Task 5. Operator s Manual

Transcription

1 Task 5. Operator s Manual November 22, 2011 The Contractor shall prepare a thorough operations manual detailing the optimum manufacturing process based on the results from Task 4, and 5. Such a manual shall take into account effects on equipment such as pellet composition, pellet size, timing/ability of machine to finely chop grasses, moisture content, feed rate, production rate, material loss, pellet cooling, and any other steps/properties of the manufacturing process deemed important. As part of the preparation of this operations manual, the Contractor shall conduct a hazard and operations (HAZOP) analysis of the pelletizing system to evaluate safety hazards associated with the equipment and the system operation. This HAZOP analysis will be performed by the Contractor under the guidance of an industrial safety specialist. The equipment and system operation will be adjusted accordingly to remediate safety hazards identified through the HAZOP analysis.

2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Pre Assessment Preparation 3. Delivery of Mill to Farm 4. Farm Set up 5. Safety 6. Start Up System 7. Pellet Production 8. Shut Down Procedures 9. Evaluation, feedback with Farmer Appendices: 1. Farm Pre- Assessment Checklist 2. HAZOP Analysis 3. Evaluation Form

3 1. Introduction This manual is designed to provide instructions for operating Hudson Valley Grass Energy s mobile grass pelleting mill. The system is comprised of two major units, an International 4900 flatbed truck on which the diesel electric generator is mounted (Figure 1) and a 20 ton lowboy trailer which contains the pelleting equipment (Figure 2). The mobile unit is transported to farm locations and set up on site to process chopped biomass (hay, corn stove, etc) provided by the farmer, into pellets that can be used in heating appliances. The host farmer provides the equipment to convey the chopped biomass into the mobile unit and packaging of the finished pellets. The HVGE pellet mill operator is responsible for transporting the system to the farm, set up and operation of the system. This manual provides details on the overall operational procedures. Since the system is comprised of a number of commercially available components, details of operation and maintenance of the individual components are covered in the component operators manuals which should be referenced in conjunction with this manual. These component manuals are stored in a file in the transport truck for reference. Figure 1: Transport Truck and Generator

4 Figure 2, Pelleter Trailer showing major components. A good overview of the overall operation of the mobile pellet mill is available as a video on the Orange County Soil & Water Conservation District Web site:

5 Section 2: Pre-Assessment Preparation Before bringing the mill to a farm, a representative of the County Soil and Water District Office conducts a pre-assessment visit to the farm in order to work out any issues beforehand. The representative will complete a pre-assessment worksheet (Appendix 1). This assessment includes: A. Traffic route to farm -Recommended Traffic Route listing roads -Mileage -Check for any height or weight restrictions B. Farm layout -Sketch or aerial view (Google Maps) showing proposed location for pelleting equipment -Flat area for truck and pelleter -Availability of electric and water (estimate length needed for hoses, electric cords) -Any dust restrictions / prevailing wind -Space for farmer supplied preprocessing equipment (e.g. wagon, tractor, conveyor) C. Raw material -Type (e.g. reed canary, mixed hay) -History (last soil test, fertilizer, time of cutting, any field leaching) -Take sample for forage testing -Quantity (tons} -Form (Round/ size, small square, average weight) -Moisture content (using Delmhorst meter)** -Where stored (inside, covered, outside) **Moisture is of upmost importance because the pellet mill simply cannot process material that is too wet. We have determined 10-15% moisture as being the ideal range but are capable of adding steam to drier material. When hay is extremely dry (7-8%) we can add maximum steam. If it is still too dry it will make mostly dust going through the pelleter and we will have to blend it with wetter material. Although it can vary between materials, we have been successful accepting inputs reading up to 20% on our Delmhorst moisture meter. Anything over 20% should be avoided because it is unlikely to pellet and could clog our mill. If the proposed material is above the 20% level, a recommendation would be made to provide a means for drying the material (inside or covered storage) or a way to separate the high moisture content material from the dry material (selection of bales or removal of wet sections of large bales). The ability to add steam and/or mix grasses of difference moistures allows us to accept a wider range of materials. From our observations, the pelleting process and proper cooling removes anywhere from one to five points of moisture, resulting in a final pellet of around 10% moisture.10 to 15% is optimal moisture content.

6 Pre-assessment of grasses In order to estimate grass pelletability we examine particle size, format and moisture. Particle size and format (loose or baled) determine the level of pre-processing that will be needed to reach <6 inches in order to feed the material into our mill. We can also estimate pelletability and pellet quality by assessing the variety/blend (mixed hay, reed canary, rye, etc ), and leaf/stem ratio of the hay. In general grass varieties are known for specific characteristics, however, this is often not reliable when you account for discrepancies in the growing parameters. We have found that blending hay can help to neutralize issues with specific materials like ash or lignin content. For example, switch grass tends to be difficult to pelletize due to its high heat of glassification so the operator can consider blending it with a more easily pelletable variety. In terms of reducing ash, leaf/steam ratio is an important factor. Studies show that ash tends to be more present in leafs, so the operator can use this knowledge to qualitatively judge prospective grasses. D. Farm equipment available -Pre-processing (e.g. TMR mixer, bale chopper, forage chopper) -Tractor -Elevator/Conveyor -Bucket loader Our pellet mill requires pre-processing to chop and loosen the hay before feeding it into the hammer mill. The smaller the chop size, the faster we can feed our hammer mill without overloading. Overload occurs when the material grinding draws too many amps causing the hammer mill to automatically shut down and cool off before being able to start again. Generally we look for chop length of less than six inches, with eight as a maximum. In the future we will purchase a pre-processor that accepts all sizes of bales. In the meantime we are able to utilize a variety of the producer s equipment, from bedding choppers to tub grinders that are often already found on farms that grow hay. It is in the pre-processing that we can create blends of multiple hay varieties. E. Pellet Use -Proposed pellet storage (e.g. small bags, large bag, bin, etc ) -Proposed use (own stove, sell, etc) F. Timing -Farm help available -Preferred Dates / time -Alternate Dates / time (for bad weather contingency or equipment breakdown)

7 Section 3: Delivery of mill to the farm A. Pre-drive check Truck/Trailer -Beginning mileage -Truck Fuel Level, oil, coolant, tire pressures -Trailer lights / brakes, tire pressures -Safety chains attached on trailer -Air brakes operational on trailer -Check belts on engine -Tie Downs in place -Water Hose, electrical cords secured for transport -Accessory equipment (tools, buckets) secured for transport B. Pre Drive Pelleter Equipment Preparation - Check all fluid levels/grease - Pellet mill (PM) gearbox - Genset fuel, oil and water - Check all belts - Clean/scrape out die as needed - Grease PM bearings and rollers - Grease PM fittings (1 on back, 3 inside) every four hours of operation - Check grease level of spring-loaded grease cups on the HM, add as needed - Grease all motor bearings, 1 shot every 40 hrs of operation - Visually Check over components to make sure there are no blockages - Make sure cooler is clear of old pellets or fines C. Arrival at Farm -Record truck mileage and time -Locate farm contact as noted on Pre-Assessment sheet -Confirm and view location for pelleting truck and trailer and walk to area -Confirm and view farmer supplied equipment

8 Section 4: Farm Set up A. Positioning of mill - Set up pellet mill on level surface with room for conveyor, tractor, etc -- Install grounding plates under two trailer tires - Plug 4 color coded electric plugs (3 phase with ground) from trailer to genset electrical panel Figure 3: Electrical connection to Generator - Hook up water hose to steam generator filter input. -Position farmer supplied equipment o Conveyor to feed HM input o Bags or farmer supplied conveyor at cooler output B. Meeting with farm personnel : Note: Be sure that farm contact person is present for this briefing! -Describe pelleting operation and walk around of equipment -Safety Briefing : Review Section 5 in total with emphasis on emergency shut down procedures -Operation procedures /signals Define signals / commands that will be used between mobile pellet operator and Farm personnel feeding chopped material into pelleter and Farm personnel handling finished pellets

9 Section 5: Safety Transport to farm: The mobile unit is transported to the farm using public roads. The transport truck and trailer are registered in the State of New York and are maintained and inspected in accordance with New York State Vehicle and DOT safety requirements. The driver/operator must perform a DOT required pre trip safety inspection and adhere to all traffic rules and regulations in transit. Prior to transport, the operator/driver performs the following checklist: -Truck Fuel Level, oil, coolant, tire pressures, lights, signals -Trailer lights, brakes, tire pressures -Safety chains connected from truck to trailer -Tie Downs -Check for any loose equipment The operator/ driver reviews the pre-assessment checklist (Appendix 1) to confirm the route to the host farm location and proposed location for the unit on the farm. Upon arrival at the farm the operator contacts the farm manager/owner and positions the unit in the preferred location. Safety Briefing: The operator conducts a walk around safety briefing with the farm/manager owner and employees that will be involved in the pelleting process. This consists of the following items. 1. An overview of the operation of the equipment 2. Required use of safety equipment including hearing protection, eye protection, and dust masks (as required) 3. Conformance to Safety signage on equipment (examples shown on Figures 4-6)

10 Figure 4: Signs on side of trailer Figure 5 Safety signs on Hammermill Figure 6: Safety signs on electrical control panels

11 4. Shut down procedures including emergency shut down switches located on either side of the trailer (Figure 7) and generator electrical power off located on generator (Figure 8), control box and generator shut off switch (Figure 9) Figure 7: Emergency Power off switches located on each side of trailer Figure 8: Main Electrical Switch on Generator Figure 9: Main Generator Control Panel showing off switch at bottom left

12 5. Location of fire extinguishers: A fire extinguisher is placed on each side of the trailer (Figure 10). In addition a unit is mounted near the drivers seat in the truck cab. Figure 10: Location of fire extinguisher near electrical control panel 6. Signals that will be used by pelleter operator to farm personnel for feeding material or shut down 7. Requirement that equipment be shut down and if any maintenance is required (example clearing any material jams) and lock out sign placed on main generator switch. 8. Confirm with farm manager that he will be responsible for loading of raw material into unit and handling finished pellets. Employees engaged in these activities would be instructed by farm manager on these operations including use of farm supplied equipment, safety gear, lifting hazards, and other items as felt necessary by the farm manager.

13 Section 6: Start Up System A. Initial Readings Record in production log book - Record Generator fuel level (inches on yardstick) - Engine Hours - Air Temperature - Take weight of raw material if possible - Record moisture content of material - If consistent, take 5 readings and calculate average - If variable, take 10 reading, and give range Table 1: Start Up Sequence Step Switch Location Action Notes 1 Generator Start Gen Bottom Left 2 Generator Gen. Switch from Off to Run Generator will crank over and start in idle mode Switch from Idle Generator speed will increase. Check Speed Bottom Rt. to Run meter for 460V 3 Auger: Fines P/F Switch to On Verify auger operation by observing Recycling shaft rotation 4 Auger: Pellet P/F Switch to On Verify auger operation by observing shaft rotation 5 Pellet Mill Start PM Press Green Start Button 6 Mixer Main Press Green Start Button 7 Air Lock Main Press Green Start Button 8 Blower Main Press Green Start Button 9 Auger: Buffer to Main Press Green Start PM Button 10 Auger: HM to Main Press Green Start Buffer Button 11 Hammer Mill HM Press Green Start Start Button 12 Input Auger Main Press Green Start Button 13 Cooler Floor Main Press Green Start Button 14 Shaker Main Press Green Start Button Pellet Mill will start to turn slowly within 5 sec and then ramp up to speed. At full speed check panel display for current reading ~30-40A. Verify rotation Verify rotation Wait 5 sec to come up to speed Verify rotation Verify rotation Hammer Mill will start to turn slowly within 5 sec and then ramp up to speed. At full speed check panel display for current reading 30-40A. Verify rotation Verify operation Verify operation

14 Button 15 Material Feed Control Main Press Func button three times to display speed. Press Start Button. Rotate speed control knob clockwise until display reads Steam Steam Switch toggle to On position Verify rotation of augers in buffer box. Steam generator will take approximately 10 minutes to come up to temperature. Code: Gen: Generator Control Panel on Generator Assembly, Left Side of Truck Bed (Fig. 11) P/F: Pellet / Fines Control Panel on Left Rear of Trailer (Fig. 12) Main: Main Electrical control panel on Left center of Trailer (Fig. 13) PM: Pellet Mill Control Panel on Left center of Trailer (Fig. 14) HM: Hammer mill Control Left front of Trailer (Fig. 15) Steam: Steam control switch on Middle center of trailer (Fig. 16) Figure 11: Generator Control Panel

15 Figure 12: Pellet Fines Control Panel (cover closed: top, open: bottom)

16 Figure 13: Main Electrical Control Panel Figure 14: Pellet Mill Control Panel

17 Figure 15: Hammer Mill Control Panel Figure 16: Steam Control Switch at upper right on steam generator

18 Section 7 Pellet Production Raw Material Input At this point the system is ready for the introduction of biomass material to start the pelleting process. The raw material and introduction equipment is supplied and controlled by the farmer based on direction from the pellet operator. Typically a conveyor or auger is used for this purpose as shown in Figures below Figure 14: Bales, bedding choppers and conveyor on trailer Figure 15: Bales on truck, bedding chopper and conveyor

19 Figure 16: Conveyor with raw material feeding into Hammermill input auger The PMO (pellet mill operator) signals the FO (farm operator) to slowly start to introduce material into the system. The rate should initially be slow and gradually ramp up. During this period the PMO monitors the current drain on the HM display It will increase from it s unloaded value of 40A up to a maximum of 90A. This will be accompanied by a change in the sound of the HM and the diesel generator as the load increases. The PMO operator will direct the FO as to the maximum material feed rate. Pellet Mill Feed The initial setting of the Material Feed Control allows for a slow introduction of material into the Pellet Mill. This slow rate is needed to allow the pellet die to warm up to operating temperature. This typically takes about 10 minutes and during this period there will be mostly fines and partially formed pellets coming out of the system. As operating temperature is reached, fully formed pellets will come out of the system and the amount of fines will dramatically reduce. This will also be accompanied by a pinging sound produced by the pellets hitting the case of the pellet mill. The PMO watches the amperage of the mill on the control box to determine whether to increase or decrease feed rate. The mill usually starts around 30 amps and gets up to amps at optimal efficiency for this 100 hp motor. The amperage is highly variable, especially during start up. Once settled into its sweet spot it will be more constant, varying five to 15 amps, around a set point. The density and character of the material determines what feed rate achieves this capacity. It takes time for the pellet mill operator to become familiar with pellet mill and its amperage draw. The first 250 to 500 pounds of pellets produced will sometimes be of lower quality due to the fact that the die head was not fully warmed up. If this is the case the material can easily be recycled back through the mill once it is warmed up. Pellets emerge from the die head and are augered to the top of the cooling tower where they are passively cooled using updraft airflow. The operator must monitor pellet temperature. Once pellets are cooled they are dropped through a moving cooler floor that

20 is turned on and off every minutes per batch depending on ambient temperature. Thorough cooling of the pellets is necessary in achieving high quality results. It is not harmful to leave the pellets in the cooler for longer as they cannot be over cooled. However, if pellets are still warm to the touch then they have not been cooled enough and the cooler floor should be turned off to allow for more cooling time. Insufficient cooling may lead to pellets of higher moisture and fragility. The PMO also monitors the produced pellet quality. In some cases with raw material containing a high moisture content, it may be necessary to shut off the steam generator to reduce moisture content in the pellets. Based on our production runs to date, there are some materials such as switchgrass that have proven difficult to pelletize and create a lot of fines. If excessive fines continue after the warm up period, it may be necessary to make a change to the raw material input. For example a blend can be created by alternating bales of two different types of material. As experience is gained with the system it is hoped that a prescreening or sampling technique can be developed to pre-determine whether materials are suitable. High quality pellets tend to have good durability/hardness, a slight sheen and little fines. Hard pellets because of their high density are likely to burn more efficiently and degrade less during handling. If a batch does not satisfy these parameters, the raw material and production method should be revisited. If pellets emerge soft it is likely due to excess moisture and can sometimes be alleviated by blending with drier materials and/or not adding steam. When adjusting parameters we expect the mill to respond immediately and can notice changes within 20 pounds of material passing through. Pellet fines should not exceed 5-10%. Adjusting steam and feed rate appropriately helps to reduce fines in the production process. The operator may switch grasses in the middle of production if he/she adjusts the feed rates and steam to account for the new material s density and moisture. We expect 250 to 500 pounds of pellets (10 to 20 small square bales) to contain a blend of the two materials. Usually these transitional pellets are of fine quality and can used like any other grass pellets. If the materials are of significant difference in character, feed rate and steam must be adjusted to reach high pellet quality production again. Once the mill is up to full capacity it will produce one to two tons per hour. There is no need to stop production for any reason unless a problem is encountered. It is vital to keep the feed into the pellet mill as consistent as possible to obtain optimal efficiency. In steady state mode the PMO continuously monitors and controls the following: 1. Pellet Quality, Temperature and moisture 2. Amount of fines 3. PM operating current 4. HM operating current

21 5. General Observation of FO input activities 6. General Observation of FO pellet bagging activities. Pellet Bagging and Storage: The pellets come out of a manually controlled gate valve at the rear of the trailer. The Farm Operator is responsible for handling and storage of the pellets. Options include small bags (~40-80 lbs), large bags (~1000lbs), or conveyance into bulk storage. A typical example showing pellets being loaded into small bags by the farm operator is shown in Figure 17. Figure 17: Pellet bagging All phases of pellet production are shown in the video on the Orange County Soil & Water Conservation District Web Site:

22 Section 8: Shut Down Procedures At the end of production, the pellet mill operator shall instruct the farm operator to stop introducing raw material into the system. After 1 or 2 minutes, the input auger and hammermill should be cleared out. This can be verified by checking that the current reading on the hammermill control panel has returned to the unloaded value of~40a. The sound will also change back to the unloaded value. At this point the Red Input auger Stop button on the main panel should be pressed. (Figure 13). The Steam Generator should also be shut off at this time (Figure 16) by flipping the toggle switch to the off position. The Hammermill should then be stopped by pressing the Red Stop button on the HM Control Panel (Figure 15) At this point the HM will start to slow down and will coast to a stop in about 5 minutes. When the HM has stopped rotating, the red stop button on the main panel (figure 13) for the HM to Buffer Auger should be pressed. The fines return auger switch on the rear panel (Figure 12) should also be shut off at this time. While the HM is slowing down, the buffer tank will be continuing to unload through the system. When the buffer is empty, the sound of the mill will change and the current will drop to it s unloaded value of 30-40A. To verify that the buffer box is completely empty, the buffer speed control should be turned up to it s maximum speed to clear out any residual material in the system. After approximately 30 sec, the buffer box can be stopped by hitting the stop button on the speed control located on the main panel (Figure 13). At this point, the Buffer to PM Auger and Conditioner red stop switches can be activated on the main panel to shut off these units. With the pellet mill still running, it is important to introduce a material to coat the die surface. Based on input from feed mill operators, one suitable material is oats that have been coated in light oil. This serves to fill up the die with a non-corrosive material to protect it against rust and also ease start up for the next production run. Approximately two pounds of the coated oats are introduced by slowly pouring them in through the inspection door on the pellet mill. At this point the Pellet Mill can be shut down by pressing the red stop button on the Pellet Mill Control Panel (Figure 14). The Pellet mill will start to slow down and come to a stop within a minute. The Auger from the Pellet Mill to the Cooling Tower can then be stopped by turning off the auger switch on the Pellet fines control panel (Figure 12). The operator will then check the cooler output and bagging operation. All pellets should be allowed to leave the cooler in order to avoid clogging from overnight moisture. When the pellet flow has stopped and the farm operator has completed removal of the pellets

23 from the screen, the Red Stop Push buttons on the main panel (Figure 13) for the Blower, Air Lock, Cooler Floor and Shaker Floor can be activated which will stop these components. At this point, all components on the pelleting trailer should be stopped. As a double check, the PMO will verify that each component is stopped by visually checking. With all components verified as stopped, the Generator speed switch on the Generator Panel (Figure 11) should be switched from the Run to the Idle position. The generator should be allowed to cool down by running in the idle mode for 5 minutes and then can be shut off by moving the control switch to Off. While the generator is cooling down, the PMO should shut off the water supply to the Steam Generator and drain the tank by opening the drain valve at the bottom of the steam generator. (Figure 16). If freezing weather is expected before the next use, the input water filter to the steam tank should also be drained. At this point, the operator should inspect the system and clean any loose material from the trailer or truck bed to prepare it for transport.

24 Section 9: Evaluation At the completion of the days pelleting, the PMO and a representative of the County Soil and Water District will meet with the farm representative and review the pelleting activities. This information will be documented on the form shown in Appendix 4. Pellets Made -Record quantity of raw material used (e.g. x bales of y lbs ) -Record quantity of pellets made (e.g. x bags of y lbs) -Obtain 2 small bags as sample for potential testing -Narrative of any problems encountered / adjustments required Farm Operator Assessment. -Farmer contribution hours -Farmer fuel usage (estimate) -Estimated value of raw material -Estimated value of pellets -Plans for pellet use -Were expectations met? -Suggested changes -Future plans for pelleting (eg. Dates, quantity, type of material) Business Assessment -Truck mileage -Operator hours -Generator Fuel usage and engine hours -Other consumables (oats, bags, etc) Maintenance Items needed

25 HVGE Pellet Operators Manual Appendicies 1. Farm Pre-Assessment Checklist 2. HAZOP analysis 3. Evaluation Summary

26 Appendix 1: Farm Pre-Assessment Checklist Farm Name Address Contact Person Home/business/cell / / Physical Have you had a tractor-trailer onsite previously? Yes No Width: Height: of access road, driveway (consider overhead wires, trees, etc) Turning radius: Planned location for pelleter setup: Surface conditions of access road: Sketch or GoogleEarth Map: Raw Material Location of storage Format (loose, small bales, etc) and particle size Quality (1st, 2nd, mulch) Leaching? Type Switchgrass Reed Canary Mixed hay Other: Quantity = tons or bales Blends/binders? Corn stalks Soybean stubble Other:

27 Pellets Planned storage (e.g. pile, grain bin, large bags, etc): Location: Planned Utilization: Equipment availability Bale chopper, model: Tub Grinder, model: Elevator/Conveyor, type/height: Tractor to run bale chopper (min hp), PTO? Y / N Tractor with loader able to handle large bales TMR Mixer, Type: Facilities Available Water connection / hose to reach 110 v. electric to run any farm supplied equipment Availability of diesel fuel on-site Secure storage for multi day use Labor availability Can load raw material and remove and handle pellets? Y / N Who? Scheduling: Estimated total hours required; Preferred dates: Time of day

28 Hazard and Operational Analysis of the Hudson Valley Grass Energy Mobile Grass Pelleting Mill August 5, 2011 By James Carrabba Agricultural Safety Specialist New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) One Atwell Rd Cooperstown, NY (800) Ext 239 This hazard and operations analysis was conducted at a site in Orange County on August 5, Mr. Kevin Sumner of the Hudson Valley Grass Energy project requested that I perform this analysis. During this observation, the complete operation of the pellet mill was explained to me and I was able to see it in operation for approximately 20 minutes. A malfunction occurred to the airlock at the base of the cyclone which resulted in an extended shut down of the mill for repairs

29 Observations for the Grass Pelleting Mill Figure 1 Major Components Main Potential Hazards with the Grass Pellet Mill: Rotating machinery (Augers, Belts, Pulleys) Electrical Hazards Noise Respiratory hazards from dust Thermal burns from hot points Fire hazards from accumulated chaff Road transport Muscular-skeletal injuries from handling bags of pellets Rotating Machinery There are multiple augers belts and pulleys on this machine. All of these components below eight feet in height were properly shielded except for one area at the cyclone airlock motor. A shield needs to be fabricated and installed on a pulley motor located below the cyclone at the airlock. Mr. Sumner was aware that this belt was exposed and plans are in place to install a shield over this belt and the motor pulleys

30 Figure 2 Unguarded belt & pulley below cyclone All of the other rotating components below eight feet were properly shielded. Figure 3 Example of proper guarding in place - 3 -

31 Figure 4 Proper shielding in place Electrical System The electrical system for this unit could be a potential hazard if safe operating procedures are not followed. Written lockout-tagout procedures should be developed for the mill and incorporated into the operators manual. Currently, if a problem is encountered, the entire unit is shut down and the genset is shut off before any repairs are attempted. This should be written into the lockout-tagout procedures. All machine components need to be brought to neutral energy state. Operators must check to see that there is no stored energy in any of the machine components prior to attempting any repairs. Controls should be locked out whenever possible or tagged out if it is not possible to lock out controls. The electrical panel was designed and manufactured by an electrical panel manufacturer. It is sealed to be weather resistant. The panels are kept locked and the key for the panel is kept in the towing truck. The panel can only be opened by the lock handle and shutting off the power at the same time

32 Figure 5 Unlocking and opening the electrical panel. The bottom handle is a power shutoff. Both must be turned simultaneously to unlock and open the panel Figure 6 Fuses and breakers were labeled inside the panel - 5 -

33 Figure 7 Electrical switches for components were well-marked Two emergency shut-off switches were present on the machine. These were located at the midpoint of the mill trailer with one, red emergency stop switch located on each side of the unit. The switches were labeled as emergency stop switches. It might be advantageous to place a more prominent label or sign at each of the emergency stop switches. Figure 8 Emergency stop switches in the mid point of the trailer - 6 -

34 Figure 9 Electrical shut off switch located at the hammermill. If this shield is removed, power is shut down Noise The noise level of the grass pellet mill is very loud. The unit is powered by a 425HP, 280KW genset on the bed of a flat bed towing truck. Individuals working near this machine will need to use hearing protection or they will suffer hearing damage. All workers present during this observation wore hearing protection. There were labels on the unit in conspicuous locations warning that hearing and eye protection should be worn. Figure 10 Warning labels were present - 7 -

35 In addition to hearing protection, it is advisable to use eye protection that meets ANSI Z87.1 standards. The potential for thrown objects with this unit is probably low, but could be possible if a machine component should break. Respiratory Hazards When the mill is in operation dust and chaff is generated. Operators could protect themselves from this hazard by using properly fitting, N95 two-strap disposable respirators. The operators present during this observation were using these types of respirators. These respirators will not provide protection if the operator has a beard or facial hair. Placement of the unit to take advantage of prevailing winds could help protect workers from dust. Hot Point Hazards There were several hot points that could cause thermal burns if contacted. These were a cast iron steam pipe running from the steam generator to the pellet mill, the aluminum housed auger running from the pellet mill to the top of the cooling tower, and the genset engine. The genset engine is mounted on the back of the towing truck, with the truck bed being 4 feet off of the ground. Workers normally would not be working around the genset engine while it is in operation, but may be near it when performing maintenance on the genset and could potentially contact hot parts of the engine. The genset engine should be allowed to cool prior to performing any maintenance or repairs. Figure 11 Genset on the bed of the towing truck Falls could be possible off the bed of the genset towing truck. A railing should be installed around the edge of the truck bed to prevent falls off of the bed when servicing the genset. A longer ladder could be attached to the truck bed to facilitate safer access to the truck bed

36 Figure 12 A prominent warning label was placed on this auger housing during this observation The steam generator was positioned in the center of the trailer to keep it out of proximity of workers around the trailer. There is a cast iron pipe leading from this unit to the pellet mill. A warning label should be placed near this pipe. If possible, the pipe should be insulated or enclosed to prevent workers from inadvertently contacting it and getting burned. Figure 13 Steam generator and hot steam pipe located at center of trailer. The pipe should be marked with a warning sign or covered with insulation or an enclosure to prevent contact with it Fire Hazards A fire hazard could exist from the large amount of accumulated hay and chaff which builds up on the unit during operation. Loose hay and chaff which falls onto the unit should be cleaned up at the end of each production run. If compressed air is used to clean off this material, proper safety procedures should be followed. Air compressor nozzles need to be regulated down to 30 psi and workers need to wear eye protection. Properly charged ABC fire extinguishers need to be kept on the unit. There were two 10 lb ABC extinguishers on the unit when this observation was conducted. One extinguisher needed to be recharged. The extinguishers should be checked weekly to insure they are fully charged

37 Figure 14 Loose hay building up on the front of the unit Figure 15 Extinguisher in need of being recharged Road Transport Prior to transport, the driver needs to do a thorough pre-trip inspection of the towing truck and trailer unit. The driver should check all fluid levels, tires, brakes, and lights. Tie downs on the trailer unit should be checked. All components are bolted to the trailer but additional ratcheting tie downs were observed on unit components as well. Currently, a very thorough project preassessment is conducted prior to bringing the unit to the host site. This is to make sure the safety of the site is addressed prior to bringing the unit there. The towing truck had a USDOT number on the cab doors but the name of the organization also needs to be displayed on the cab doors

38 Figure 16 Example of chain binders and strap tie downs on unit components Muscular Skeletal Injuries from Pellet Bag Handling In most cases, the finished pellets unload from the shaker into feed or grain bags. Handling these bags could pose a risk to workers if the bags are loaded too heavy or improper lifting procedures are used. The bags should be kept around 50lbs. in weight. It might be possible to use tractor loader buckets or other types of material handling equipment to move loaded bags. In some instances, pellets are loaded in to large handling bags which are moved with loader tractors. This option would prevent workers from physically handling the loaded bags. Figure 17 Finished pellets being loaded into a bag

39 Appendix 3: Evaluation Form Need formatting but should include following information: Farm Name Address Contact Person Home/business/cell / / Dates for Pelleting: Pellets Made -Record quantity of raw material used (e.g. x bales of y lbs ) -Record quantity of pellets made (e.g. x bags of y lbs ) -Obtain 2 small bags as sample for potential testing -Narrative of any problems encountered / adjustments required Farm Operator Assessment. -Farmer contribution hours -Farmer fuel usage (estimate) -Estimated value of raw material -Estimated value of pellets -Plans for pellet use -Were expectations met? -Suggested changes -Future plans for pelleting (eg. Dates, quantity, type of material) Business Assessment -Truck mileage -Operator hours -Generator Fuel usage and engine hours -Other consumables (oats, bags, etc) Maintenance Items needed