Biomass
Mobile bulk handling for wood chips, pellets, straw and energy crops feeding power, pellet and biofuel plants.
SANTO supplies mobile conveying, stacking and loading equipment engineered for biomass — from receiving and stockpiling to reclaim and load-out. The notes below cover the properties that matter, the problems that typically appear on site and the machines we recommend.
Why Mobile Conveying Suits Biomass
Biomass covers light, bulky organics — wood chips, pellets, straw — with bulk density 0.2–0.6 t/m³ and strong dust and fire risk when dry. The tracked stockpiler builds and reclaims residue piles beside the boiler with minimal fines generation.
- Gentle low-speed conveying preserves chip and pellet quality
- Dust suppression reduces fine-fuel ignition risk
- Tracked mobility reaches soft, scattered landing decks
- Sealed bearings resist acidic sap and moisture
- Mobile fleet follows harvest and feed cycles
Physical Properties and Handling Behaviour
The table below summarises the properties that decide belt specification, chute geometry and stacking method for this material. Values are typical ranges — actual figures vary with source and moisture content, so we test your sample before finalising a design.
| Property | Typical Value / Handling Impact |
|---|---|
| Bulk density | 0.2–0.6 t/m³ (very light, bulky) |
| Moisture | 10–55% depending on species and storage |
| Abrasiveness | Low, but acidic sap attacks bearings |
| Angle of repose | 35–45° for chips; steeper for pellets |
| Handling note | Control dust/fire risk; avoid fines from breakage |
Handling Challenges with Biomass — and How SANTO Solves Them
Dry biomass fines are an explosion and fire hazard, while light material spills on fast, steep belts. Acidic sap and moisture corrode standard bearings.
SANTO conveyors run at lower speed with deeper troughing and dust suppression to carry light residues safely. Sealed, sap-resistant bearings and tracked mobility let the fleet work soft decks and follow the seasonal harvest front.
- Run at lower speed with dust suppression for light fuels
- Specify sealed, sap-resistant bearings
- Use tracked chassis for soft, uneven decks
Recommended SANTO Equipment
For biomass we most often supply the machines listed below. Each can be configured with the belt width, boom length and drive power your tonnage requires, and each is available on wheeled, tracked or crawler chassis.
- Tracked Stockpiler — configured for biomass duty
- Feeder Mobile Stacker — configured for biomass duty
- Wheeled Mobile Conveyor — configured for biomass duty
- Low Feeder Track Stacker — configured for biomass duty
Typical Stockpiling and Loading Setups
A well-planned biomass yard keeps receiving, stacking and reclaiming on separate paths so trucks never queue behind a loader. In the most common layout, a mobile conveyor receives from the tipper or hopper and feeds a radial telescopic stacker that builds a layered stockpile, while a second conveyor reclaims to the loading point.
- Receiving: hopper or direct truck discharge into a mobile conveyor
- Stacking: radial or telescopic stacking to build layered, drainable stockpiles
- Reclaim: front-end loader feeding a mobile conveyor, or direct reclaim conveyor
- Load-out: conveyor to truck, wagon, barge or vessel hold
Frequently Asked Questions
How is biomass fire risk managed?
Dust suppression at transfer points plus lower belt speed reduce fine-fuel ignition risk during dry handling.
Why handle biomass gently?
Low-speed conveying avoids breaking chips into low-value fines and preserves pellet integrity for the boiler.
Can equipment reach scattered decks?
Yes. Tracked units work soft, uneven landing decks and relocate as harvest moves through the forest.
Need the right machine for your site?
Send us your material, required capacity and site layout. SANTO engineers will size the equipment and return a configuration proposal within 12 hours — no obligation.