Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11- 12, 2007 Transport, Storage and Transport, Storage and Drying of Woody Biomass Drying of Woody Biomass Richard M. Schroeder & Matt Langholtz, BioResource Management, Inc.
Jan 29, 2016
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Transport, Storage and Drying of Transport, Storage and Drying of Woody BiomassWoody Biomass
Richard M. Schroeder & Matt Langholtz, BioResource
Management, Inc.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Major Considerations in Handling Major Considerations in Handling BiomassBiomass
• Delivering energy, not volume or weight, is the objective
• Transport costs can exceed 50% of total costs
• Energy values are lower than most traditional wood markets—less handling the better
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
1.Size reduction and method of loading
2.Moisture Content and ash content
3.Energy content in actual Btus per dry ash-free pound
4.Payload capacities of transport vehicles
Four Major Factors in Transport Four Major Factors in Transport CostsCosts
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Grinding and loading by Grinding and loading by conveyor or front loaderconveyor or front loader •Open top trailers
•Lower density per cu.ft.
•With live floor trailers, less payload but backhaul options
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
•Trailers with hydraulically driven slats in floor that “walk” the load from front to rear.
•Trailers can serve as controlled feed fuel bins. They can also unload where there are no truck dumpers available.
So what is a live floor Trailer?So what is a live floor Trailer?
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Chipping and loading using Chipping and loading using closed top trailersclosed top trailers
•Thrown chips pack at higher densities
•Trailers are usually fixed floor, lighter weight
•Higher payload capacities, but few backhaul possibilities.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Biomass Supply Area By 50-mile Radius and county-level analysis
Primary Area-8 counties
Secondary Area-12 counties
The crayon-The crayon-on-a-string on-a-string method of method of predicting predicting transport transport
costscosts
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Transport Transport Costs based Costs based
upon existing upon existing roads, speed roads, speed
limits, and limits, and freight times.freight times.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Storage and Pre-Processing of Storage and Pre-Processing of BiomassBiomass
• Storage after size reduction difficult and expensive.
• In-field storage may represent best possibility in humid South.
• Transpirational drying can add significantly to energy value per truckload.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
More air space allows more drying, but requires more storage space. Field drying is best at low densities.
Equal weights of biomass in different formsEqual weights of biomass in different forms
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
• More handling
• Fuel storage losses
On-site fuel storage may be worse than leaving it in On-site fuel storage may be worse than leaving it in the fieldthe field
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Differences in density, payload, moisture and dry wood energy content can mean up to 56% difference in net delivered energy per trailer load.
Biomass Energy per Trailer load
214
259 272 277300
334
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
UrbanTree
Debris
WholeTreeChips
ResidueChips
FieldDriedTree
Chips
DriedPine
Stumps
High GumFieldDriedPine
Type of Wood
No
. MM
Btu
/loa
d
The net result of attention to detailThe net result of attention to detail
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Cost of Delivered Biomass Fuel, N. Florida
$-
$0.50
$1.00
$1.50
$2.00
$2.50
$3.00
$3.50
$4.00
$4.50
Freight Distance One Way
Co
st
pe
r M
MB
tu
Small DiameterPineForestResidues, Tops
Pine Stumps
Land Clearing,Urban Wood
Est. Florida Coal Price, 2012
Florida Coal Price, 2000
Projected 2012 Florida coal price allows biomass from over 2-1/2 hours away to compete.
Summary: Transport and Preprocessing can Summary: Transport and Preprocessing can determine project feasibility!determine project feasibility!
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Example Application: Example Application: Transportation Impacts for Transportation Impacts for
Gainesville Regional UtilitiesGainesville Regional Utilities
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Three Delivery ScenariosThree Delivery Scenarios
a) Delivered directly to Deerhaven by truck.
b) Delivered to remote site by truck, processed, and transported to Deerhaven by truck (truck-truck concentration yards)
c) Delivered to remote site by truck, processed at site, and delivered to Deerhaven by rail (truck-rail concentration yards)
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario A:Scenario A: Delivered directly to Delivered directly to Deerhaven by truckDeerhaven by truck
Advantages:• Eliminates yard costs.• Similar to most forestry operations in the South.
Disadvantages:• Potential for increased traffic/handling at the facility.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario A:Scenario A: Delivered directly to Delivered directly to
Deerhaven by truckDeerhaven by truck
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario A:Scenario A: Delivered directly to Delivered directly to Deerhaven by truckDeerhaven by truck
TABLE THREE. TRAFFIC IMPACT, 40 MW BIOMASS PLANT, DEERHAVEN
Transport Routes(1) Supply
Quadrant(s)
(2) Total Truckloads
per year
(3) Total trucks-
round trip
(4) Average Trucks per
day
(5) Current Traffic per day-
average
(6) Roadway Traffic Impact (% increase)
Total Transport Traffic A,B,C,D 27,412 54,824 183
US 441 from the North A,B, 30% of D 10,792 21,585 72 19,200 0.37%
US 441 from the South C, 70% of D 16,621 33,241 111 19,200 0.58%
US 441 S to SR 121; N on SR 121 30% of D 2,619 5,239 17 7,271 0.24%
US 441 S to SR 121; S on 121 to SR 222; then west to I-75 C 10,509 21,018 70 10,000 0.70%
US 441 S to NW 53rd Street, then east on 53rd Street to SR 26 40% of D 3,492 6,985 23 10,396 0.22%
Notes:(1) Refers to areas in Figure One.
(2) Truck count based upon quadrants served, biomass data in supply analysis
(3) Truck trips including return= twice the number of inbound trucks
(4) Based upon 300 delivery days per year
(5) Based upon Traffic Counts as of 10/1/2006. When multiple count stations were located along route,
the station showing the lowest traffic count was used.
(6) Percent of traffic increase due to delivery to 40 MW biomass plant.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario A:Scenario A: Delivered directly to Delivered directly to Deerhaven by truckDeerhaven by truck
• Total round-trip truckloads per day for 40MW plant: about 183 trucks/day.
• Current daily traffic is about 38,400 vehicles per day, or about 3,840 trucks/day.
• An increase in truck traffic of about 5%
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario B:Scenario B: Truck-truck concentration Truck-truck concentration yardsyards
• Allows use of off-road transportation equipment to yards for transfer to highway ready/larger trucks.
• Reduces traffic to facility.
• Expands supply area.
• May facilitate preprocessing difficult to do in-woods.
• Opportunity sort for multiple products.
• Opportunity for QC and rejection of material away from the facility.
• Increases storage space (seasonal harvesting).
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario B:Scenario B: Truck-truck concentration Truck-truck concentration yardsyards
Disadvantages:• Additional cost of yard
operation.• Is the cost worth the
benefit?
TABLE ONE. CONCENTRATION YARD COSTS
Cost per YearProduction Expenses
Purchase of Wood/Tipping Fees $0
Fuel $81,754
Equipment R & M $37,200
Equipment Rental $0
Equipment Depreciation $136,286
Payroll $150,610
Payroll Taxes $14,082
Employee Benefits incl. WC ins. $30,923
Contract Trucking $0
Waste Disposal $15,000
Crew Travel $0
Miscellaneous $0
TOTAL PRODUCTION EXPENSES $465,854
SITE EXPENSESTelephone $4,000Bldg./Site Maintenance $3,000Utilities $5,000Outside ServicesProperty Taxes $14,616Sote Rent-15 acres $1,000office Equipment Depreciation $500BondingPermits and Licenses $300Fuel TestingMiscellaneous
TOTAL DIRECT EXPENSES $28,416
TOTAL EXPENSES $494,270
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario B:Scenario B: Truck-truck concentration Truck-truck concentration yardsyards
Disadvantages:• Additional cost of yard
operation.• Is the cost worth the
benefit?
Yard Cost/Dry Ton Handled
Dry tons per year $/dry ton $/MMBTU50,000 $9.89 $0.62100,000 $4.94 $0.31150,000 $3.30 $0.21200,000 $2.47 $0.15
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario B:Scenario B: Truck-truck concentration Truck-truck concentration yardsyards
• Delineation of transportation corridors.
• One concentration yard can’t serve all corridors.
• Material probably won’t come “out and back”.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario B:Scenario B: Truck-truck concentration Truck-truck concentration yardsyards
• Difficult to cover all corridors with one yard.
• Additional costs may range from $2.47-$9.89 per dry ton ($0.15-$0.62/MMBtu).
• Very few truck-truck concentration yards are in existence.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario C:Scenario C: Truck-rail concentration Truck-rail concentration yardsyards
Advantages :• Similar benefits as truck-truck concentration
yards.• Traffic reduction benefits in urbanized areas.• Can greatly expand supply area.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario C:Scenario C: Truck-rail concentration Truck-rail concentration yardsyards
Disadvantages:• Same as truck-truck yard (cost of yard, cost of
handling, access)• Rail adds operational constraints.• Requires additional analysis/contracts/etc.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario C:Scenario C: Truck-rail concentration Truck-rail concentration yardsyards
• Transportation corridors.• Access.• “out and back”.
Potential Rail Site-W. Newberry
Potential Rail Site-Brooker-Lake
Butler
FIGURE TWO. POTENTIAL RAIL CONCENTRATION YARD SITES
Potential Rail Site-W. Newberry
Potential Rail Site-Brooker-Lake
Butler
Potential Rail Site-W. Newberry
Potential Rail Site-Brooker-Lake
Butler
FIGURE TWO. POTENTIAL RAIL CONCENTRATION YARD SITES
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
Scenario C:Scenario C: Truck-rail concentration Truck-rail concentration yardsyards
• Similar challenges as with truck-truck concentration yards.
• May have advantages in urbanized areas (VT example) and/or access remote resources.
• May be popular with public opinion.
Woody Biomass Outreach Training, September 11-12, 2007
QuestionsQuestions