2 T/H Charcoal Pellet Line
Built to Handle Local Eucalyptus & Coconut Shell Charcoal, Delivering Rock-Solid Pellets with Low Energy Bills
1. Client Background & Core Needs
About the Client
Based in São Paulo, this biomass company makes charcoal pellets for industrial heating, Brazilian-style barbecue (churrasco), and export to Argentina and Paraguay. They move around 120 tons of pellets monthly – but their old setup was a nightmare. It was semi-manual: workers hauled raw materials by hand, mixing was hit-or-miss, and the pellet mill sat idle 8 hours a day because of spotty feeding. In 2023 alone, uneven moisture in pellets caused a 15% cracking rate, and lost production cost them nearly $12,000. They needed a fully automated 2 T/H line that could handle Brazil’s tough local raw materials (eucalyptus charcoal scraps, coconut shell charcoal) and meet strict Brazilian environmental rules.
Their Top 3 Headaches
- Patchy Raw Materials: Local eucalyptus and coconut shell charcoal is all over the map – moisture swings from 18% to 25%, and particle sizes range from 0.5cm to 5cm. Hand mixing didn’t fix the moisture imbalance, so pellets either cracked apart or wouldn’t stick together.
- Feeding Chaos & Low Output: Manual feeding meant the pellet mill starved for material half the time. Their so-called “1.5 T/H” line only cranked out 1.2 T/H max – way short of their 2 T/H target.
- Too Many Workers & Dust Troubles: The old line needed 6 people per shift to feed, mix, and bag. Worse, dust emissions blew past Brazil’s 15mg/m³ limit (per CONAMA Resolution 491/2018), putting them at risk of costly fines.
Non-Negotiable Must-Haves
The new line had to check 4 boxes:
- Capacity: Steady 2 T/H output (no less than 1.9 T/H on busy days).
- Pellet Quality: 95%+ formation rate (no crumbles or cracks); moisture between 8%-10% (perfect for storing and burning).
- Efficiency: Idle time under 3% daily; energy use under 120 kWh per ton.
- Compliance & Labor: Dust under 15mg/m³; cut workers to 3 or fewer per shift.
II. Custom Solution: Built for Brazil’s Unique Needs
We didn’t slap together a generic pellet line – every part was tweaked for Brazil’s raw materials (hard eucalyptus charcoal, fibrous coconut shells) and climate (humid coastal air). The line has 6 core systems, each fixing a specific pain point:
1. Conveying & Mixing: Get Raw Materials Consistent
(1) Screw Elevators: No More Manual Hauling
- Screw Elevators (2 units)
Each has a 5.5kW motor, 6m length, and 2-3 T/H capacity. One lifts raw charcoal from piles to the mixer; the other moves mixed material to the silo. We used wear-resistant manganese steel blades (HRC50+) – critical because eucalyptus charcoal is abrasive and chewed up regular blades in the old setup. These blades last 3x longer, no more frequent replacements.
(2) Horizontal Mixer: Fix Moisture Imbalance
- Horizontal Mixer (Model HJ-2000)
15kW motor, 2 T/H capacity. It has double spiral blades (for thorough mixing) and a adjustable spray humidifier. We set it to lock moisture at 8%-10% – exactly what’s needed for charcoal pellets. No more dry pellets cracking or wet ones clumping – a huge upgrade from hand mixing, which left 15% of pellets useless.
2. Feeding System: Keep the Pellet Mill Happy
- Silo + Variable-Frequency Feeder (Model CL-10)
3kW motor, 2-2.5 T/H feeding speed, 8m³ silo. The silo stores mixed material, and the feeder doles it out at a steady pace – no more starving the pellet mill. A level sensor alerts workers when the silo is low, so they never run out mid-shift. This fixed the old line’s 8 hours of daily idle time – game-changer for output.
3. Pelletizing: The Heart of the Line
- 500-Type Pellet Mill (Model PM-500)
55kW motor, 2-3 T/H capacity, dimensions 1820×920×1730mm. We swapped the standard die for a high-hardness alloy steel one (HRC60+) with 8mm holes – perfect for eucalyptus and coconut shell charcoal’s tough fibers. The dual-roller design cranks up compression, so pellets hold their shape: formation rate hit 95%+ right out of the box (up from 80% before). It’s also compact, fitting the client’s tight workshop space (common for Brazilian SMEs).
4. Cooling & Conveying: No More Waiting
(1) Counterflow Cooler (Model KL-2000)
5.5kW motor, 2-3 T/H capacity. Hot pellets (80-90℃) from the mill hit a stream of cool air, dropping to room temp (≤35℃) in 15 minutes. The old setup used natural cooling – took 2 hours, and 10% of pellets caked together. Now, no caking, no moisture regain, and pellets are ready to bag fast.
(2) Flanged Conveyor Belts (2 units)
Each has a 0.75kW motor, 8m length, 2-3 T/H capacity. Flat belts in the old line spilled pellets everywhere – these have flanges (sides) to keep pellets on track. One moves hot pellets to the cooler; the other takes cooled pellets to packaging. No more wasted product.
5. Packaging: Automated & Accurate
- Big Bag Filler (Weighing + Sewing)
1kW motor, 200 bags/hour (50kg each). It weighs pellets to ±0.2kg, drops them into bags, and sews them shut – all automatic. This replaced 2 manual baggers, cutting down on labor and human error. The dust-proof seal also keeps emissions low during packaging.
6. Electrical Control: One Person Runs the Show
- Big Bag Filler (Weighing + Sewing)
Dimensions 700×400×1500mm, with a PLC touchscreen. Workers can start/stop the whole line, tweak feeding speed, and adjust mixer moisture – all from one panel. It also alarms for overloads or low material, so no one has to hover over every machine. Now, just 3 workers per shift – down from 6.
III. Results: Numbers That Matter for Brazil
The line went live in Q1 2025 and ran nonstop for 3 months, churning through local eucalyptus and coconut shell charcoal. It blew past the client’s expectations:
| Metric | Client Requirement | Actual Performance | What This Means for the Client |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Capacity | ≥2 T/H | 2.0-2.1 T/H | Monthly output hit 144 tons (double their old 72 tons)meets export demand |
| Pellet Formation Rate | ≥95% | ≥97.3% | Waste dropped from 20% to 2.7%- saves 2+ tons of rawmaterial weekly |
| Pellet Moisture | 8%-10% | 8.5%-9.5% | Stable moisture-no more cracked pellets or mold duringstorage |
| Energy per Ton | ≤120 kWh/ton | 108 kWh/ton | Saves 12 kWh/ton-~$1,500/month (Brazil's averageindustrial rate: $0.1 1/kWh) |
| Daily ldle Time | ≤3% | 1.8% | Barely any downtime- production runs smooth from shiftstart to end |
| Dust Emissions | Dust Emissions | ≤12mg/m³ | Meets CONAMA 491/2018-no more fine risks |
Extra Wins for the Brazilian Market
- No imported additives needed: The line handles local raw materials as-is, cutting raw material costs by 8%.
- Won back Argentine clients: Consistent pellet quality landed them a 50-ton/month export order – they’d lost it before due to shoddy manual production.
- Green tax rebate: Low energy use qualified them for Brazil’s 5% tax break on eco-friendly equipment – extra savings on top of lower bills.
IV. Key Custom Tweaks for Brazil
1. Raw Material Toughness
- All parts touching charcoal (screw blades, die) use high-hardness alloys – eucalyptus charcoal is abrasive, and regular steel wears out fast.
- The mixer’s spray humidifier adjusts to Brazil’s humid coastal air, keeping moisture stable even on rainy days.
2. Efficiency & Labor
- Every system (mixing → feeding → pelletizing) is sized for 2-3 T/H – no bottlenecks holding back output.
- Automation is key: Brazil’s labor market is tight, so cutting workers from 6 to 3 makes a huge difference to the bottom line.
3. Compliance & Space
- Dust control meets CONAMA’s strict rules – no fines, no shutdowns.
- Compact layout fits small Brazilian workshops – no need for expensive warehouse expansions.
Adaptable Plant Conditions:
- The customer’s existing production workshop measures 22m x 11m. We designed the production line into an “L-shaped” layout (with the pretreatment-drying section along the 22m long axis and the granulation-post-treatment section along the 11m short axis). This eliminated the need for additional plant expansion and only required the modification of the existing equipment foundation, saving approximately US$120,000 in investment.
V. Client Feedback
“We fought with our old manual line for ages – pellets cracking, machines sitting idle, and way too many workers,” said Carlos Mendes, Operations Manager. “This 2 T/H line is a game-changer. It chews through our local eucalyptus and coconut shell charcoal like a dream, pellets almost never break, and we cut labor costs in half. The $61,000 investment will pay for itself in 8 months. We’re already planning a second line to keep up with export orders!”
– Carlos Mendes, Operations Manager
VI. Who This Works For
This solution is perfect for:
- Brazilian biomass companies using local raw materials (eucalyptus, coconut shell, sugarcane bagasse charcoal).
- Businesses needing 1.5-2.5 T/H capacity, with a focus on pellet quality and low energy bills.
- Teams looking to automate, cut labor, and stay on the right side of Brazil’s environmental laws.
Would you like to tweak the pellet size (e.g., 6mm for churrasco grills) or adapt the line to other local feeds like sugarcane bagasse charcoal? I can fine-tune the technical specs and quotation for you.