Wood pellets


wood pellets Wood pellets are a refined, homogenised form of wood fuel produced from by-products from saw mills and other wood processing plants. Their consistent properties make them an ideal fuel for automatic heating systems from small domestic to large industrial applications.

Properties of pellets

Wood pellets are cylindrical with a diameter of 6 to 12mm and length of 10 to 30mm. Pellets over 25mm in diameter are termed briquettes and are used primarily in industrial applications. Since pellets are manufactured from untreated feedstock and burn in a predictable manner, they produce very low emissions in properly operating heating plant.

Pellets are low in moisture, 10% or lower, and have a high energy content. With dry raw materials, the production process uses about 2% of their energy content. This rises to about 10% where the raw material is unseasoned timber co-products and needs pre-drying.

Pellets take less storage space than other wood fuels, but require about three times that needed for oil containing the same energy.

Typical properties


Calorific value
4.2 - 4.9 kWh/kg

Bulk density
500 - 700 kg/m3

Moisture content
5% - 10%

Ash content
0.5% - 6%

Diameter
6mm - 12mm

Length
10mm - 30mm



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