Pan grinder rollers play a central role in pellet production. They compact, shape, and convey the product in flat die pellet mills, thus contributing significantly to the efficiency of the entire plant. The new Eco Roll is a milestone in the development of this technology. It is a particularly impressive solution for producing wood pellets, offering up to 25% more capacity and significant energy savings.
Unlike conventional pan grinder rollers, which compact the entire product in one step, the Eco Roll operates in two steps. First, a recessed, beveled section of the pan grinder roller gently pre-compacts the raw material. In the second phase, the distance between the pan grinder roller and the die is reduced. This results in higher compaction at the same pressure. This clever division of the roller track reduces necessary process pressures, increases throughput, and significantly decreases the energy required for pellet production, down to just 40 to 45 kWh per ton of softwood. For comparison, traditional pan grinder rollers require around 70 kWh per ton. Therefore, around 25 kWh less energy is required per ton of pellets than with traditional technology.
When extrapolated to an annual production of 50,000 tons of pellets, this equates savings of up to 1,250 MWh of electricity. Assuming an electricity price of 20 cents per kWh, the cost reduction would be around €250,000 per year.
In addition to its impressive energy efficiency, the Eco Roll excels in terms of wear and tear resistance. Its sophisticated compaction concept significantly reduces the stress on the pan grinder rollers and dies. This increases the service life of the components, extends maintenance intervals, and reduces operating costs. These features make the Eco Roll an ecologically and economically sensible solution for the production of pellets.
Additionally, the innovative process allows for an increase in production of up to 25%. Thanks to optimized compaction, wider dies can be used to increase throughput without affecting pellet quality.
Simple and sustainable production of wood pellets
Our engineers developed the Eco Roll specifically for raw materials that are difficult to pelletize, such as wood. However, it is also ideal for other materials, such as straw or alfalfa. These raw materials are challenging to process into pellets due to their high fiber content, dryness, and lack of natural lubricants. This is where the Eco Roll really shines: Its two-stage compaction ensures reliable, uniform, and efficient pellet production, even under difficult conditions.
The Eco Roll is compatible with all of our pellet mills and can be easily retrofitted. It is an ideal supplement for biomass pellet mills, especially those with a die diameter of 780 mm or more, which are typically used for producing wood pellets.
Pellets for heating – a climate-friendly alternative
Wood pellets are a popular alternative to fossil fuels, such as heating oil or natural gas, and are environmentally friendly. Natural wood chips and residues from wood processing are transformed into pellets and thus optimally recovered. When burned, wood pellets release only as much CO₂ as the tree previously absorbed, making them a climate-neutral heating fuel.
In addition to their positive ecological balance, wood pellets are also economical: they have a high energy density, are available regionally, and are usually less expensive than conventional fuels such as heating oil, natural gas, or coal. Thanks to efficient production techniques such as Eco Roll, pellet production can be made even more economical and resource-efficient.
Conclusion
We offer an advanced solution with the Eco Roll that significantly reduces the energy required for pellet production while increasing production capacity. This technology quickly pays off, especially in wood pellet production, due to lower energy costs, reduced wear, and improved processing of demanding raw materials. The Eco Roll enables more efficient, sustainable, and economical pellet production than ever before.
