Transport, Storage and Drying of Woody Biomass

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.


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


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


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


•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?


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.


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


Transport Transport Costs based Costs based

upon existing upon existing roads, speed roads, speed

limits, and limits, and freight times.freight times.


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.


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


• 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


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


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!


Example Application: Example Application: Transportation Impacts for Transportation Impacts for

Gainesville Regional UtilitiesGainesville Regional Utilities


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)


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.


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.



• 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%


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).



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



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



• Delineation of transportation corridors.

• One concentration yard can’t serve all corridors.

• Material probably won’t come “out and back”.



• 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.


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.



Disadvantages:• Same as truck-truck yard (cost of yard, cost of

handling, access)• Rail adds operational constraints.• Requires additional analysis/contracts/etc.



• Transportation corridors.• Access.• “out and back”.

Potential Rail Site-W. Newberry

Potential Rail Site-Brooker-Lake

Butler

FIGURE TWO. POTENTIAL RAIL CONCENTRATION YARD SITES



Butler



Butler

FIGURE TWO. POTENTIAL RAIL CONCENTRATION YARD SITES



• 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.


QuestionsQuestions

Transport, Storage and Drying of Woody Biomass

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