Gross heating values for densified wood residues made in the northeastern United States are shown as a function of moisture content (MC). As expected, the trend is clear, and the fuel values decrease sharply as MC increases. What is also clear is that storage time and storage conditions are important considerations for those using pellet fuels as an energy source. Typically, large quantities of pellets are purchased and stored for months before use. Moist storage conditions or long storage times could substantially change the quantity of pellets required to heat a structure.
Contributor Notes
The author is Professor of Wood Sci., Univ. of Maine, Orono (robert_rice@umit.maine.edu). This paper was received for publication in July 2010. Article no. 10-00025.