Wood flour: production technology

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Waste products from wood products are widely used in a variety of industries. In crushed form, they have found application in construction, industry and agriculture. At the same time, it is not always the materials obtained as a result of the processing of other products that are used. Thus, wood flour is purposefully produced for subsequent use in specific needs. Another thing is that waste from factories and plants is often used as a raw material for its manufacture. To date, natural raw materials are not the only and uncontested source for the creation of building materials. However, due to its low price and satisfactory performance, shredded wood is more profitable for such purposes than fiberglass products and composites that are now popular.

What is wood flour?

In essence, it is a powder that is produced by grinding sawdust. Traditional flour of this type has a fraction of the order of several microns, however, in some industries, a size is also used that allows particles to be sifted through cells with a diameter of 1.23 mm. The color of the flour may vary depending on the type of wood from which it was made.made. As a rule, chestnut and light amber wood flour is produced. The photo below also shows an example of light-colored softwood flour.

As for the operational properties of this material, it easily absorbs moisture, can be easily packaged in any container, and is not subject to chemical changes, which is why flour can be considered as a natural compound.

Raw materials for manufacturing

The basis for the production of wood flour can be a huge range of materials. One of the main requirements for it is naturalness. That is, if in the processing industry products are treated with chemical compounds with protective functions, then the waste from it cannot be used to make flour. Fractions and forms can be different - sawdust, shavings, lumpy waste from woodworking and wood chips are suitable for use. The fresher the raw material, the better the wood flour will be.

The application of the final product is also determined by the raw materials used. So, for electrode pulp, the performance of flour is not so important, which cannot be said about the requirements for components for mortars, mastics and putties.

Production technology

The process of production of wood flour is included in the group of technological methods for processing vegetable raw materials. The whole procedure involves the implementation of several stages, the basis of which is the processpreparation, mechanical processing, screening and drying. First of all, a raw material base is created, which is sent to the processing shop. Here, wood flour is directly formed from chips or other waste. The production technology, in particular, involves the grinding of raw materials by means of a hammer, knife, finger or rotary mechanism. The choice of one or another manufacturing method is determined by the initial characteristics of the base material and the requirements for the resulting product.

Production equipment

The most popular type of impact crusher in wood flour production is hammer mills. The process of destruction of the structure of the material is realized in the space between the rotor and the sieve-calibrator, from which wood flour with a certain fraction is produced. Most often, this grinding principle is used in enterprises that set the goal of obtaining coarse grinding from mineral raw materials. However, it is quite difficult to create a dispersed powder in this way.

Processing the fibrous and elastic structure of wood in an appropriate way allows a unit operating on the principle of dynamic self-grinding. In this case, dense air currents literally squeeze the particles, resulting in the formation of wood flour. Production according to this technique is advantageous in that after the completion of the working process there is no need for additional measures for cleaning, washing and drying the powder material.

Using wood flour

The material we are considering is used in a variety of fields. As an additive, wood flour has found application in drilling fluids and backfill materials for oil production. As a basis, it is used in the production of wood-polymer composites. In construction, dry mixes and grouts are made from flour. A separate category is putty products, in which this component is introduced as a filler.

It has already been noted that wood flour is also used in agriculture. Application in this area is associated with improving soil fertility. Flour is also used as a means for warming plants - in essence, the same mulching base is obtained.

Conclusion

Today there are no clear standards for the production of flour from wood raw materials. It can be either a powder or a coarse-grained mass, which is used for thermal insulation. At the same time, wood flour is quite suitable for self-production. In addition to high-tech productive units for chopping wood pulp, manufacturers also offer small, compact devices. With the help of such a device, you can prepare the basis for mulching, preparing a putty mixture, and also organize a draining filter with your own hands. After all, do not forget that wood absorbs moisture well. This quality can be useful if it is planned to arrange a septic or sewer system on the site. However, for a one-time use of wood flour, it may not make sense.purchase a special chip-grinding apparatus.