CPM, a manufacturer of pellet mills, pelleting equipment and automation products, has launched new technology to improve wood pellet mill efficiency.
The company’s patented Twin Track technology has been developed after a decade of research to reduce energy demand, ensure consistent pellet quality, and boost mill capacity.
Twin Track uses two rollers inside the pellet mill, and each roller has its own track. The system is designed to push pellets with one long, energy-efficient push per die revolution. This means the required energy (in kWh per tonne) to move the pellet mass is lower with Twin Track than with 2 or 3-roller machines, which push two or three times per die revolution.
At the same time, Twin Track provides a surface area that has 43% more holes in the die than average. For every single push per die revolution, Twin Track, therefore, creates a larger product layer, resulting in a greater volume of pellets.
CPM’s research team validated that a higher hole count in the die also facilitates longer ‘baking time’ in the die itself, to make use of natural binding properties (including added binders) and maintain pellet consistency.
Twin Track technology has been extensively tested in real world mill operations, said CPM, and the higher die hole count has been found to stabilise mill running conditions, due to the higher pellet retention times, which help to dampen fluctuations.
“Our goal was to revolutionise the pellet mill from inside, and Twin Track technology does exactly that,” said Oskar Schaap, sales and marketing director at CPM Europe.
“Mill operators can now leverage greater energy savings, and greater capacity. Since our technology uses less force in the pellet production process, it will also lower maintenance costs and increase total cost of ownership. Twin Track is a win-win for the pelleting industry.”
CPM launches new technology to improve pellet mill efficiency
