e.g. Air, as a carrier of heat is used. Thus, heat may be taken up in a higher temperature location and delivered to another lower temperature location. It is also possible to use a fluid, such as water, oil or silicone instead of air.

In a further step, it is favorable if the biomass is defibrated by means of a defibration device. By means of defibration, a further homogenization of the biomass is achieved, whereby a high-quality end product can be achieved or achieved. In addition, in this way inclusions in the biomass, e.g. rotten areas or impurities such as soil are separated.

Conveniently, in a further step, the shredded biomass is separated into at least two separation fractions. Preferably, a separation into fibers and dust, especially in wood fibers and wood dust, preferably together with bark, takes place. Due to the above-described separation, it is possible to supply only high-quality material or fibers to the further process steps and to filter further components in the form of soil, rotten components, bark and dust from the process chain. Preferably, earth, rotten components, bark and dust after separation are present only in very small quantities. By the optimal separation into high-quality material, like fibers, and further components, like earth, bark, etc. can from the further Components are produced high quality energy. Thus, the raw material biomass is produced by drying and separation a higher quality product such as pellets. Thus, similar to a refinery, the starting material or raw material is refined.

Conveniently, in a further process step, a separation fraction is used to generate heat and / or electrical energy. Due to the above-described separation into fibers and other components, such as dust and bark, in this process step, the components or component products separated from the fibers can be used to generate heat and / or electrical energy. Consequently, substances and component products occurring during the process can also be used for further use within the process chain and used profitably.

Furthermore, in a further method step, it is preferable to conduct heat, generated by combustion of a separation fraction, in particular of dust and preferably bark, to the drying device. With the aid of this arrangement, the process chain is optimized and the components separated from the fibers or component products which occur during production within the process chain are used, for example to generate heat. The heat generated can also be used for drying biomass with the aid of the above-described drying device. Thus, heat can be generated from the component dust, rotten components, bark and / or soil, which is used to dry the delivered biomass by means of a drying device, wherein the heat generated there is forwarded or further discharged to a conveyor for pre-drying the biomass ,

Furthermore, it is preferable to conduct heat generated by generation of electric power to the drying device. In this way, for example, waste heat of a turbine, which is used for power generation, can be used to dry biomass together with the bark in the drying device. Furthermore, the heat conducted into the drying device, but also the waste heat occurring there, can be used for pre-drying in the conveying device. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the heat led to the conveyor after passing through the drying device becomes. Of course, it is also possible to deliver the heat generated in the generation of electrical energy directly to the conveyor.

In a further method step, it is advantageous if heat from the conveyor to the outside, in particular to the environment out. In this way, no additional exhaust smoke control or the like must be realized, whereby costs and the maintenance of a filter can be saved. The direct release to the environment is possible, since preferably the heat flow or the air is cleaned as a heat carrier before.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if in a further process step, a separation fraction, in particular fibers, are stored in a buffer. With the aid of this buffer, for example, fibers can be stored after separation or sieving in the separating device for further storage. Also, the buffer can be used to homogenize the conglomerates of fibers, which can be fed to a further processing a uniform mixture of fibers. In the method described above, it is favorable if the illustrated method steps are carried out with the aid of the objects of the apparatus described above, it is e.g. it is possible to use a separating device of the device for separating in the method or, for example, a separating device for the method step separating. According to a further aspect of the present invention, a pelleting device, in particular for the production of pellets from biomass, is provided.

In this case, the pelleting device preferably has a drying device for drying biomass. This makes it possible to moist biomass material such. B. bark of a tree (bark), but also, for example, trunk wood of a tree to a predetermined water content to dry. This is preferably between 9 and 11%.

Preferably, the drying device has a Wälzbetttrockner for uniform drying and mixing. A roller bed dryer is suitable Wood chips of biomass, such as woodchips and other organic substances to treat. Due to its functionality, it is suitable for non-uniformly shaped bulk goods, which require long residence times for drying at moderate drying air temperatures at a relatively high initial moisture. The biomass to be dried is moved in a bed of warm air with a slowly flowing horizontal stirring paddle. The dry material is constantly circulated. The paddles are arranged so that the dry material is conveyed from an entry to a discharge. While the solid is moving, it is flowed through from bottom to top of the drying air. As a result, it is in contact with the drying air for a particularly long time, which leads to a uniform result.

Ideally, the biomass is fibrous biomass, preferably wood fibers. Fibrous biomass is excellently suited for the production of pellets, since fibers impart a high mechanical stability to a pellet and have a high calorific value. Furthermore, it is preferred that the pelletizing device has a drying device for comminuting biomass. The comminution of biomass allows a more effective drying within the drying device and thus a simple and energy-saving reduction of the water content of the biomass. The drying device is also used to pre-shred the biomass, which is fed into the drying device to a certain size, so as to facilitate and improve the drying. Such a tool is preferably, for example, a hammer mill or a shredder similar to a chopper machine, in which comminution is carried out from a gear built up by offset rollers, by means of a chipping drum or by means of a striking disk. Advantageously, the drying device or the tool for shredding are designed for the processing of thinnings wood. That is, on the one hand, the tool has rollers or impact disks with the aid of which biomass or thinnings wood can be comminuted together with its bark or by-products; and second, that the Wälzbetttrockner has passages through which with the thinned wood inside the roller bed dryer remains crushed by the tool, so that heat can be continuously introduced via drying air without the shredded thinning wood coming out of the roller bed dryer to the outside. Nevertheless, small components with a smaller diameter than the passages can already be deposited in the drying device. Conveniently, the sorted small components are collected and fed to another device.

Furthermore, it is favorable if the pelletizing device has a pressing device for pressing pellets. By means of such a device, one or more pellets can be pressed out of the biomass, which is preferably in a loose state. During the pressing process, biomass is fed into the pressing device, in which the biomass is pressed through a die under pressure by means of knurling wheels. The heat generated by friction on the die releases lignin, which gives the resulting pellets a dimensional stability due to interlacing. Also, the lignin is then visible on the outside of the pellets as a shiny surface. Lignin is solid biopolymers that are incorporated into the plant cell wall and thus cause the celling of the cell (so-called lignification). Lignin or lignins are thus responsible for the strength of plant tissues. These allow enduring plants and especially trees to withstand the mechanical stresses caused by gravity and environmental influences such as wind and weather. Furthermore, it is favorable if the pelletizing device has a cooling device for cooling the pellets. Due to the high degree of friction between the biomass and a die, through which the biomass is pressed, heat is generated by and during the pressing of pellets in a pressing device, whereby preferably the biomass or its fibers reach a temperature of 95 to 110 ° C. during the pressing process , Conveniently, a lower temperature, such as 95 ° C, is achieved with a soft biomass, such as pine, and with a hard biomass, such as beech, a temperature of 105 ° C. By adjusting the temperature or the heat to be introduced into the biomass, the leakage of lignin for the respective biomass is achieved. This heat is located both in the die of the pressing device and in the finished pellets. Ideally, the pellets after pressing in a pressing device at a temperature between 95 ° C and 108 ° C. As a result, the lignin is activated in the fibers, whereby a Verhölzerung of the pellets is made possible, whereby activation of the lignin, the addition of binders can be avoided.

In order to use the stored energy in the pellets, in the form of heat, for other facilities and / or process steps, the heat from the cooling device is preferably fed into the drying device. It is advantageous if a heat removal channel of the cooling device is connected to a heat supply channel of the drying device. In this way, the heat can be effectively and quickly passed from the cooling device to the drying device. By means of the heat obtained in the cooling device, the biomass which is led into the drying device for drying, can be dried effectively and energy-saving. Thus, the heat generated in the pressing device for the drying of biomass can be used.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the device has a first conditioner. Conveniently, this detects the water content of the biomass, in particular by means of ultrasound. Thus, the water content within the biomass can be detected in a simple manner. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the first conditioner adjusts the water content of the biomass by means of water from a first water metering device to a water content of between 7 and 13%, preferably to a water content of 9.5-11%. By adjusting the water content, mechanical parameters of the biomass can be adjusted as it passes through the pelletizer. So it is possible with the help of the aforementioned water content, both to press pellets and to easily pass the biomass through the Pelletierungsvorrichtung. In particular, with a water content between 9.5 and 11%, a sufficient film of water between the biomass and z. B. a conveyor trough, in which the biomass is performed. In this way, lubrication by the biomass is possible on conveyor lines, which reduces the friction between biomass and conveyor line and the energy consumption for the promotion of biomass can be reduced. It also evaporates due to the generated during production Friction between biomass and matrix The water contained in the biomass, so that pellets are obtained with, for example, a below the EU NORM ENplus AI or A2 water content and thus with high calorific value.

Ideally, the pelletizer has a ripening device. Preferably, in this biomass, in particular fibers, stored and mixed. This makes it possible to equalize the water, introduced by a conditioner in the biomass or give the biomass the opportunity to absorb the water and store.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the device has a second conditioner. In this case, it is favorable to detect the water content of the biomass, in particular by means of ultrasound. Thus, the water content of the biomass can be checked again. Conveniently, the second conditioner adjusts the water content of the biomass by means of water from a second metering device. It is advantageous if the water content between 7 and 13%, preferably adjusted to a water content of 9.5-11%. The second conditioner has the advantage that the measurement and adaptation within the first conditioner is checked and possibly corrected.

Both in the first and the second Konditioneur, it is advantageous if the water content is increased with hot water, preferably by a Heißwasserbesprühung. In this way, the heat stored in the biomass is retained and is not exchanged. Thus, the process variable heat can continue to remain in the process and continue to be used.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the pelleting device comprises a sorting device for sorting the pellets. The sorter can be used to separate solid pellet-bound components (such as fibers) from loose components (such as dust) after pressing the pellets. In this way it is possible to obtain only pellets of a certain size and shape as the final product. It is also possible to achieve a prescribed standard, such as the EU NORM ENplus AI or ENplus A2. Preferably, the pelletizing device has a mixing device which combines heat, which is obtained during cooling of the pellets, with other heat flows, in particular from other devices. Consequently, with the aid of the mixing device, the heat produced by the cooling of the pellets can be mixed with other heat flows from other devices, such as e.g. B. waste heat from turbines or a turbine cooling also transferred to the mixing device and united or mixed.

Furthermore, it is favorable if the pelletizing device has at least one storage cell. In this, the pellets produced can be stored in the sorter after sieving and then conveniently loaded loosely and / or bagged and / or gasified for the production of green energy. Due to the loose loading, the pellets produced can be filled in large quantities in silo trucks. Bagging allows predetermined amounts of pellets in bags to be sold to the end user for heating a home. The gasification of the pellets allows the production of green energy as an immediate use of the pellets in a connected eco-power plant. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a pellet storage cell according to ENplus A1 / A2 standard. In this storage cell can e.g. upon initial operation of a plant with the pelletizer, or after rectification of a restart fault, until all parameters for further production (e.g., according to the operating manuals) have been set and controlled. According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for producing pellets, preferably wood pellets, comprises the following steps.

Advantageously, a step comprises the drying of biomass by means of a drying device. The biomass is conveniently fibrous biomass, preferably wood fibers. By drying the biomass, on the one hand, a high calorific value for the biomass is achieved, and, on the other hand, this step also serves to further process the biomass into pellets. The drying is conveniently done by means of a drying device. This is conveniently a Wälzbetttrockner for uniform drying and mixing. A Wälzbetttrockner is suitable, wood chips of biomass, such as wood chips and other organic Substances to be treated. Due to its functionality, it is suitable for non-uniformly shaped bulk goods, which require long residence times for drying at moderate drying air temperatures at a relatively high initial moisture. The biomass to be dried is moved in a bed of warm air with a slowly flowing horizontal stirring paddle. The dry material is constantly circulated. The paddles are arranged so that the dry material is conveyed from an entry to a discharge. As the solid moves, it is from bottom to top of the drying air, which is conveniently a temperature of 90 to max. 105 ° C, flows through. As a result, it is in contact with the drying air for a particularly long time, which leads to a uniform result.

Conveniently, a further step comprises pressing the biomass into pellets by means of a pressing device. A pressing device advantageously has a die and at least one Kollerrad, by means of which the biomass is pressed through the die. In this process, heat is generated both in the matrix and in the pressed biomass.

In a further method step, the pellets are advantageously cooled with a cooling device. In this way, the heat generated by pressing within the pellets is dissipated therefrom, thereby allowing storage and, subsequently, loading and packaging at room temperature. Preferably, in a further step of the process for producing pellets, heat is removed from the cooling device to the drying device. In this way, the heat dissipated during cooling of the pellets can be used for drying biomass in the drying device. Thus, energy can be saved for the drying device or for the heat used for drying within the drying device. Furthermore, the efficiency of such a method is increased. Furthermore, such a method is optimal in terms of environmental aspects, whereby heat generated in a process is reused and not left unused in the process chain or even discharged. In a further method step, the water content of the biomass is preferably detected after drying. This is done conveniently by means of ultrasound. Due to the fact that ultrasound propagates excellently in a dense medium such as water, the water content can be easily determined from the received signal of an ultrasonic transmitter. Because the more intense the signal or the closer the received signal on the output signal, the higher the water content. The detection of the water content serves to reduce friction between the biomass and z. B. a conveyor trough, in which the biomass is performed. Thus, lubrication by the biomass on conveyors is possible, whereby the energy consumption for the promotion of biomass can be reduced.

Furthermore, it is favorable in a further method step if, after detecting the water content of the biomass, the water content is increased by means of water of a first water metering device. Conveniently, the water content is adjusted between 7 and 13%, preferably 9.5-11%. The introduced water serves to improve the lubrication between biomass and a conveyor trough. This water content can easily escape by friction in the die during pellet production or pressing, so that low water content, high calorific value pellets are obtained.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the biomass is stored in a maturing device and mixed. In this way, the water content of the biomass can be made uniform. Because the intermediate storage and the mixing of the biomass opens the possibility to absorb water and store. This water is used to lubricate the biomass on eg a conveyor trough or on conveyor lines. Conveniently, after the uniformity of the water content of the biomass, the water content is detected once more. This is advantageously done by means of ultrasound. Since, for example, ultrasound propagates excellently in a dense medium such as water, the water content can be determined in a simple manner on the basis of the received signal of an ultrasound transmitter-as already described above. The nearer the received signal on the output signal, the higher the water content. In the event that the water content deviates from a desired value, it is preferable, after detecting the water content of the biomass, to increase the water content by means of water of a further water metering device. Advantageously, the biomass is adjusted to a water content between 7 and 13%, preferably to a water content of 9.5-11%. As already mentioned, this water content can easily reduce the friction of the biomass into a conveyor trough. Also, this water content can easily escape by friction in the die in the production of pellets, so that pellets with a low water content and high calorific value can be generated. Furthermore, it is favorable if the biomass is heated to a predetermined temperature by pressing the biomass into pellets with the aid of the pressing device. This is preferably done at a temperature between 85 ° C and 115 ° C. Preferably, the biomass is heated to a temperature between 98 ° C and 105 ° C. In the aforementioned temperature range, which is achieved during the pressing of the biomass through the die of a pressing device by means of milled wheels, it is possible to activate the lignin in the biomass. This acts as a binder, so that can be dispensed with artificial additives. The lignin gives the pressed pellets, on the one hand, a glossy surface and, on the other hand, a high dimensional stability, since the lignin is responsible for the biomass burying. In a further method step, it is favorable to dissipate heat of the pressed pellets in order to cool the pellets to a predetermined temperature, preferably room temperature. The dissipated heat is preferably conducted to the drying device, where it is used for drying biomass. This can save energy and costs. Thus, the heat generated in the pressing device for the drying of biomass can be used.

Furthermore, in a further method step, it is advantageous to combine heat which is obtained during cooling of the pellets with other heat flows. Conveniently, the heat is combined with heat streams from other process areas. For example, it is possible to use heat from the cooling device To merge waste heat from eg a turbine and its turbine cooling and forward or continue. Preferably, the heat is used in one or more so-called. ORC or a plant with waste heat and power coupling to generate electrical energy. An ORC is preferably a plant with a waste heat / power coupling or a so-called Organic Rankine Cycle (abbreviation ORC), in which the operation of steam turbines with a working fluid other than water vapor, such as certain oils with a low evaporation temperature (eg silicone oil) is realized. Such a method or system is preferably used when the available temperature gradient between the heat source and the sink is too low for the operation of a turbine driven by steam.

Furthermore, it is favorable to sort the pellets after cooling. Advantageously, this is done by sieving. Conveniently, a vibrating or tumbling screen is suitable for this purpose. Such a sieve is easily configured and separates pellets of particular size from smaller cut debris or trimmings, so that a filling of high quality pellets conforming to a standard such as e.g. EU NORM ENplus AI or ENplus A2 can be guaranteed.

Furthermore, in a further method step, it is preferable to store the pellets after sorting. Conveniently, the stored pellets can be loosely loaded and / or bagged and / or gasified for the production of eco-energy. By means of loose loading, the pellets produced can be transported in large quantities in silo trucks and, for example, transported to consumer premises. By means of bagging, it is possible to sell predetermined amounts of pellets in bags to the end user for heating a home. By gasifying the pellets for the production of green energy, an immediate use of the pellets in a connected eco-power plant is possible.

Preferably, the apparatus described above, as well as the method further comprises a defibering device for defibering (eg a mill), a separating device for separating (eg a sieve) and a buffer for intermediate storage. In this case, the aforementioned devices or objects and method steps preferably arranged between the pressing device and the drying device. With regard to further features and design of the defibrating device, the separating device and the buffer, reference is made to the above statements among the other aspects of the invention, which also apply here. In the method described above, it is favorable if the illustrated method steps are carried out with the aid of the objects of the device described above, it is thus possible, for example, to use a sorting device for the sorting method step.

In a further aspect of the invention, a device for generating energy from biomass is provided. This ideally has a heat recovery device for generating heat and a drying device.

Advantageously, a heat extraction channel of the heat recovery device is connected to a heat supply channel of the drying device. Thus, heat can be passed from the heat recovery device in the drying device. The drying device is preferably a Wälzbetttrockner for uniform drying and mixing of biomass, especially thinning wood.

Preferably, the drying device has a Wälzbetttrockner for uniform drying and mixing. A Wälzbetttrockner is particularly suitable for wood chips of biomass, such as wood chips and other organic substances. Due to its structural design, it can dry bulk materials that require long residence times for drying at moderate drying air temperatures at a relatively high initial moisture. The biomass to be dried is moved in a bed of warm air with a slowly flowing horizontal stirring paddle. The dry material is constantly circulated. The paddles are arranged so that the dry material is conveyed from an entry to a discharge. As the solid moves, it is from bottom to top of the drying air, which is conveniently a temperature of 90 to max. 105 ° C, flows through. That's what he is particularly long with the drying air in contact, resulting in a uniform result.

Furthermore, a drying device advantageously has a tool for comminuting biomass. Advantageously, the drying device and the shredding tool are designed for the processing of thinnings and by-products. That is, on the one hand, the tool has rollers, chopper drum or impact discs, with the help of such thinnings wood can be crushed; and secondly, that the Wälzbetttrockner has passages through which the thinned with the tool thinnings wood remains within the Wälzbetttrockners so that heat can be continuously introduced via drying air without shredded wood thinning comes out of the Wälzbettdrockner to the outside. The tool for comminution is ideally located in front of the Wälzbetttrockner. In this way, the biomass can be dried faster and more effectively.

Further, it is preferable that a mixer mixes warm fluid from the heat recovery means with cool fluid to reduce the temperature of the warm fluid. In this way, the heat contained in the warm fluid is distributed to a larger amount of fluid, whereby the temperature of the mixed fluids decreases in comparison to the temperature of the warm fluid. In this way, not only a temperature reduction is brought about, but heat, generated from the heat recovery device, distributed to a larger mass flow. This has the advantage of making fluid with a high heat content or high temperature usable for further use within the device.

Furthermore, it is preferred that a deposition device frees the fluid from the mixer of contaminants. In this way, contamination caused by burning of, for example, wood dust, bark dust and non-solid wood components in the heat recovery device, such. As fine dust, are filtered out. Conveniently, this is done with the aid of centrifugal force. In this way, the use of expensive filter sieves is not necessary because using the centrifugal force a continuous filter, without replacement and with little cleaning effort is realized. Furthermore, it is favorable if the device has at least one turbine. Ideally, the turbine is supplied with heat from the heat recovery device and / or from the mixer for the generation of electrical energy. With the help of the heat gained from the heat recovery device, the turbine can be operated. This converts thermal energy, ie heat, into mechanical energy, ie wave work. Thus, mechanical energy or by conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy and voltage, ie electrical energy can be generated from heat. It is possible that the heat from the heat recovery device in a direct way in the at least one turbine, preferably an ORC, passes or via the above-described mixer.

Conveniently, the apparatus comprises a mixing device which receives waste heat from at least one turbine. It is also possible to absorb heat generated by cooling from the at least one turbine in the mixing device. Advantageously, other heat flows, in particular from other areas of the device, can be brought together in the mixing device. Thus, it is thus possible to mix heat from the at least one turbine with heat from, for example, a cooling device for pellets and bring it to a designated temperature, for example 105 ° C.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for energy production from biomass is provided. This preferably uses fibrous biomass, in particular wood fibers. Furthermore, this method conveniently uses a device for generating energy from biomass, as previously described.

A step according to the invention comprises the generation of heat by firing comminuted biomass, in particular wood dust and bark. Comminuted biomass are mostly comminuted components of the order of dust and / or bark. Such small parts are difficult to bind, e.g. for a pellet production. Nevertheless, this biomass is flammable and can thus be burned for heat generation.

A further step of the invention conveniently provides for the drying of biomass by means of the heat generated by firing. In this way, the off Crushed biomass heat used for drying biomass. Thus, for example, biomass can be treated with bark so that in particular the water content of the bark is reduced, which in turn increases the calorific value of the biomass. Consequently, the combustion temperature upon combustion of a biomass treated according to the invention can be increased. Because of the reduced moisture in the biomass (so-called wood moisture) less heat is needed for the evaporation of the stored water in the biomass. Thus, the combustion flames reach higher temperatures and so-called complete combustion can be achieved, whereby substances such as carbon monoxide (CO) or wood tar can be avoided. Furthermore, it is favorable in a further method step to continue to use the heat generated in order to drive at least one turbine for generating electrical energy. Thus, thermal energy can be converted into mechanical and mechanical energy into electrical energy. Preferably, the heat in a so-called. ORC or a plant with waste heat and power coupling is used to generate electrical energy. An ORC is preferably a plant with waste heat / power coupling or a so-called organic rankine cycle (abbreviation ORC), in which the operation of steam turbines with a working fluid other than water vapor, such as certain oils with a low evaporation temperature (eg silicone oil) is realized. Such a method or system is preferably used when the available temperature gradient between the heat source and the sink is too low for the operation of a turbine driven by steam.

Furthermore, it is favorable to store the heat generated in a fluid and to reduce the temperature of the fluid by admixing a further fluid. In this way, the heat contained in a warm fluid is distributed to a larger amount of fluid, whereby the temperature of the mixed fluids decreases compared to the temperature of the warm fluid. In this way, not only a temperature reduction is brought about, but distributed heat to a larger mass flow. This has the advantage, fluid with a high heat content or high temperature for further use is made usable. The fluid is preferably air, since it has already been beneficially produced in a heat recovery device.

Furthermore, it is favorable in a method step if a separation device filters contaminants out of the fluid. Preferably, this is done by means of centrifugal force. In this way, contamination caused by burning of, for example, wood dust, bark dust and non-solid wood components in the heat recovery device, such. As fine dust, are filtered out. The use of centrifugal force eliminates the need for expensive filter screens, as the centrifugal force allows a continuous filter to be realized without replacement and with little cleaning effort.

In a further method step, it is advantageous to dissipate waste heat of the turbines and / or heat generated by cooling the turbines. Preferably, the waste heat and / or heat is combined with other heat streams. Conveniently, the other heat flows from further process areas, such as e.g. from a cooling system for pellets, merged. In this way, heat can be collected and directed to a specific location.

In the method described above, it is favorable if the illustrated method steps are carried out with the aid of the objects of the apparatus described above, it is e.g. possible to use a heat recovery device of the device for burning biomass.

The features described above are all combinable with each other. For example, it is possible to combine the features of the biomass processing device with those of the pelletizer and with those of the biomass energy production device. Of course, the features of the biomass processing method can be combined with those of the method for producing pellets and those of the method for energy production from biomass. Also, the combination of the aforementioned devices with the method is possible. An advantage of the present invention is further that the generated heat from the place of production, such as the heat recovery device, conveniently to the drying device and preferably to the conveyor can be performed without the heat must be passed through a lossy heat exchanger. This is advantageously achieved by using air as the heat carrier. In this way, generated by combustion and stored in air heat without losses, which inevitably arise in a heat exchanger, are collected by the individual institutions, and then at a site (drying device and / or conveyor) to be delivered to biomass. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a device for recycling wood fibers is provided, the device being connected to a biomass processing device according to one of the above configurations and the device having means for processing the fibers into an intermediate or end product. Preferably, the operation of the connected biomass processing device is set up so that fibers can be produced with a predetermined specification.

Further preferably, the recycling of the fibers taken out of the biomass processing device comprises the production of a multi-component element, for example a plastic composite material element, which is formed using the wood fibers as a reinforcing material.

Further preferably, an injection molding apparatus is provided for material recycling of the fibers, which is adapted for the production of fiber-reinforced plastic parts using the extracted from the biomass processing device fibers.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a method of recycling wood fibers is provided, wherein the method according to any one of the above configurations is used to produce recyclable fibers, while recycled material is recycled material. Preferably, the material recycling is operated via a process that is substantially directly coupled to the process for producing the fibers by the method according to one of the above configurations.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the following, the invention is described, which relates to a biomass processing apparatus, a pelleting apparatus and a device for generating energy from biomass. The above-described devices can be combined with one another, as will be shown.

Furthermore, the invention is described below, which relates to a biomass processing method, a method for producing pellets and a method for energy production from biomass. The above-described methods can be combined with one another, as will be shown.

Also, the combination of the aforementioned devices with the method is possible.

[00115] The drawings show schematically:

FIG. 1 shows a flowchart and a biomass processing device,

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart and a pelletizing device for producing wood pellets,

Figure 3 is a flow diagram and a device for generating energy from biomass, and

4 shows a flowchart and a production plant with a biomass processing device, a pelletizing device for the production of wood pellets and a device for generating energy from biomass. In the following description of the figures of Figures 1 to 4, like reference numerals designate like objects.

Figure 1 shows a flow chart and a biomass processing device for thinnings and by-products, such as treetops. The apparatus has a large-scale chipper machine 1 for thinning wood of all kinds, a wood chippings moving floor 2 or a moving floor as a conveyor and a wood chipper dryer 3 as a drying device.

The large chopper 1 divides the supplied thinnings wood to wood chips. Thinnings include, for example, tree trunks, branches and shrubs, as well as Miscanthus Giganteus and all other fast-growing plants and energy woods. Thinnings also have moist bark. In comminution by the large-scale mincing machine 1, smaller units are produced, such as e.g. G 20 to G 60 preferably G 30 to G 40 according to the European woodchip standard EN 14961. Of course, further sizes are conceivable. In this way, e.g. Whole tree trunks are pre-crushed together with their bark.

The shredded thinnings wood or forest woodchip along with its bark is poured onto the moving floor 2. The sliding floor 2 has a raised floor as a heat-permeable area, which has inclined slot plates, so that air can flow through the raised floor or through the wood chips moving floor. Length and width of the forestry lumber puddles 2 are designed on the one hand to the required amount of forest wood chips for the production of wood pellets, on the other hand, in particular the length of the forestry haystock 2 is designed to reduce the water content of wood chippings by about 1- 9%. Consequently, with the help of the moving floor, 2 wood chips with bark and other biomass can be predried, whereby the correct bed height (2 to 6 meters) is to be pre-dried.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wood chipper dryer 3 is connected to the sliding floor 2 and takes over the wood chippings which are conveyed via a dosing screw (not shown) from the wood chippings push floor 2 to the roller bed dryer. The wood chipper dryer 3 comprises a Wälzbetttrockner and optionally a tool for further crushing the wood chippings (both not shown), wherein the tool for crushing is ideally located in front of the Wälzbetttrockner. In this way, the biomass can be dried faster and more effectively.

The tool for comminuting may be, for example, a chopper machine, which makes a comminution of the wood chippings into defined chip sizes from a gear built up by offset rollers, by means of a chipping drum or by means of a impact disk. The predetermined chip size is understood, for example, as the European woodchip standard EN 14961. In these, for example, a main fraction (mass fraction> 60%) with parts of a size of 2, 8 ... 16 mm and a diameter of 0 30 mm represented, a fines content (mass fraction <20%) with parts smaller than (<) 2.8 mm and a coarse fraction (mass fraction <20%) with parts greater than (>) 16 mm. With regard to further standards, reference is made to relevant specialist literature.

The Wälzbetttrockner essentially has a heat-permeable drum and paddle rollers, which promote the shredded wood chips through the drum of an entry to a discharge.

Due to its mode of operation, the Wälzbetttrockner for bulk materials that require long residence times for drying at a relatively high initial moisture. The wood chips to be dried are moved in a stream of hot air from below with the slowly rotating paddle roller which guides or pushes the wood chips through the roller bed dryer 3 or its drum. Here, the shredded wood chips are constantly circulated together with its bark. The slow rotational movement of the paddle roller allows for a good mixing of forest clippings in the drum and ensures that the water content of forest clippings is reduced from about 40% to 9-10%, before it enters a discharge screw of the dryer. While the wood chips move, it is from bottom to top of warm drying air, which favorably a temperature of 90 to max. 105 ° C, flows around. As a result, it is in contact with the drying air for a particularly long time, which leads to a uniform result. Due to the continuous introduction of warm air to dry the shredded wood chippings, the Wälzbetttrockner or the Waldhackguttrockner 3 in addition to a heat supply channel 3 a for introducing warm air and a heat removal channel 3b. About the heat removal channel, the introduced air is passed after transfer of heat to the wood chips from the Wälzbetttrockner.

The push floor 2 has a heat supply channel 2a, which is connected to the heat removal channel 3b of the Wälzbetttrockners. Thus, the remaining heat in the air heat is continued to pass through the Wälzbetttrockner to pre-dry the wood chips on the moving floor 2. For this purpose, the heat supply channel 2a of the moving floor 2 is connected to the above-mentioned raised floor as heat-permeable region, so that the remaining heat in the air directly on the forest wood chips, arranged or piled on the sliding floor 2, meets.

As already explained above, the drum or a basket of the Wälzbetttrockners or Waldhackguttrockners 3 is made permeable to air. For this purpose, passages with a predetermined diameter are provided in the roller bed dryer, through which small components with a smaller diameter than the passages are already deposited in the drying device. These small components such as e.g. Dust can thus be separated and collected in advance and a further device for further processing such. a heat recovery unit configured as a combustion unit 5a.

Further, the biomass processing apparatus for thinnings and by-products comprises a metal and heavy material separator, a hammer mill as a defibering device, a separator as a tumble screen, and a buffer as a fiber silo. All other components, such as bark and fibers, the shredded wood chippings reach after passing through the Waldhackguttrockners 3 via a discharge screw to a metal and heavy material separator (not shown). This separator separates metal and iron parts into a separately provided magnet roller Container. Also, the heavy material separator promotes stones and non-woody components in a container.

Subsequently, the shredded and dried forest wood chips for further comminution in a defibrating device, designed as a hammer mill 4, promoted. The hammer mill 4 has specially designed hammers which are arranged on a rotor and which can be used, for example, for bark and non-solid wood chips, such as e.g. Wood dust and rotten parts in the trunk, smashed. Furthermore, the solid forest wood chips are shredded in the form of wood, so that fibers and conglomerates of wood fibers are formed.

The rotor of the hammer mill 4 rubs with its hammers or with hammer blows the shredded wood chips through a sieve which is arranged around the rotor. As a result, an optimal length and width for the conglomerates of wood fibers or individual wood fibers is achieved.

Due to the dry nature of the wood chippings, the hammer mill 4 further comprises a fan for generating negative pressure in the rotor region. As a result, in the hammer mill 4, the entire wood chips, comprising fibers and bark, bark and wood dust, sucked. The suction ensures a uniform negative pressure in the rotor range of 0.2 to 0.9 millibar. Thus, an optimal efficiency of the hammer mill can be achieved, at the same time no wood chips are lost. The extracted air can be cleaned via a filter and released into the open or used in another device within a further process.

Either already within the hammer mill 4 or after discharge of the shredded wood chippings from the hammer mill 4, this is classified to remove fines such as e.g. To sort out dust of a certain size.

The classification is made following the hammer mill 4 with a tumble screen 5 as a separator, in which the crushed or shredded or shredded wood chips is promoted. The tumble screen has four layers of sieves that separate wood fibers from bark and wood dust or bark dust, as well as non-solid wood components such as rotten parts in the trunk. The individual sieve levels differ by different mesh sizes, whereby different separation fractions of wood fibers are achieved. At the top level, the shattered forest wood chips are separated, which does not fit through the sieve level with the largest mesh size. The mesh size from the sieve level to the sieve level decreases successively, so that on the fourth level ideally only battered or shredded wood chips in the range of wood dust, bark dust and non-solid wood components is collected. Consequently, in this way the shredded wood chips can be classified into four separation fractions.

Alternatively, it is also possible to use optical means for the optical separation of wood fibers and wood dust. For this purpose, for example, the shredded woodchip dropped a predetermined distance. At the beginning of the route, cameras capture the size of the individual parts of the wood chippings. Air nozzles, also arranged on the route, but below the cameras classified by targeted control as a result of an evaluation of the camera detection, the individual parts of forest clippings in designated container. This happens because the air nozzles selectively separate the respective classes of wood chips from each other by means of air. Also, a visual recognition can be used since e.g. Bark darker than wood or wood fibers.

The separation fraction of the fourth screening deck, so the wood dust, the bark dust and the non-solid wood components, like the separation fraction bark via a screw conveyor to an intermediate buffer (not shown) for further processing and recycling transported.

The fractions of the first three layers of mesh are transported in a screw conveyor to a fiber silo 6 as a buffer or to the first conditioner 7. At low outside temperatures more power is required for drying, therefore, preferably the third screening stage or other screening stages can be used for the heat recovery system.

In the event of a fault, the fiber silo 6 serves as a buffer into which classified, shredded wood chips or wood fiber material is conveyed. Furthermore, the fiber silo 6 serves to buffer fluctuations in the above-described processes or in the above-described devices, so that the following devices or steps without Interruption and can run continuously. Consequently, the buffer serves as intermediate storage should a stop take place in the downstream production. In addition, it is possible to use the fiber silo for the addition of dry planing and sawdust, thus making even better use of the downstream production processes. Device discussed above is suitable to perform a method in which in a first step of the flow chart of Figure 1 thinning wood of all kinds and by-products from a large chopping machine 1, which divides the thinning wood and the by-products, in a forest chopping board or in a moving floor. 2 to be led. For the drying of the wood chippings in the sliding floor 2 exhaust air from the heat removal channel 3b of Waldhackguttrockners 3 is guided by inclined slot plates of the sliding floor 2. At the same time the wood chips from the moving floor 2 in the Wälzbetttrockner 3 and the Waldhackguttrockner 3 is performed to continue the begun in the wood chopping board 2 drying. After drying the wood chippings in Wälzbetttrockner the Waldhackguttrockners 3 the wood chips are fed into a mill 4 for defibration. The resulting fibers and conglomerates of fibers are then classified in a tumble screen 5. Here, the shredded forest wood chips in several levels of sieving in separation fractions, such as fibers, wood fibers of bark and wood dust or bark dust and non-solid wood components (wood dust and rotten parts in the trunk) is separated.

Subsequently, the individual classified separation fractions are stored in one or more buffers, which receives the dried and shredded wood chips in the event of a stop in the downstream production.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart and a pelleting device for the production of pellets from biomass, in particular from thinned wood. The pelletizing device comprises a wood chipper dryer 3 as a drying device, a pellet counterflow cooling 11 as a cooling device for cooling the pellets and a pellet press 10 as a pressing device for pressing pellets. Upstream of the pellet mill is a wood chipper dryer 3, which includes a Wälzbetttrockner and optionally a tool for further crushing the wood chippings.

The tool for comminuting may be, for example, a chopper machine, which makes a comminution of the wood chippings into defined chip sizes from a gear built up by offset rollers, by means of a chopper drum or by means of a impact disk. In the event that this is used, it is conveniently located in front of the Wälzbetttrockner.

The Wälzbetttrockner has substantially a heat-permeable drum or basket and paddle rollers, which promote the shredded wood chips through the drum of an entry to a discharge.

Due to its mode of operation, the roller bed dryer is suitable for bulk materials which require long residence times for drying at a relatively high initial moisture content. The wood chips to be dried are moved in a stream of hot air from below with the slowly rotating paddle roller, which guides or pushes the wood chippings through the roller bed dryer of the wood chopper dryer 3 or its drum. The shredded wood chips are constantly being circulated. The slow rotational movement of the paddle roller allows for a good mixing of forest clippings in the drum and ensures that the water content of forest clippings is reduced from about 40% to 9-10%, before it enters a discharge screw of the dryer. While the wood chips move, it is from bottom to top of warm drying air, which favorably a temperature of 90 to max. 105 ° C, flows around. As a result, it is in contact with the drying air for a particularly long time, which leads to a uniform result. Due to the continuous introduction of warm air for drying the shredded wood chippings, the Wälzbetttrockner next to a heat supply channel 3 a for introducing warm air and a heat removal channel 3b. About the heat removal channel, the introduced air after transfer of heat to the wood chips from the Wälzbetttrockner 3 is performed. Furthermore, the pelleting device for producing pellets from biomass, in particular from thinned wood, a first and a second Konditioneur 7, 9 and a maturing container 8, a pellet screen 12 as a screening device and storage cells 13. The wood chipper dryer 3 is connected to a first conditioner 7 in order to take along the material temperature which arises during the drying process. In the first conditioner 7, separation fractions of a hammer mill 4 (not shown), which have been classified for fines of a certain size, such as dust, bark and / or fibers, are conditioned. The shredded wood chips are fibers of biomass, in particular thinning wood of all kinds, such as deciduous trees, such as ash, chestnut, birch, beech, etc. or conifers , such as yew, spruce, fir, etc. or shrubs, such as ivy, hawthorn, blackberry or the like, or an energy carrier such as Miscanthus giganteus. The shredded woodchip material is transported via a screw conveyor (not shown) to the first conditioner 7. The temperature of the shredded forest chaff in front of the conditioner is between 40 and 50 ° C. The heat stored in the wood chips was introduced into the wood chippings by the wood chipper dryer 3 and the hammer mill 4 (not shown). The preservation of the material temperature is important for further processing, in particular for processing into wood pellets. Because lignin is released only at a temperature above about 95 ° C. Lignin is solid biopolymers that are incorporated into the plant cell wall and thus cause the celling of the cell (so-called lignification). Lignin or lignins are thus responsible for the strength of plant tissues. These allow enduring plants and especially trees to withstand the mechanical stresses caused by gravity and environmental influences such as wind and weather.

In summary, the wood chips are fed to the first Konditioneur 7 after drying. The first conditioner has a measuring station, a water metering device and a paddle mixer. The paddle mixer promotes paddling the wood chippings through the first conditioner 7 from an entrance to an exit.

With the help of the measuring station, the water content of the wood chippings is detected by means of ultrasound, wherein the wood chippings, if necessary, can be sprayed or moistened by means of hot water by the water metering device. As a rule, the fibers of the wood chippings are introduced with a water content of 9-10%. In the event that an ultrasound evaluation determines a deviation of the water content of the wood chippings from its ideal value, which is preferably about 9.5-11%, it is moistened with hot water. The hot water has a temperature of 98 ° C, which does not remove heat from the shredded wood chips to be moistened. Conveniently, the heat stored in the wood chips is further increased.

A sufficient water content has the advantage that a water film between the wood chips and z. B. a conveyor trough for the wood chips is formed. Thus, lubrication on conveyor lines can be guaranteed. Furthermore, the risk of fire due to a sufficient water content can be reduced.

Following the first Konditioneur 7 a maturing container 8 is arranged. In this, the wood fibers or the shredded wood chips are temporarily stored for a period of about 10-15 minutes and mixed, so that the water can penetrate evenly into the wood chips. Thus, after conditioning the fibers of the forestry chaff, for uniform properties, the water can act evenly in the raw material and the wood chips are evened out. Subsequently, the wood chippings fibers are transported to a second conditioner 9 via a discharge stirrer (not shown).

In the second conditioner, which adjoins the ripening container, the water content of the shredded forestry chaff or the forest chaff fibers is again measured and, depending on the result, moistened once more with hot water. This process is performed via ultrasound measurement and preferably set manually by a pelleting technician. Due to the setting of the correct water content in the fibers of the wood chippings, it is also possible, the so-called. Lignin in the fibers of the raw material as Activate adhesive. In the second conditioner 9, which likewise has a measuring station for detecting the moisture content of the wood chips fibers and a paddle mixer, the entire wood chips are again checked for a uniform moisture content and adapted accordingly, if necessary. After setting the parameters, in particular the moisture content for the wood chips, they arrive at a pellet press 10. The press 10 takes over the fiber material from the exit of the second conditioner 9, wherein the material is conveyed by means of a pusher on a die within the press. In such a press is a so-called die press, with ring and Flachmatrizen be used for the Holzfaserpelletierung. In this die press, the shredded billet or the wood chips are pressed with Kollerwalzen through holes or press channels of the die, the cone angle is adjusted at the press channel beginning at the press channels to the respective pellets to be produced. The pressing takes place at high pressure and at least 40 ° C and a water content between 9.5 and 11%.

Due to the prevailing pressure conditions and the mechanical work caused by the milled wheels, as well as by the friction of forest woodchip fibers through the die, a temperature of about 95 ° C in the press channel is achieved in the wood chippings. In this way, the lignin contained in the raw material is released and activated. The lignin is used in the press for lubrication, but also as an adhesive for pellets. In this way, for example, a stable shape for the pellets can be obtained since the activated lignin acts as a stabilizer and thus provides for stable wood pellets after pressing.

At the outlet side of the die of the pellet press 10, the discharged pellets are then cut or broken to the desired length. The length of the pellets can be adjusted and changed both by the adjustable cutting length of the pellets and by the diameter of the individual pressing channels of the die.

After production of the pellets in the pellet press 10, these have a temperature of about 103 ° C. At the exit of the press 10, the pellets of a Discharge conveyor and taken over a conveyor to the cooling device, designed as pellets countercurrent cooling 11, transported. The countercurrent pellet cooling 11 cools the pellets to ambient temperature with the help of outside air, with simultaneous curing of the pellets. The exhaust air from the pellet countercurrent cooling 11 (about 80 ° C) is supplied via a heat removal channel I Ia a mixing device in the form of a mixing box 5f, wherein the heat stored in the exhaust heat from the heat removal channel I Ia is passed through the mixing box 5f to the heat supply channel 3a of Waldhackguttrockners , The mixing box 5f can combine the heat flow from the pellet counterflow cooling 11 with other heat flows, in particular from other devices. Consequently, with the aid of the mixing device, the heat produced by the cooling of the pellets can be mixed with other heat flows from other devices, such as e.g. B. waste heat from turbines or a turbine cooling also transferred to the mixing device and united or mixed.

After cooling the pellets, they enter a sorting device for sorting the pellets, designed as a double deck vibrating screen arrangement 12. This screening arrangement is designed according to a pellet standard, such as e.g. EU standard ENplus AI or ENplus A2, adapted so that only pellets that meet the standard, get into a downstream storage cell 13, for example, for packaging. Pellets with too short lengths, small diameters or dust are fed via a screw conveyor in the direction of a heat recovery unit, designed as a combustion unit 5a, the combustion.

Before packing the pellets in, for example, different bag sizes or before filling in a silo truck and storage in a storage cell, the cooled pellets are sieved again to a fine fraction of biomass or wood, which was not bound within a pellet, deposit and to feed it back to the production or the production stream at the beginning of the forestry hog dryers 3.

Furthermore, pellets whose length is outside the norm are broken to the correct length. This is preferably done by means of an adjustable crushing device, such as a cracker, at the end of a screen deck. This breaks the pellets to standard length and further promotes them in the direction of downstream storage cells 13. The storage cells 13 take up the generated and cooled to room temperature pellets. From the storage cells 13, the pellets can for example be loaded loosely 14a or bagged into certain bag sizes 14b. It is also possible to use the pellets produced for pellet gasification and thus for the production of green electricity 14c.

Summarize the above embodiments in process steps briefly summarized how, after drying wood chips in a Wälzbetttrockner a Waldhackguttrockners 3 the wood chips, especially fibers, such as wood fibers, in a first Konditioneur 7 is performed. In this, the shredded biomass or the shredded wood chips or wood chippings fibers is checked for their water content and optionally adapted to a water content between 9.5 and 11%.

Thereafter, the wood chopped material fibers are fed into a maturing container, in which the possibly introduced in the first conditioner 7 hot water can act evenly in the forest wood chips. Following this, a second conditioner 9 is arranged, which again detects the water content of the shredded wood chippings or wood chips and humidifies depending on the result again with hot water. Thus, it becomes possible to prepare the so-called lignin in the woodchip fibers as an adhesive for activation.

Thereafter, the wood chippings fibers are pressed in a pellet press 10 into pellets. Due to the mechanical work performed there as well as the friction of the woodchip fibers with a die of the press 10, the wood chips are heated to a temperature of about 95 ° C. In this way, the lignin contained in the raw material is released and activated.

When the pellets exit the pellet press 10, they are cut to the desired length.

After the pellets have been produced, the pellets are fed to a pellet countercurrent cooling 11. Pellet countercurrent cooling 11 cools the pellets to ambient temperature with the help of outside air, the exhaust air from pellet countercurrent cooling 11 (about 80 ° C.) a mixing box 5f is supplied. The mixing box 5f can combine the heat flow from the pellet counterflow cooling 11 with other heat flows, in particular from other devices, such as ORCs or turbines. Thus, the heat obtained by cooling the pellets can be combined or mixed with other heat streams.

After cooling the pellets, they are pelletized according to a pellet standard such as e.g. EU standard ENplus AI or ENplus A2, sieved and then stored the standard pellets in a downstream storage cell 13. Non-standard pellets are supplied toward a heat recovery unit configured as a combustion unit 5a, combustion and recovery of heat.

After that, the sieved pellets are ready for sale and can be taken from the storage cell.

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart and a device for generating energy from biomass. The apparatus comprises a heat recovery device as a combustion unit 5a for generating heat and a drying device as a wood chipper dryer 3.

Further, the combustion unit 5a on a heat exhaust duct 5a-1, which is connected to a heat supply channel 3 a of the wood chipper dryer 3, to conduct heat from the combustion unit 5 a in the forest wood chipper dryer 3. The wood chipper dryer 3 comprises a Wälzbetttrockner and optionally a tool for further crushing the wood chippings on.

The tool for shredding may be, for example, a shredder, which makes a crushing of forest clippings in defined chip sizes from a built-up by offset mounted rollers gear, by means of chopping drum or by means of a beater. The Wälzbetttrockner has substantially a heat-permeable drum and paddle rollers, which promote the shredded wood chips through the drum of an entry to a discharge.

Due to its mode of operation, the roller bed dryer is suitable for bulk materials which require long residence times for drying at a relatively high initial moisture content. The wood chips to be dried are moved in a stream of hot air from below with the slowly rotating paddle roller which guides or pushes the wood chips through the roller bed dryer 3 or its drum. The shredded wood chips are constantly being circulated. The slow rotational movement of the paddle roller allows for a good mixing of forest clippings in the drum and ensures that the water content of forest clippings is reduced from about 40% to 9-10%, before it enters a discharge screw of the dryer. While the wood chips move, it is from bottom to top of warm drying air, which favorably a temperature of 90 to max. 105 ° C, flows around. As a result, it is in contact with the drying air for a particularly long time, which leads to a uniform result.

The mentioned drying air or the heat stored therein is generated in the combustion unit 5 a. Here, the heat exhaust duct 5a-l of the combustion unit 5 a is connected to the heat supply channel 3 a of the wood chipper dryer 3 to heat, which is stored in air and transmitted using this, to lead from the combustion unit 5 a in the forestry material dryer 3.

For generating heat in the combustion unit 5 a combustible material or biomass is preferably burned in the form of bark and dust or wood dust but also bark dust and non-solid wood components, such as rotten parts of a trunk. This material is obtained from the wood chips which are dried in the Wälzbetttrockner the wood chipper dryer 3. These are preferably biomass material, such as bark and dust or wood dust, with which further processing to, for example, wood pellets is not possible. This material, such as non-fibrous components of biomass, eg, wood dust, is desirably deposited in the tumble dryer. In addition, the separation of fibrous biomass material and non- fibrous components such as dust in a further, not shown, screening device possible, which can be arranged after the wood chipper dryer 3 or the Wälzbetttrockner.

The non-fibrous biomass material, such as dust or wood dust but also bark or bark, obtained in the screening device or else in the roller bed dryer is conveyed into the combustion unit 5a. In this, the biomass material is burned and thus converted to heat, the ash content, about 2%, can be reused in the surrounding agricultural and forestry land.

By burning dried non-fibrous biomass material, which is mostly bark and bark dust with a water content of 5%, the production of dry combustion gases can be ensured. In the present case, the combustion is so low that the system does not require a fireplace in normal operation, but an emergency chimney (not shown) is provided.

After generation of heat in the combustion unit 5a by combustion of non-fibrous biomass material, such as bark but also dust, this heat is fed into a mixer 5b. This mixes the heat generated in the combustion unit, which are stored in approximately 900-1000 ° C hot exhaust gases of the combustion unit 5a, with outside air, so that after mixing with the outside air, the heat is distributed to a larger mass flow, the temperature of about 530 ° C has. In order to remove soils such as solids and pollutants from the mixture of hot exhaust gases and outside air, the mixture is passed into a multi-cyclone 5c as a separator, which is connected to the mixer.

Using the multi-cyclone, the pollution caused by burning of, for example, wood dust, bark dust and non-solid wood components in the combustion unit 5a, such. As fine dust, are filtered out. Thus, the incineration in the combustion unit carries about 300-400 mg of dust per m3. The multi-cyclone 5c cleans the mixture of hot exhaust gases and outside air to about 100 mg of dust per standard-m, whereby the separated fly ash is stored in ash containers. there the multicyclone 5c uses the centrifugal force. In this way, fine dust or ashes, which are heavier than air, can be sorted out easily. Also, the cleaning and maintenance of such a filter is cheaper compared to conventional types of filters. Also, by means of this embodiment, the mixture of hot exhaust gases and outside air can be used for further processing.

The mixture from the combustion is dry due to a water content of 5% in the biomass dried in the wood chipper dryer 3. This opens up the possibility of guiding the mixture of hot exhaust gases and outside air through an ORC 5d or a plant with waste heat / power coupling. Generally speaking, a system with waste heat / power coupling or according to the so-called. Organic Rankine Cycle (abbreviation ORC) is a method of operating steam turbines with a working fluid other than water vapor, such. certain oils with a low evaporation temperature (e.g., silicone oil). The method or plant is used primarily when the available temperature gradient between the heat source and sink is too low for the operation of a turbine driven by steam.

Subsequent to the multicyclone 5c, the mixture of hot exhaust gases and outside air from the combustion unit 5a is passed through three ORCs or ORC turbines 5d. The introduced through the mixture heat flow into the ORC turbines generates electrical energy or green electricity. Of course, it is also possible to use only one ORC or any number of ORCs.

Furthermore, the ORCs or other turbines also generate waste heat. Also, the ORC turbines must be cooled. The waste heat 5e-1 of the ORCs and the waste heat of a turbine cooling 5e-2 of the ORCs are combined in a mixing device in the form of a mixing box 5f.

In the two aforementioned waste heat streams, the turbine receives about 530 ° at a replacement module (silicone oils) and can convert a difference to 260 ° in electricity. This means that approx. 260 ° of waste heat is fed into the mixing box. The turbine cooling 5e-2 points a water circulation with a flow of 35 ° C and a return at 55 ° C. This hot water is converted via a water-air exchanger (not shown) and fed to the mixing box 5f.

Also, other heat flows, e.g. be fed from a countercurrent pellets or from other facilities in the mixing box. Consequently, by means of the mixing box 5f, the heat obtained by the cooling of the ORCs can be mixed with other heat flows from other devices, such as e.g. B. waste heat of a pellets countercurrent cooling also transferred to the mixing box and combined or mixed.

In the mixing box 5f different waste heat streams are combined and mixed to a temperature of about 90 to 105 ° C. The heat collected in the mixing box 5f is applied in air as a heat transfer medium in the direction of the wood chipper dryer 3.

Thus, the heat generated in the combustion unit 5a, generated by combustion of dried non-fibrous biomass such as dust but also bark from the woodchip dryer 3, can be transported to the woodchip dryer 3 for drying the non-fibrous biomass. This allows efficient use of biomass and heat while optimally conserving resources and the environment.

Apparatus discussed above is suitable for carrying out a method in which heat is generated in a combustion unit 5a by burning non-fibrous biomass, such as dust but also bark, from a woodchip dryer 3. During combustion, heat is generated which is stored in air. The air as a heat carrier is mixed in an air mixer 5b as a mixer with additional air, so as to distribute the heat to a larger mass flow and to reduce the total temperature of the air coming from the combustion unit.

Thereafter, the mixed air is filtered by means of a multi-cyclone 5c to weed out fine dust.

The purified warm air stream is led to so-called. ORCs, plants with waste heat and power coupling to generate electrical energy. The waste heat generated by the ORCs and the waste heat of the turbine cooling of the ORCs is fed into a mixing box 5f. Also, other heat flows can be performed, for example, from a countercurrent pellets in the mixing box. The heat collected in the mixing box 5f is conducted in the direction of the wood chipper dryer 3. As a result, the heat generated in the combustion unit 5a, generated by combustion of bark and dust, is transported via the heat removal duct 11a to the heat supply duct 3a in the forestry material dryer 3 for drying for further biomass.

FIG. 4 shows a production plant with a biomass processing device, a pelleting device for producing wood pellets for wood pellets and a device for producing energy from biomass.

To avoid repetition, reference is made to the above descriptions of Figures 1 to 3. In the following, only the interfaces of the embodiments discussed in the figures will be described.

As shown in Figure 4, 4 wood fibers of bark and wood dust or bark dust and non-solid wood components, such as rotten parts in the trunk separated in the tumble screen. Here sorted forest wood chips in the order of wood dust but also bark of the combustion unit 5a is fed to the combustion. The combustion unit burns the rejected wood chips and generates heat. In the case of the occurrence of low outside temperatures or poor dust material with a low energy content, it is also possible to use further material from the different mesh levels of the tumble screen for the combustion unit 5 a.

After being converted into electrical energy, the heat generated in the combustion unit is conducted into a mixing box 5f into which the heat flow of the pellet countercurrent cooling 11 is likewise conducted. After bringing all the heat flows or the heat flows of the combustion unit 5a and the pellets countercurrent cooling 11, the heat collected is delivered to the Waldhackguttrockner 3 to dry the wood chips and pre-dry the thinnings on the moving floor. In this way, the heat generated during pellet production is used for the preparation or predrying of biomass with bark.

In other words and summarized, the heat generated from the place of production, the combustion unit, to the forestry hog dryer 3 and then on to the moving floor 2. This is achieved by the use of air as a heat transfer medium. Thus, heat generated by combustion and stored in air is collected without heat exchange losses in the individual devices, such as combustion unit 5a, ORC 5d and pellets countercurrent cooling 11 and then released in biomass dryers 3 and on the moving floor 2 of biomass.

modification

While the above embodiments have dealt essentially with the energetic use of biomass, the following modification of the above embodiments is directed to the material utilization of the biomass. In particular, the following embodiment relates to the material utilization of wood fibers, which is made possible in connection with the biomass processing apparatus described above.

As described above, in the biomass processing apparatus, means are used to produce wood fibers from wood, for example. In the embodiment described above, the hammer mill 4 shown in FIG. 1 and the wobble screen 5 likewise shown there are used for this purpose.

In the present modification, therefore, the objective is to consider the material use of wood fibers as a priority and to operate the energy processing as a complementary process. In detail, the wood chips are used and shredded with bark as described above. On a moving floor, the wood chips are transported and introduced via the metering screw evenly in a Wälzbetttrockner. The crushing of the bark as well as the separation of the bark in the total mixture is in this modification is made as described in the above embodiments.

However, fibrous material suitable for material use is taken from the tumbling screen 5 shown in FIG. For this purpose, the tumble screen 5 is executed in multiple stages, so that the fiber characteristics can be customized especially in terms of diameter and length. Furthermore, this modification makes it possible to produce fibers on a customer-specific basis. Here, pure-wood is used at the entrance of the overall process. The mesh of the sieves of the tumbler 5 is set up specially adapted to the types of wood used in the modified version.

In particular, the mesh of the screens is very tightly tuned and the speed of the tumbler screening machine is tuned to the quality of the fibers. Those fibers which are not suitable for further processing are separated and conveyed, for example, into the preliminary container of pellet production, which has already been described in the preceding embodiment. Those fibers which are made available for recycling from the process can either be stored temporarily or fed directly to a processing device for the material recycling of the fibers connected to the biomass processing device. The latter alternative is preferred because finely ground wood fibers are required with a very low moisture content of preferably not more than 1% for the material processing and storage would either deteriorate the quality of the fibers or the quality can be maintained during storage only with great effort ,

Thus, it is the basic concept of the present modification to use the biomass processing apparatus used in the embodiments described above and the associated method for the provision of fibers for recycling. In this application, the input material used is selected for material properties in terms of properties and quality of the fibers. Those ingredients that are not available for recycling are used in the process of energetic biomass utilization described above.

It is particularly advantageous if the device for material recycling is connected to the biomass processing device. The device for material Utilization of the fibers may include, for example, a plastic production in which the wood fibers are used as a reinforcing material. In particular, injection molding devices can be provided in connection with the material recycling device, which feeds the fibers from the biomass processing device directly or at least without long transport routes or long-term storage in the process for the production of wood fiber reinforced plastic elements.

The products produced thereby may include, for example, softboard, wood tile and other elements, for example parts for the automotive industry. It is also possible to recycle the wood fibers for other applications. Preferably, the dust content of the fibers produced is discharged via a discharge screw and conveyed into the hopper of the firing box shown in the preceding embodiment. In addition, it is possible to carry out an ultrasound-based moisture measurement on the fibers produced in order to measure the product-specific required moisture content of the fibers and to set them, for example, via a feedback control.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 large chopper

2 conveyor

2a heat supply channel

3 drying device

3a heat supply channel

3b heat removal channel

4 mill

5 tumbler

5a combustion unit

5a- 1 heat exhaust duct

5b air mixer

5c multicyclone

5d ORCs

5e-l waste heat

5e-2 turbine cooling

6 fiber silo

7 first conditioner

8 ripening containers

9 second conditioner

10 pellet press

11 countercurrent cooling pellets

I Ia heat removal channel

12 pellet sieve

13 storage cells

14a Loading loose

14b bagging

14c pellet gasification

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. Biomass processing device, in particular for thinning wood, with a) a conveyor device (2) and

b) a drying device (3), wherein a heat dissipation channel (3a) of the drying device (3) is connected to a heat supply channel (2a) of the conveying device (2) in order to lead heat from the drying device (3) into the conveying device (2).

2. Biomass processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drying device (3) has a rolling bed dryer for uniform drying and mixing and preferably a tool for shredding biomass, in particular thinning wood.

3. Biomass processing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveying device (2) has at least one heat-permeable area, in particular floor, on which biomass is arranged.

4. Biomass processing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the biomass processing device further comprises a

Defibering device (4) and / or a separating device (5).

5. Biomass processing device according to claim 4, characterized in that the defibration device (4) has a mill which defibres biomass.

6. Biomass processing device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the separating device (5) has at least one sieve, in particular a tumbling sieve, for separation into at least two separation fractions, preferably for separating wood fibers and wood dust.

7. Biomass processing device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the separating device (5) has optical means for optical separation into at least two separation fractions, preferably for separating wood fibers and wood dust.

8. Biomass processing device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the biomass processing device has a buffer (6), which is preferably arranged on the separating device (5).

9. Biomass processing method, in particular with a biomass processing device according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps:

a. Pre-drying biomass in a conveyor device (2),

b. Drying the biomass using a drying device (3), c. Dissipating heat from the drying device (3) to a heat-permeable area of the conveying device (2).

10. Biomass processing method according to claim 9, comprising the further steps:

d. Defibering the biomass using a defibration device (4), e. Separating the defibered biomass into at least two separation fractions (5), preferably into wood fibers and wood dust.

11. Biomass processing method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a separation fraction is used to generate heat and / or electrical energy.

12. Biomass processing method according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein heat generated by combustion of a separation fraction, in particular wood dust, is led to the drying device (3).

13. Biomass processing method according to one of claims 9 to 12, wherein heat, generated by generating electrical energy, is led to the drying device (3).

14. Biomass processing method according to one of claims 9 to 13, wherein heat is led from the conveying device (2) to the outside, in particular to the environment.

15. Biomass processing method according to one of claims 9 to 13, wherein a separation fraction, in particular wood fibers, are stored in a buffer (6).

16. Pelletizing device, in particular for producing pellets from biomass, with a) a drying device (3) for drying biomass, in particular fibrous biomass, preferably wood fibers, and / or for shredding biomass,

b) a pressing device (10) for pressing pellets, and

c) a cooling device (11) for cooling the pellets, a heat dissipation channel (I Ia) of the cooling device (11) being connected to a heat supply channel (3a) of the drying device (3) in order to transfer heat from the cooling device (11) into the drying device ( 3) to lead.

17. Pelletizing device according to claim 16, characterized in that the device has a first conditioner (7) which detects the water content of the biomass, in particular by means of ultrasound, and / or the water content of the biomass using water from a first water metering device to a water content between 7 and 13, preferably adjusted to a water content of 9.5 - 11%.

18. Pelletizing device according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the device has a ripening device (8) in which the biomass is temporarily stored and mixed.

19. Pelletizing device according to one of the preceding claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the device has a second conditioner (9) which detects the water content of the biomass, in particular by means of ultrasound, and / or the water content of the biomass using water from a second water metering device to a water content between 7 and 13, preferably to a water content of 9.5 - 11%.

20. Pelletizing device according to one of the preceding claims 16 to 19, characterized in that the device comprises a sorting device (12) for sorting the pellets.

21. Pelletizing device according to one of the preceding claims 16 to 20, characterized in that a mixing device (5.f) combines heat, which is obtained when cooling the pellets, with other heat flows, in particular from other devices.

22. A method for producing pellets, preferably wood pellets, in particular with a pelletizing device according to one of claims 16 to 21, with the following steps:

a) drying biomass, in particular fibrous biomass, preferably wood fibers, using a drying device (3),

b) pressing the biomass into pellets using a pressing device (10),

c) cooling the pellets with a cooling device (11),

d) Dissipating heat from the cooling device (11) to the drying device (3).

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein after drying the water content of the biomass is detected, in particular by means of ultrasound.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein after detecting the water content of the biomass, the water content is increased using water from a water metering device, in particular to a water content between 7 and 13, preferably to a water content of 9.5 - 11.

25. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 24, wherein the biomass is temporarily stored and mixed in a ripening device (8) in order to equalize the water content of the biomass.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein after the equalization the water content of the biomass is detected again, in particular by means of ultrasound, and wherein preferably after detecting the water content of the biomass, the water content is increased using water from a further water metering device, in particular to a water content between 7 and 13, preferably to a water content of 9.5 - 11.

27. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 26, wherein by pressing the biomass into pellets with the aid of the pressing device (10), the biomass is heated to a predetermined temperature, preferably between 85 and 115 ° C, in particular between 98 and 104 ° C becomes.

28. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 27, wherein heat from the pressed pellets is removed in order to cool the pellets to a predetermined temperature, preferably room temperature.

29. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 28, wherein heat obtained when cooling the pellets is combined with other heat flows, in particular from further process areas.

Method according to one of the preceding claims 22 to 29, wherein after cooling the pellets are sorted, in particular sieved, preferably in a vibrating or tumbling sieve (12).

31 Method according to claim 30, wherein the pellets are stored after sorting so that they can be loaded loose and / or bagged and / or gasified for the production of green energy.

32. Device for generating energy from biomass with a heat recovery device (5a) for generating heat and a drying device (3), a heat extraction channel (5a-1) of the heat recovery device (5a) having a heat supply channel (3a) of the drying device (3) is connected to lead heat from the heat recovery device (5a) into the drying device (3).

33 Device according to claim 32, characterized in that a mixer (5b) mixes warm fluid from the heat recovery device (5a) with cool fluid in order to reduce the temperature of the warm fluid.

34. Device according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that a separation device (5c) removes contamination from the fluid from the mixer (5b), in particular with the aid of centrifugal force.

35 Device according to one of the preceding claims 32 to 34, characterized in that the device has at least one turbine (5d), to which heat from the heat recovery device (5a) and / or from the mixer (5b) is supplied to generate electrical energy.

36. Device according to one of the preceding claims 32 to 35, characterized in that a mixing device (5f) absorbs waste heat from at least one turbine (5d) and / or heat generated by cooling from the at least one turbine (5d), and preferably merged with other heat flows, especially from other areas.

37. Process for generating energy from biomass, in particular from fibrous biomass, preferably from wood fibers, in particular with a device for generating energy from biomass according to one of claims 32 to 36, with the following steps:

a) Generating heat by burning shredded biomass, in particular

wood dust, and

b) Drying biomass using the heat generated by combustion.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the heat generated is further used to drive at least one turbine for generating electrical energy.

39. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the heat generated is stored in a fluid and the temperature of the fluid is reduced by mixing in further fluid, preferably air.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein a separation device filters contaminants from the fluid, in particular by means of centrifugal force.

41. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 37 to 40, wherein waste heat from the turbines and / or heat generated by cooling the turbines is removed and preferably combined with other heat flows, in particular from further process areas.

42. Device for the material recycling of wood fibers, the device being connected to a biomass processing device according to one of claims 1-8, 16-21, 32-36 is connected and the device has means for processing the fibers into an intermediate or end product.

43. The device according to claim 42, wherein the operation of the connected biomass processing device is set up so that fibers with a predetermined specification can be produced.

44. The device according to claim 42 or 43, wherein the material recycling of the fibers taken from the biomass processing device is the production of a multi-component element, for example a plastic composite material element, using the wood fibers as a reinforcing material.

45. Device according to one of claims 42-44, wherein an injection molding device is provided for the material recycling of the fibers, which is set up to produce fiber-reinforced plastic parts using the fibers removed from the biomass processing device.

46. Process for the material recycling of wood fibers, wherein the method according to one of claims 9-15, 22-31, 37-41 is used to produce material-usable fibers, while material that cannot be recycled is fed into energy recovery.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the material recycling is carried out via a process which is essentially directly coupled to the process for producing the fibers by the method according to one of claims 9-15, 22-31, 37-41.