Manufacturers are faced with many challenges, such as globalization, disparate enterprise systems and a lack of platform maturity. These will only multiply as technology advances, offshore manufacturing increases and new ways of working emerge. To overcome these challenges, many manufacturers have embraced product lifecycle management (PLM) or have expanded the use of PLM processes and tools to manage product data effi ciently, with increased visibility and control over the life cycle of the product.

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Product lifecycle management

Production and utilization of fuel pellets from biomass: A review

Pellets produced from wood, energy grasses and straw present a higher energy density feedstock than wood chips or bales, and therefore reduce the costs of handling, transport and storage throughout the supply chain. European specifications provide limits to the proportion of fines (particles less than 3.15 mm) allowed in pellets, which refers to the durability of the pellets. Fines have implications for health and safety in supply chains, and cause issues with slag formation in combustion systems. This paper reviews the factors affecting biomass pellet durability. The industrial trade for wood pellets has expanded greatly over the last decade and involves the international trade of tens of million tonnes annually. Due to increasing demands for pellets, there has been growing interest in utilising more varied biomass types. The aim of this review is to examine feedstock qualities and pelleting conditions that produce durable pellets. Pellet durability can be affected by the feedstock characteristics, the moisture content or size reduction during pre-processing, and by pelleting conditions, including the use of binders, feedstock mixes, temperatures or die pressures. Post-production conditions can also affect durability, such as the storage conditions and handling frequency, therefore an understanding of all the factors affecting durability throughout the supply chain is needed in order to prioritise where advances can be made.

Factors affecting wood, energy grass and straw pellet durability – A review

Hydrothermal carbonization of lignocellulosic biomass: Effect of process conditions on hydrochar properties

Hydrothermal pretreatment technologies for lignocellulosic biomass: A review of steam explosion and subcritical water hydrolysis.

Finland currently has tremendous enthusiasm to increase decentralised pellet production alongside of large-scale factories. The aim of research is to promote the development of eco-/cost-efficient Nordic wood-based pellet production by means of multidisciplinary research. Using Finnish conifer stem wood (bark-free Scotch pine sawdust and shavings) as a model raw material, the total functionality of a pilot-scale pellet facility combined with an extensive chemical toolbox was tested in this study to promote future development of eco- and cost-efficient wood-based pellet production in both quantitative and qualitative senses. Lignosulphonate, residual potato flour, and potato peel residue were used as adhesive binding agents. A pilot-scale pellet facility was equipped with a data logger for temperature and power measurements. The chemical toolbox included also novel specific staining and optical microscope methods and respirometric BOD Oxitop measurements. The results showed that adhesive binding agents increased the quality of pellets and changed inorganic characteristics, but did not have a significant effect on their calorimetric heat values. Lignosulphonate even increased the rate of production. Valuable information about both the pelletizing process and pellets is necessary in the future when developing good-quality pellets, a prime biofuel, from low-value and/or moist biomass that has undergone a cost-efficient drying process.

https://ojs.cnr.ncsu.edu/index.php/BioRes/article/download/BioRes_06_4_4331_Kuokkanen_VKSN_Wood_Pellet_Binders_Pilot_Scale/1182

Additives in wood pellet production – a pilot-scale study of binding agent usage

Paper mills produce large amounts of paper mill sludge in the treatment of process water. According to overburden studies, the hydraulic conductivity of the paper mill sludge originating from a paper mill in Northern Finland at a pressure of 30kPa was 4.4×10∓10 ms∓1, and 1.7×10∓ 10 ms∓1at a pressure of 100kPa. These values well meet the generally required values of between 1.0×10∓7 ms∓1 and 1.0×10∓9 ms-1 for a geological barrier in landfill base and sides at landfills in the European Union. Paper mill sludge can also be used in the artificially constructed geological barrier layer of landfill cover structures. The angle of internal friction of the paper mill sludge was 34.8° and the cohesion of inter-particle adhesion 23 kPa, which are important measures for assessing the shear strength of paper mill sludge and thus the stability of the landfill layer in which it is used. During a 28-day period, the biodegradability of the paper mill sludge in soil was ca 0.4% and in ground water under 1%, whereas...

Chemical and leaching properties of paper mill sludge

Chemical methods in the development of eco-efficient wood-based pellet production and technology.

The biodegradation of different peat types was studied with a manometric respirometric test Compaction peat and sphagnum peat samples were analysed, and the effect of peat pH on biodegradation behaviour was evaluated Only minor (BOD/ThOD < 04%) biodegradation was observed with compaction peat samples, and the stable state, in which biodegradation stopped, was achieved during a two month period As expected, sphagnum peat samples with a lower decomposition rate degraded more than compaction peat samples Alkalinity (pH between ca 4–9) of the peat was noticed to reduce the degree of biodegradation and accelerate the achievement of the stable state

Utilization Potential of Peats – a Study on Peat Biodegradability Determined by Respirometric Method

The increasing pressure on natural resources and the climate has been noted by businesses and governments worldwide, who now face the difficult task of integrating paths of environmental sustainability and economic growth. One promising approach to sustainable development, reducing the pressure on natural resources and solving waste problems is circular economy. From different ways of implementing circular economy, this study focuses on the productization of industrial side streams, which carry a great deal of underutilized potential. In this article, the productization of pulp and paper industry side stream, fiber sludge, for commercial use as a dust-binding agent is studied via a descriptive, in-depth case study. Apart from inconsistent quality, fluctuating supply, cost of storage and logistics, what makes industrial side stream utilization challenging is the lack of knowledge that stakeholders have about side streams and their utilization and the lack of new value chain development for their commercial use. Therefore, it is essential for all parties involved to have a clearer vision of what is being sold for what purposes, through productization. This study found that the productization of side streams follows the same steps as the productization of any other traditional product, and the productized side streams can be added to the company’s product portfolio as by-products.

Matti Kuokkanen

Papers

Additives in wood pellet production – a pilot-scale study of binding agent usage

Chemical and leaching properties of paper mill sludge

Chemical methods in the development of eco-efficient wood-based pellet production and technology.

Utilization Potential of Peats – a Study on Peat Biodegradability Determined by Respirometric Method

Productization of Industrial Side Streams into By-Products—Case: Fiber Sludge from Pulp and Paper Industry