Peanut Shell Corn Cob Pellet Production Line In South Africa

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oVERVIEW

This is a peanut shell corn cob pellet production line in South Africa project, and it is also the largest pellet processing project we are doing in South Africa. The project mainly uses agricultural waste such as peanut shells and corn cobs as the main raw materials. In addition to agricultural waste, customers also supplement wood waste as raw material.

The pellets processed by this project will be used as fuel for industrial boilers. The labor quota of this project is 6 people, working 240 days a year (from October to May of the following year), with a single shift system and 12 hours per shift.

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Project composition

This peanut shell corn cob pellet production line in South Africa project uses existing buildings and builds a new raw material plant. The total construction area after completion is 2030m2. The composition of this project is detailed in the table below.

Engineering category	Single Engineering	Engineering content
Main Engineering	Production workshop	Located on the east side of the factory, with a construction area of ​​750m2, 2 production lines are built, with an annual output of 15,000 tons of corn cob biomass pellets and 5,000 tons of peanut shell biomass pellets
Auxiliary Engineering	Office	Located on the south side of the factory, with a construction area of ​​600m2
Public Engineering	Water supply	Water is supplied by regional tap water Pipeline supply
	Drainage	Domestic sewage is discharged into anti-seepage dry toilets and regularly pumped out for use as farm fertilizer
	Power supply	The power supply comes from the local power grid
Environmental Protection Engineering	Wastewater	Domestic sewage is discharged into anti-seepage dry toilets and regularly pumped out to make farmyard manure
	Waste gas	The dust from the production process is discharged through the exhaust pipe after dust removal, and a small amount of dust is discharged in an unorganized form
	Noise reduction measures	Purchase low-noise equipment, take measures such as shock absorption and shock absorption pads, and set up soundproof rooms
	Solid waste	Domestic garbage is temporarily stored in garbage bins and handled uniformly by the sanitation department; recycled dust is reused in production
Storage And Transportation Engineering	Raw materials	are stored in the raw material plant, with a maximum stack height of 3m, a storage period of about 50 days, a building area of ​​500m2, located on the north side of the plant
	Products	are stored in the warehouse, with a building area of ​​180m2, located on the northeast side of the plant

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Main products and production capacity

The construction scale of this peanut shell corn cob pellet production line in South Africa project is to produce 20,000 tons of biomass pellet fuel annually. The main products, production capacity and product standards are detailed in the table below.

Number	Name of main production unit	Name of main process	Name of production facility	Product name	Production scale t/a	Designed production time
1	Corn cob biomass pellet production line	Feeding, granulation	Pulverizer	Corn cob biomass pellet	15000	2880h
			Conveyor
			agri pellet machinery
2	Peanut shell biomass pellet production line	Feeding, crushing, granulation	Conveyor	Peanut shell biomass pellets	5000	2880h
			agriculture pellet machine

Product name	Production scale t/a	Total moisture%	Ash%	Sulfur%	Volatile matter%	Low calorific value MJ/kg	Specifications	Packaging
Peanut shell biomass pellets	5000	10.8	5.9	0.01	71.95	17.73	Φ8mm, length 3cm	40kg/bag
Corn cob biomass pellets	15000	9.5	4.8	0.05	68.1	21.41

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Main raw and auxiliary materials and their usage

The main raw and auxiliary materials and their usage of this peanut shell corn cob pellet production line in South Africa project are detailed in the table below:

No.	Raw Material Name	Amount t/a	Maximum Storage Capacity	Remarks
（1）	Raw Materials
1	Peanut Shell (Moisture Content 17-23%)	5553.91	1000t	Purchased Locally
2	Corn Cob (Moisture Content 17-23%)	16671.505	3000t	Purchased Locally
（2）	Power consumption
1	Water	72		Town tap water

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Process design

Based on the customer’s raw materials, plant structure and size, we customized the processing technology of biomass pellets for the customer and provided a full set of equipment layout. The process flow of this peanut shell corn cob pellet production line in South Africa project is as follows:

This biomass pellet mill plant project uses corn cobs for crushing and granulation to produce biomass pellets. The moisture content of the raw corn cobs is 17-23%. The raw materials with a moisture content of 20% higher are naturally dried. According to the customer’s needs, no dryer is configured.

The process does not involve screening and no binder is added. The specific production process is: the corn cobs are loaded onto the upper hopper by a forklift, crushed first, and then conveyed to the granulator by a conveyor. After granulation, they are finished biomass pellets. The products are not packaged and are directly loaded and sold to the outside.

This biomass pellet plant project uses peanut shells to granulate biomass pellets. The moisture content of the raw peanut shells is 17-23%. No drying is required. The process does not involve screening, crushing, or adding binders.

The specific production process is: the forklift loads the peanut shells onto the upper hopper, and the conveyor conveys them to the pelletizer. After granulation, the finished biomass pellets are obtained. The products are not packaged but directly loaded onto trucks for external sales.

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Main pellet production equipment

This peanut shell corn cob pellet production line in South Africa project will build two biomass pellet production lines, one for corn cob biomass pellets and the other for peanut shell biomass pellets. The main production equipment is detailed in the table below.

No.	Equipment Name	Facility Parameters	QTY
（1）	Peanut shell pellet production line
1	Upper hopper	/	1
2	Conveyor	Design capacity 2t/h	2
3	Peanut shell pelletizer	Design capacity 2t/h	2
4	Forklift	/	1
（2）	Corn cob pellet production line
1	Upper hopper	/	1
2	Crusher	Design capacity 8t/h	1
3	Conveyor	Design capacity 4t/h	2
4	Corn cob pelletizer	Design capacity 4t/h	2
5	Forklift	/	1
Total			13

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What is the prospect of developing peanut shell pellet production line and corn cob pellet production line in South Africa?

The prospect of developing peanut shell corn cob pellet production line in South Africa is generally optimistic, but there are also some challenges. The following is a specific analysis:

1. Market prospects

(1) Energy demand

• Clean energy demand growth: South Africa is gradually reducing its dependence on coal and promoting the development of renewable energy. As a clean energy, the market demand for biomass pellets is expected to grow.
• Rural energy demand: Rural areas in South Africa still rely on traditional fuels (such as wood). As an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative, biomass pellets have great market potential.

(2) Policy support

• Renewable energy policy: The South African government has formulated renewable energy targets (such as Integrated Resource Plan, IRP) to encourage the development of biomass energy.
• Carbon reduction commitment: South Africa is a signatory to the Paris Agreement and is committed to reducing carbon emissions. As a carbon-neutral energy source, biomass pellets may receive policy support.

(3) Export potential

• International market: Biomass pellets produced in South Africa can be exported to Europe, Asia and other regions with strong demand for biomass pellets.
• Price competitiveness: South Africa has a low raw material cost, and the biomass pellets produced have a price advantage in the international market.

2. Raw material supply

(1) Peanut shell and corn cob resources

• Abundant agricultural waste: South Africa is one of the major agricultural countries in Africa, with a large scale of peanut and corn cultivation. As agricultural waste, peanut shells and corn cobs have sufficient raw material supply and low cost.
• Sustainability: Using agricultural waste to produce biomass pellets not only solves the problem of waste disposal, but also creates economic value.

(2) Supply chain construction

• Raw material collection: It is necessary to establish an efficient raw material collection and transportation network to ensure the stability of raw material supply.
• Seasonal impact: Peanut and corn harvesting is seasonal, and raw material storage needs to be reasonably planned.

3. Technology and investment

(1) Technical requirements

• Pellet production technology: Biomass pellet production requires mature equipment and technology, with a large initial investment, but considerable long-term returns.
• Local technical support: South Africa has a certain amount of technical accumulation in the fields of agriculture and energy, and can use international cooperation to improve its technical level.

(2) Investment environment

• Foreign investment policy: South Africa is open to foreign investment and provides tax incentives and investment subsidies, which is conducive to attracting foreign investment.
• Infrastructure: South Africa’s infrastructure is relatively complete, but some areas still need to be improved, especially the power supply and transportation network in rural areas.

4. Competition and challenges

(1) Market competition

• Local competition: There are already some biomass energy companies in South Africa, and market competition may be fierce.
• International competition: Biomass pellets from other countries (such as the United States and Southeast Asia) may have an impact on the local market.

(2) Consumer awareness

• Market education: Some consumers have a low awareness of biomass pellets, and market acceptance needs to be improved through publicity and promotion.
• Initial cost: The use of biomass pellets requires special equipment (such as pellet stoves), and consumers may need to bear a higher initial cost.

5. Sustainable development

(1) Environmental benefits

• Reducing carbon emissions: Biomass pellets, as a clean energy source, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are in line with South Africa’s environmental protection goals.
• Waste utilization: The use of agricultural waste to produce biomass pellets reduces environmental pollution.

(2) Social benefits

• Creating jobs: The production line can create a large number of jobs, especially in rural areas.
• Promoting rural economy: By utilizing agricultural waste, farmers’ income can be increased and rural economic development can be promoted.

6. Risks and responses

(1) Policy risks

• Policy changes: South Africa’s policy environment may be uncertain, and policy trends need to be closely monitored.
• Response measures: Maintain good communication with the government and strive for policy support.

(2) Market risks

• Demand fluctuations: The demand for biomass pellets may be affected by energy prices and seasonal factors.
• Response measures: Diversify sales channels and explore international markets.

There is a bright future for developing peanut shell pellet and corn cob pellet production lines in South Africa, thanks to abundant raw material resources, policy support and market demand. Despite the challenges of competition and infrastructure, the project is expected to succeed through reasonable planning, technology upgrades and market expansion, and contribute to South Africa’s energy transformation and sustainable development.