Determining the Determining the Feasibility of the Feasibility of the Recovery of Woody Recovery of Woody Biomass Biomass Bob Rummer, US Forest Bob Rummer, US Forest Service Service Mark Engle, Four Corners Mark Engle, Four Corners Consulting Consulting
40
Embed
Determining the Feasibility of the Recovery of Woody Biomass Bob Rummer, US Forest Service Mark Engle, Four Corners Consulting.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Determining the Determining the Feasibility of the Feasibility of the
Recovery of Woody Recovery of Woody BiomassBiomass
Bob Rummer, US Forest ServiceBob Rummer, US Forest Service
Mark Engle, Four Corners Mark Engle, Four Corners ConsultingConsulting
Work hours limited 700-1700Work hours limited 700-1700 Road impacts (no steel Road impacts (no steel
grousers)grousers) Unit size <5 acUnit size <5 ac Landings limitedLandings limited Terrain relatively flatTerrain relatively flat Control risk to publicControl risk to public High visibilityHigh visibility
Need
s a
nd
Con
str
ain
ts
Kyle Canyon, NVKyle Canyon, NVN
eed
s a
nd
Con
str
ain
ts
Los Alamos, NMLos Alamos, NMN
eed
s a
nd
Con
str
ain
ts
Products and MarketsProducts and Markets
Current wood usersCurrent wood users– ProductsProducts– Market sizeMarket size
Merchandizing Merchandizing operationsoperations– SizeSize– Processing or conversionProcessing or conversion
Chipping/grinding with Chipping/grinding with harvestingharvesting
Chipping/grinding separatelyChipping/grinding separately Hauling residues Hauling residues Keep the chipper busyKeep the chipper busy Can get complexCan get complex Don’t haul slash very farDon’t haul slash very far
Very sensitive to volume per Very sensitive to volume per acreacre
Concentration by previous Concentration by previous workwork
Payload is criticalPayload is critical Generally can’t pay for itselfGenerally can’t pay for itself
Syste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
In-w
ood
s
1980—Nicholson Koch1980—Nicholson KochS
yste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
Sw
ath
Texas A&M MesquiteTexas A&M Mesquite
Photo: Texas A&M UnivSyste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
In-w
ood
s
Swath HarvestersSwath Harvesters
Sensitive to volume per acreSensitive to volume per acre Less sensitive to small piece Less sensitive to small piece
sizesize Takes everythingTakes everything Cleaning machinesCleaning machines Alternative to masticationAlternative to mastication How to move the chips?How to move the chips?
Syste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
Sw
ath
WT to chipperWT to chipperS
yste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
Fu
el Th
inn
ing
Photo: BLM, Alturas
Syste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
Fu
el Th
inn
ing
Fuel ThinningFuel ThinningS
yste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
Fu
el Th
inn
ing
Biomass ThinningBiomass Thinning
Low-value productLow-value product Generally facing smaller Generally facing smaller
diametersdiameters Many special treatmentsMany special treatments Tend to be lower system Tend to be lower system
outputoutput
Syste
m T
ech
nolo
gy:
Fu
el Th
inn
ing
Put a number on Put a number on ProductivityProductivity
Need to know outputNeed to know output Need to know time requiredNeed to know time required
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
Productivity = output / time
If you have a system …If you have a system …
Gross production estimateGross production estimate– simplesimple– Includes all effects, delaysIncludes all effects, delays– Only applies to specific Only applies to specific
conditionsconditions Do your own time studyDo your own time study
– Small sample of only productive Small sample of only productive timetime
– Measure things that affect timeMeasure things that affect time
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
Example: skiddingExample: skidding
Key variable is distanceKey variable is distance
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
Get your dataGet your data
Skidder Production
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0 100 200 300 400
Distance (ft)
Cyc
le T
ime (
min
)
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
Summarize ResultsSummarize Results
Watch skidding for a truckloadWatch skidding for a truckload Total volume skidded/# turnsTotal volume skidded/# turns
– Volume per turnVolume per turn Total timeTotal time Calculate the average skid Calculate the average skid
distancedistance
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
“Skidder got 20 tons per hour at an average skid distance of 300 ft”
Unknown MachineUnknown Machine
Look at spec sheets for Look at spec sheets for payloadpayload
“Feller-buncher can cut 2 trees/min that are 250 lbs each for a productivity of 15 tons per hour”
Be CarefulBe Careful
How many productive hours How many productive hours can you get in a year?can you get in a year?
Did you see all work tasks?Did you see all work tasks? What limited production?What limited production? Don’t overlook overheadDon’t overlook overhead
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
Look at the Whole SystemLook at the Whole System
System output is limited by slowest System output is limited by slowest operationoperation
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
Felling
$75/hr$75/hr
20 tons/hr20 tons/hr
Skidding
$75/hr$75/hr
12 tons/hr12 tons/hr
Loading
$50/hr$50/hr
80 tons/hr80 tons/hr
Technical FeasibilityTechnical Feasibility
Meets required performanceMeets required performance Estimate of production rateEstimate of production rate Some idea of how output is Some idea of how output is
affected by key factorsaffected by key factors
Perf
orm
an
ce E
sti
mati
on
Now the key question is, “Can you make money with it?”
Why is feasibility an issue?Why is feasibility an issue?
Constraints generally decrease Constraints generally decrease optionsoptions
Constraints not treated as tradeoffsConstraints not treated as tradeoffs There are unsolvable problemsThere are unsolvable problems New product New product
opportunities/requirementsopportunities/requirements ““There be monsters …”There be monsters …”
– Wide range of risks/unknownsWide range of risks/unknowns