Plant for the Production of Chips and Pellet: Technical and Economic Aspects of an Case Study in the Central Italy

Abstract

This work is the result of a technical and economic analysis about the process of transformation of forest wood in biofuels, pellets and wood chips. The experimental pilot plant is managed by a forest consortium located in the province of Terni, Umbria Region (central Italy), near the Mountain Community “Valle del Nera” and Mountain San Pancrazio. The structure and all the machinery of the consortium have been realized utilizing government incentives and involving public and private subjects that operate in the district. The production process of woodpellet is more articulated: it is necessary to refine the mixture a bit more, creating a wood dust which is immediately compressed to form the classical cylindrical pellet’s shape and to provide a uniform dough-like mass. The study of the productivity of machinery employed in the transformation of the wood material was made analyzing the cards compiled daily from the technicians of the consortium. The economic evaluation has been completed following an analytical procedure considering the hourly manpower cost and the single machines utilized in all the process phases.