Evaluation of Converting Oat Hulls into Biomass Fuel Pellets****

固体生物质燃料颗粒有可能在空间加热和电力应用中取代化石燃料，如天然气和煤炭。这种生物质颗粒的原料来源是其经济可行性的主要决定因素。富含纤维成分的农业加工废物流提供了一种有前途的原料替代品。燕麦壳主要是纤维，是燕麦碾磨最重要的副产品，三分之一（按重量计）的燕麦被转化为船体流，目前商业潜力有限。然而，由于其密度低（即使在研磨成更精细的产品后）以及材料处理和运输的困难，船体的经济价值仍然很低。艾默生制粉公司是马尼托巴最大的燕麦加工厂之一，每天加工大约300吨燕麦，每天产生大约100吨燕麦壳作为副产品。他们对通过探索生物燃料颗粒生产机会来增加燕麦壳的价值表示了浓厚的兴趣。该项目旨在与艾默生制粉公司密切合作。并回答了一些重要的问题，这些问题围绕着从燕麦壳中生产生物燃料颗粒的技术和经济可行性（优化造粒）、运输（颗粒耐久性）和使用（热值、灰分含量和空气排放）。该项目将为当地带来经济效益，减少碳排放，从而减少碳税，并提供农村多样化。环境效益将以减少温室气体排放和减少不可再生能源使用的形式出现。从生物质灰中提取植物可用养分的潜力也可能导致生产可再生肥料产品。

Solid biomass fuel pellets have the potential to displace fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal in space heating and power applications. The source of feedstock for such biomass pellets is a major determining factor of its economic feasibility. Agricultural process waste streams which can be rich in fibre content offer a promising feedstock alternative. Oat hulls, which are predominantly fibre, are the most significant by-product of oat milling, with one third (by weight) of the incoming oat converted into a hull stream that currently has limited commercial potential. However, with its low density (even after it's ground into a finer product) and difficulty in material handling and shipping, the economic value of the hulls remains low. Emerson Milling Inc. is one of the largest oat milling facilities in Manitoba, processing approximately 300 tons/day of oats and generating approximately 100 tons/day of oat hulls as a by-product. They have expressed keen interest in adding value to their oat hulls by exploring biofuel pellet production opportunities. This projects aims to closely collaborate with Emerson Milling Inc. and answer a number of important questions around the technical and economic feasibility of producing (optimizing pelletization), shipping (pellet durability), and use (calorific value, ash content, and air emissions) of biofuel pellets from oat hulls. The project will have local economic benefits, reduce carbon emissions and therefore carbon taxes, and provide rural diversification. The environmental benefits will come in the form of lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduction of non-renewable power usage. The potential of extracting plant available nutrients from the biomass ash could also result in the production of a renewable fertilizer product.********