As the global focus on renewable energy and industrial waste recycling deepens, the palm oil industry’s waste utilization has become a key focus of green development. EFB pellet machine, a specialized equipment for converting palm oil industry waste EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch) into high-value biomass pellets, has become a core driver for palm oil enterprises to achieve circular economy. Beyond EFB pellet production, the biomass sector also relies on various specialized pellet machines and integrated production lines for raw materials like wood chips, alfalfa, and rice husk. Choosing the right EFB pellet machine and matching equipment is vital for efficient, profitable operations in the green biomass industry.
Core Advantages and Working Principle of EFB Pellet Machine
EFB pellet machines are specifically engineered for processing EFB, which has high fiber content, strong toughness, and high moisture content. They possess unique structural advantages and scientific working principles to ensure stable production and high-quality pellets.
- Key Advantages: Adopting a high-torque transmission system and a special ring die with optimized compression ratio, it can effectively overcome the difficulties of EFB’s high fiber toughness and low density during pelleting. Equipped with a dual-shaft shredding and pre-crushing device, it thoroughly crushes EFB fibers, improving pelleting efficiency and pellet quality. The die and pressure rollers are made of wear-resistant alloy steel with special heat treatment, extending service life by 35% compared to ordinary pellet machines. Production capacity ranges from 0.8 tons to 20 tons per hour, suitable for both small-scale palm oil mills and large-scale biomass energy enterprises. The produced EFB pellets have stable density (1.1-1.3 g/cm³), excellent combustion performance, and can be widely used in industrial boilers, biomass power generation, and heating systems. Additionally, it realizes the resource utilization of EFB waste, solving the environmental pollution problem of EFB stacking in palm oil-producing regions.
- Working Principle: The working process of EFB pellet machine mainly includes raw material pretreatment, pre-crushing, extrusion molding, and pellet cutting. First, EFB is cleaned to remove impurities such as sand and metal fragments, then sent to the dual-shaft shredding device for primary crushing. The primarily crushed EFB is further processed by the pre-crushing device to break down long fibers into particles smaller than 12mm. The pretreated EFB is dried to a moisture content of 12-16%—a critical factor for successful pelleting. Then, the materials are evenly fed into the pelleting chamber via the forced feeding device. Under the high-pressure extrusion of the high-torque pressure rollers and special ring die, the materials are compressed and formed through die holes. The friction during extrusion generates heat (around 75-95°C), which softens the lignin in EFB and acts as a natural adhesive to make the pellets firm and durable. Finally, the cutter cuts the pellets into the required length, completing the production of EFB pellets.
Specialized Biomass Pellet Machines for Other Raw Materials
Different biomass raw materials have distinct physical and chemical properties, requiring specialized pellet machines to ensure production efficiency and product quality. Common types besides EFB pellet machines include:
- Wood Chip Pellet Machine: Tailored for woody raw materials such as pine, birch, poplar wood chips, and sawdust. It adopts a vertical ring die structure with strong extrusion capacity and good heat dissipation, suitable for high-fiber woody materials. The produced wood pellets have high calorific value, widely used in industrial heating and household heating.
- 0.5-30T/H Alfalfa Pellet Machine: Designed for herbaceous raw materials like alfalfa and clover. It features a low-pressure pelleting design to avoid excessive damage to nutritional components, making the pellets suitable for both ruminant feed and biomass energy use. Equipped with a forced feeding device to ensure stable operation.
- Rice Husk Pellet Machine: Specialized in processing rice husk waste with high silica content. It adopts a reinforced ring die and wear-resistant pressure roller structure to resist abrasion, producing pellets with excellent combustion performance for industrial boilers and power generation.
- Grass Pellet Machine: Suitable for grassy raw materials such as pasture, hay, and crop straw. It adopts a dual-roller extrusion structure with a forced feeding device to adapt to the loose characteristics of grass, ensuring continuous and stable production.
Integrated Biomass Production Lines for Different Raw Materials
For large-scale biomass enterprises, a single EFB pellet machine cannot meet the demand for large-volume continuous production. Integrated biomass production lines tailored for different raw materials realize automated and systematic production.
- EFB Biomass Pellet Production Line: Matching EFB pellet machines, it integrates raw material cleaning, dual-shaft shredding, pre-crushing, drying, mixing, pelleting, cooling, screening, and packaging. Equipped with high-temperature rapid drying equipment to adapt to EFB’s high moisture content and depithing equipment to remove EFB pith, the whole line is made of corrosion-resistant materials to adapt to the humid and hot environment in palm oil-producing regions. Suitable for palm oil mills and biomass energy enterprises in palm oil-producing regions.
- Wood Chip Biomass Production Line: Focuses on woody raw material processing, equipped with high-efficiency wood crushers and drying equipment with strong moisture removal capacity. The pelleting section adopts vertical ring die pellet machines, and the whole line is equipped with dust removal systems to meet environmental protection requirements of forestry areas. Suitable for wood processing factories and biomass energy enterprises near forest areas.For details on the wood pellet production line, please see:https://pelletmakingmachine.com/wood-pellet-production-line/
- Alfalfa Biomass Production Line: Integrates feed and energy dual-purpose functions, with a gentle drying process to retain alfalfa’s nutritional value. The mixing section can add appropriate additives according to needs, and the pelleting section uses low-pressure pellet machines. Suitable for agricultural and animal husbandry integrated enterprises.
- Rice Husk Biomass Production Line: Tailored for rice-producing regions, equipped with specialized rice husk crushers and efficient drying equipment to handle the hard texture of rice husks. The pelleting section uses reinforced wear-resistant pellet machines, suitable for rice mills and biomass energy enterprises.
RICHI: Trusted Supplier of EFB Pellet Machine
When selecting EFB pellet machine and matching production lines, choosing a reliable brand is crucial. RICHI, a professional manufacturer of biomass machinery with decades of experience, has won wide recognition from global users for high-quality products and comprehensive services. (blog here)
RICHI’s EFB pellet machine for sale adopts a modular design, with a high-torque transmission system and a special ring die optimized for EFB characteristics. The core components are made of high-wear-resistant alloy steel, ensuring long service life even in harsh working environments. It supports customization of production capacity and pellet specifications according to user needs. In addition, RICHI provides one-stop services including pre-sales on-site investigation, production line design, on-site installation and commissioning, and after-sales technical training, ensuring efficient and stable operation of equipment for users.
Key Considerations for Choosing EFB Pellet Machine
To select the most suitable EFB pellet machine, the following factors should be considered:
- Production Scale: Small-scale palm oil mills (0.8-3 tons/hour) can choose compact EFB pellet machines; large-scale enterprises (8 tons/hour or more) should select integrated production lines to meet mass production needs.
- Raw Material Characteristics: Focus on the equipment’s ability to handle EFB’s high fiber content and toughness, prioritizing machines with pre-crushing devices and high-torque transmission systems. Consider the corrosion resistance of equipment to adapt to the humid and hot environment in palm oil-producing regions.
- Equipment Quality: Prioritize equipment with high-quality core components such as wear-resistant dies, pressure rollers, and reliable transmission systems to reduce later maintenance costs.
- After-Sales Service: Choose manufacturers like RICHI that provide timely after-sales services including technical support and spare parts supply, to ensure uninterrupted production.
Conclusion: Choose Quality EFB Pellet Machine For Green Value
EFB pellet machine is a key equipment for developing the palm oil industry’s waste recycling and biomass energy industry. Matching it with specialized biomass pellet machines for other raw materials and integrated production lines can maximize the utilization value of biomass resources.
By considering production scale, raw material characteristics and equipment quality, and cooperating with a trusted brand like RICHI, you can obtain high-performance EFB pellet machines and professional production line solutions. This will help you realize efficient and low-cost production, seize opportunities in the renewable energy market, and contribute to global green and sustainable development.
