Staffan Melin

Research Director

Wood Pellet Association of Canada

Honorary Research Associate

UBC Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

DESIGN OF LOGISTICS for

REGULAR AND TORREFIED PELLETS

(Transportation and Storage)

March 20, 2012

Presentation 1. Global scope of the pellets trade now and future 2. Comparison of regular and torrefied pellets 3. Of important when designing logistics for pellets - Efficiency - Safety - Regulations, codes and guidelines

Logistics Challenge for World Trade of Wood Pellets

- 11 million tonne consumed 2010 - 4 million tonne traded domestically - 4 million tonne traded cross-border - 3 million tonne (27%) by ocean vessels

- 48 to 60 million projected for 2020 - 8 to 10 million tonne traded domestically - 40 to 50 million tonne traded cross border - 30 to 40 million tonne (65%) by ocean vessels

Densified Biomass a Worldwide Fuel Commodity

- Transported in bags, containers, railcars, trucks, ocean vessels

- Regular ocean shipments up to 40,000 tonne since 2010

- Traded as bulk commodity at the APX-ENDEX Rotterdam exchange

- Commercial standards established for international trade • CEN/ISO/PFI Quality standards

• CEN/ISO/ASTM/ASABE Testing standards

• EFET Standard purchasing and shipping contracts

90 – 100 tonne rail cars

Ocean Transportation

Handymax and Panamax size vessels

25,000 to 50,000 metric tonne of pellets per shipment

Ocean Freight Rates for Pellets

Sources; Simpson, Spence & Young and Pöyry

USD 30-458000 km

5000 km

16,500 km

Fluctuation of Ocean Freight Rates has been a challenge

FIBRE

HARVESTING

INLAND

TRANSPORT

SIZE

REDUCTION

DRYING

DENSIFICATION

INLAND

TRANSPORT

STORAGE &

LOADING

INLAND

TRANSPORTSTORAGE

ENERGY

CONVERSION

OCEAN

TRANSPORT

DISCHARGE &

STORAGE

SUSTAINABILITY

CERTIFICATION

- FSC

- SFI

- PEFC

- CSA

SAFETY

CERTIFICATION

- NFPA

- NATIONAL

SAFETY

CERTIFICATION

- NFPA

- IMSBC

INTERNATIONAL

MARITIME

ORGANIZATION

- IMSBC

SAFETY

CERTIFICATION

- NFPA

- IMSBC

RAILCAR

MANAGEMENT

- SCHEDULING

INTERNATIONAL

MARITIME

ORGANIZATION

- IMSBC

- NATIONAL

FUEL

MANAGEMENT

- SCHEDULING

QUALITY

CERTIFICATION

- ENplus

- ENagro

- PFI

SAFETY

CERTIFICATION

- NFPA

- ATEX

- CEN/ISO

- NATIONAL

CIFFOB

QUALITY

CERTIFICATION

- ENplus

- ENagro

- PFI

FIBRE

MANAGEMENT

- PROCUREMENT

- SCHEDULING

PLANT

MANAGEMENT

- OPERATIONS

- MAINTENANCE

TERMINAL

MANAGEMENT

- SCHEDULING

AFFREIGHTMENT

AGREEMENT

VESSEL

CHARTER

TERMINAL

MANAGEMENT

- SCHEDULING

AFFREIGHTMENT

AGREEMENT

VESSEL (BARGE)

CHARTER

RAILCAR

MANAGEMENT

- SCHEDULING

MANAGEMENT REGIME

REGULATIONS, CODES AND GUIDELINES

LARGE SCALE LOGISTICS FOR PELLETS EXPORT

Comparison of Fuel Pellets for Energy Generation

Parameter Measure White Pellets Explosion Pulp Pellets

Torrefied Pellets Hard Coal

Net calorific value

GJ/tonne 17 to 18 17.5 to 18.5 22 to 23 24 to 26

Energy Density

GJ/m3 11.1 to 12.6 11.8 to 13.9 14.3 to 17.3 19.2 to 22.1

Moisture % of weight 4 to 6 5 to 8 2 to 3 1 - 8

Ash content % of weight 0.3 to 0.5 0.4 to 0.8 0.5 to 0.9 8 to 12

Bulk Density kg/m3 650 to 700 675 to 750 650 to 750 800 to 850

Torrefied Pellets have an energy density 30 – 40% higher than White Pellets

depending on bulk density and degree of torrefaction but 25 % lower than hard coal.

Characteristics of Importance for Transportation Logistics

Parameter White Pellets Explosion Pulp Pellets

Torrefied Pellets

Hydroscopicity * Not applicable ? ?

Wettability * Not applicable ? ?

Thawing * Not applicable ? ?

Leaching Not applicable ? ?

Off-gassing and oxygen depletion*

Well known ? ?

Self-heating * Well known ? ?

Dust explosibility (Kst) Well known ? ?

Dust explosibility (Pmax) Well known ? ?

Electrostatic propensity (DC resistivity)

Well known ? ?

* No reliable testing method available

Characteristics of Importance for Transportation Logistics

Parameter White Pellets Explosion Pulp Pellets

Torrefied Pellets

IMO Safety Bulk Code* Material Hazardous in Bulk (MHB)

Not assigned . Takes 2 - 3 years. May qualify as White Pellets

Not assigned . Takes 2 - 3 years. SECTOR Project will develop.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

Comprehensive Limited Not assigned. SECTOR Project will develop.

Harmonized System (HS) classification

44013020 Not assigned. May qualify as White Pellets

Not assigned. SECTOR Project will develop.

* Currently requires fixed CO2 fire extinguishing equipment onboard ocean

vessel

• Dust explosibility • Wood dust more explosive than coal dust (minimum ignition energy)

• Low specific density (long settling time when suspended in air)

• Large surface area and porosity (exposure to oxygen)

• High content of volatiles

• Natural degradation • Self-heating

• Microbial decomposition

• Oxidation (fatty acids)

• Hydro-thermal moisture migration (cyclical vaporization and condensation)

• Off-gassing

• Carbon-monoxide

• Carbon-dioxide

• Methane

Critical Safety Issues with Densified Biomass

Dust is #1 safety issue for the pellets industry

Test

Mode Measure

White

Dust

Bark

Dust

Coal

Dust Testing StandardsAuto-ignition Temp

(Godbert-Greenwald) TcoC 450 450 585 ASTM E1491

Min Ignition Energy MIE mJoule 17 17 110 ASTM E2019

Max Explosion Pressure P max bar 8.1 8.4 7.3 ASTM E1226

Max Explosion Pressure Rate dP/dt max bar/sec 537 595 426 ASTM E1226

Deflagration Index K St bar.m/sec 146 162 124 ASTM E1226

Min Explosible Concentration MEC g/m3 70 70 65 ASTM E1515

Limiting Oxygen Concentration LOC % 10.5 10.5 12.5 ASTM E1515 mod

Hot Surface Ignition Temp (5 mm) TsoC 300 310 ASTM E2021

Hot Surface Ignition Temp (19 mm) TsoC 260 250 ASTM E2021

Auto-ignition Temp TLoC 225 215

USBM (Bureau of

Mines) RI 5624

St 1 St 1 St 1 ASTM E1226Class II Class II OSHA CPL 03-00-06

Results from explosibility testing dust from white pellets and bark pellets

Test Parameter (dust <63 μm)

D

ust

clo

ud

Du

st L

ay

er

Dust Class (0 to 200 bar.m/sec)Dust Class (Explosion Severity (ES > 0.5)

Dust Suppression Spouts

BEFORE

AFTER

SHIP DISCHARGING WITH PONTON CRANE TO BARGE USING CLAM

SHIP DISCHARGING FROM PONTON CRANE WITH GRAB TO BARGE

SHIP DISCHARGING WITH LAND CRANE TO BARGE USING CLAM

SHIP DISCHARGING WITH DUST COLLECTION HOPPER

Electrostatic build-up by moving parts

and tribo-electric effects

RWE Tilbury Power Plant February 27, 2012 Atikokan Generating Station December 1, 2008 Electrostatic Dust Explosion

Atikokan Generating Station (Ontario) December 1, 2008

RWE Tilbury Power Plant February 27, 2012 Electrostatic Dust Explosion

Ekobriketter plant (Sweden) October 15, 2003

Over-heated moving parts

in contact with dust

House-keeping is paramount

Feedstock PEL (OSHA) REL (NIOSH) TLV (ACGIH) Health Effects

Softwood such as fir,

pine, spruce and

hemlock.

15 mg/m3 Total Dust TWA = 1 mg/m

3 for

10 hours @ 40 hours

week

TWA = 5 mg/m3 for 8

hours @ 40 hours week

Acute or chonic

dermatitis, asthma,

erythema, blistering,

scaling and itching

(ACGIH).

5 mg/m3 Respirable Dust

STEL = 10 mg/m3 for

15 minutes, max 4

times/day, each episode

max 60 minutes

Hardwood such as

alder, aspen,

cottonwood, hickory,

maple and poplar.

15 mg/m3 Total Dust TWA = 1 mg/m

3 for

10 hours @ 40 hours

week

TWA = 5 mg/m3 for 8

hours @ 40 hours week

Acute or chronic

dermatitis, asthma,

erythema, blistering,

scaling and itching

(ACGIH).

Suspected tumorigenic

at site of penetration

(IARC).

5 mg/m3 Respirable Dust

STEL = 10 mg/m3 for

15 minutes, max 4

times/day, each episode

max 60 minutes

Oak, walnut and beech. 15 mg/m3 Total Dust TWA = 1 mg/m

3 for

10 hours @ 40 hours

week

TWA = 1 mg/m3 for 8

hours @ 40 hours week

Suspected tumorigenic

at site of penetration

(ACGIH). 5 mg/m

3 Respirable Dust

Western Red Cedar. 15 mg/m3 Total Dust TWA = 1 mg/m

3 for

10 hours @ 40 hours

week

TWA = 5 mg/m3 for 8

hours @ 40 hours week

Acute or chronic

rhinitis, dermatitis,

asthma (ACGHI).

5 mg/m3 Respirable Dust TWA = 1 mg/m

3 for

10 hours @ 40 hours

week

STEL = 10 mg/m3 for

15 minutes, max 4

times/day, each episode

max 60 minutes

Exposure Limits for Wood Dust

29

Overheating of pellets in storage

Up to 2oC temperature increase per hour is not uncommon

Maximum acceptable temperature is +60oC

Moisture sorption from condensation and leaking roofs

Rain cover during loading of ocean vessels

Flat storage with telescoping conveyor

Front loader and/or below grade chain drive

Safety certification

Dome storage with flat bottom

Silos with flat bottom or tapered bottom

Flat bottom storage with auger

37

Self-heating

Fire fighting of burning pellets in storage is a challenge

Storage in Port of Härnösand (Sweden) September 8, 2004

RWE Tilbury Power Plant February 27, 2012 Storage in Port of Esbjerg (Denmark)

November 5, 1998

RWE Tilbury Power Plant (UK) February 27, 2012

40

FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY VEHICLE FOR SILO INCIDENTS

LIQUID GAS AND VAPORIZER COMBI VEHICLE

41

Actions taken by Canadian Pellets Industry

42 Wood Pellet Association of Canada

• Safety Certification of manufacturing facilities

• Audit and certification protocol developed in collaboration with insurance providers and Workers Compensation Board

• Annual independent professional inspections and formal audits

• Research on safety issues

• University of British Columbia (off-gassing, self-heating)

• SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden (fire extinguishing)

• Department of Transport Canada and International Maritime organization (IMO) (safety code for ocean transportation)

• International Standards Organization (ISO) (dust explosibility)

Best Practices Codes and Guidelines

43 Wood Pellet Association of Canada

• Examples for engineering of handling @storage facilities

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) • NFPA 68 Standards on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting

• NFPA 69 Standards on Explosion Prevention Systems

• NFPA 70 National Electrical Code

• NFPA 77 Recommended Practice on Static Electricity

• NFPA 654 Standards on Prevention on Fire and Explosions (particles)

Summary; Design of Logistics for Pellets

44

• White (Regular) Pellets – Should not be exposed to moisture

– Dust highly resistive and becomes electrostatic and prone to explosions

– Prone to self-heating, especially under humid and hot conditions

– Emits large amounts of gases

• Torrefied Pellets – Resists moisture uptake and may withstand exposure to the elements

• Hydroscopicity and wettability is not researched

• Leaching is not researched

• Mechanical integrity during freezing is not researched

– Highly reactive oxidation is not researched

– Emission of gases not researched

– Cleaning of staining dust on conveyors and in holds is not researched

45

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

2500

5000

7500

10000

12500

15000

17500

CO

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

pp

m)

storage days

T=room temperature

T=30

T=40

T=50

T=55

Off-gassing from Pellets

White/Regular Pellets

8 fatalities worldwide since

2002

Torrefied Pellets

?

Strict rules for enclosed work spaces

Ventilation is crucial

This is me. I take only gentle questions. No kicking please !!