CEN/TC 335/WG 4 - Physical and Mechanical Test Methods

This Technical Report specifies a method for the determination of the size distribution of particulate biofuels by the rotary screen method. The method described is meant for particulate biofuels only, namely materials that either have been reduced in size, such as most wood fuels, or are physically in a particulate form e.g. olive stones, nutshells, grain, etc. This document applies to particulate uncompressed fuels with a nominal top size of 3,15 mm and over, e.g. wood chips, hog fuel, olive stones, etc.

This document specifies a method for the determination of the characteristic temperatures for the ash melting behaviour of solid biofuels.

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of the gross calorific value of a solid biofuel at constant volume and at the reference temperature 25 °C in a bomb calorimeter calibrated by combustion of certified benzoic acid.
The result obtained is the gross calorific value of the analysis sample at constant volume with all the water of the combustion products as liquid water. In practice, biofuels are burned at constant (atmospheric) pressure and the water is either not condensed (removed as vapour with the flue gases) or condensed. Under both conditions, the operative heat of combustion to be used is the net calorific value of the fuel at constant pressure. The net calorific value at constant volume may also be used; formulae are given for calculating both values.
General principles and procedures for the calibrations and the biofuel experiments are presented in the main text, whereas those pertaining to the use of a particular type of calorimetric instrument are described in Annexes A to C. Annex D contains checklists for performing calibration and fuel experiments using specified types of calorimeters. Annex E gives examples to illustrate some of the calculations.

This European Standard describes the method for determining the particle density of compressed fuels such as pellets or briquettes. Particle density is not an absolute value and conditions for its determination have to be standardised to enable comparative determinations to be made.
NOTE   Particle density is subject to variation due to the susceptibility of organic material to environmental or technical impacts such as air humidity, vibration, abrasion or biodegradation. Particle density can therefore vary during time, thus the measured values should be regarded as a momentary fuel property.

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of the size distribution of particulate biofuels by the vibrating screen method. The method described is meant for particulate biofuels only, namely materials that either have been reduced in size, such as most wood fuels, or are physically in a particulate form. This document applies to particulate uncompressed fuels with a nominal top size of 3,5 mm and below (e.g. sawdust).

This European Standard aims at defining the requirements and method used to determine the particle size distribution of disintegrated pellets. It is applicable for pellets, which disintegrate in hot water at a temperature below 100 °C. It is intended for persons and organisations that manufacture, plan, sell, erect or use machinery, equipment, tools and entire plants related to fuel pellets, and to all persons and organisations involved in producing, purchasing, selling and utilising fuel pellets.

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of the size distribution of particulate biofuels by the horizontally oscillating screen method. It applies to particulate uncompressed fuels with a nominal top size of 1 mm and above as e.g. wood chips, hog fuel, olive stones, etc.

This European Standard defines the requirements and method used for testing the mechanical durability of briquettes. It is applicable to persons and organisations that manufacture, plan, sell, erect or use machinery, equipment, tools and entire plants related to such briquettes, and to all persons and organisations involved in producing, purchasing, selling and utilising briquettes.
The durability is the measure of the resistance of densified fuels towards shocks and/or abrasion as a consequence of handling and transportation processes.

This European Standard aims to define the requirements and method used for testing the mechanical durability of pellets. It is intended for persons and organisations that manufacture, plan, sell, erect or use machinery, equipment, tools and entire plants related to such pellets, and to all persons and organisations involved in producing, purchasing, selling and utilising pellets.
The durability is the measure of the resistance of densified fuels towards shocks and/or abrasion as a consequence of handling and transportation processes.

This European Standard describes a method of determining bulk density of solid biofuels by the use of a standard measuring container. This method is applicable to all solid biofuels with a nominal top size of maximum 100 mm.
Bulk density is not an absolute value, therefore conditions for its determination have to be standardised in order to gain comparative measuring results.
NOTE 1   The nominal top size is defined as the aperture size of the sieve where at least 95 % by mass of the material passes (see CEN/TS 15149-1).
NOTE 2   Bulk density of solid biofuels is subject to variation due to several factors such as vibration, shock, pressure, biodegradation, drying and wetting. Measured bulk density can therefore deviate from actual conditions during transportation, storage or transhipment.

This European Standard aims at defining the requirements and method used to measure the share of oversized pellets and the average length of pellets. It is intended for persons and organisations that manufacture, plan, sell, erect or use machinery, equipment, tools and entire plants related to fuel pellets, and to all persons and organisations involved in producing, purchasing, selling and utilising fuel pellets.

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of ash content of all solid biofuels (CEN/TS 14588).

This European Standard aims to define the requirements and method used to determine the volatile matter content of solid biofuels. It is intended for persons and organisations that manufacture, plan, sell, erect or use machinery, equipment, tools and entire plants related to solid biofuels, and to all persons and organisations involved in producing, purchasing, selling and utilising solid biofuels.
The volatile matter content is determined as the loss in mass, less that due to moisture, when solid biofuel is heated out of contact with air under standardized conditions.

This European Standard describes the method of determining the moisture in the analysis sample by drying the sample in an oven. It is intended to be used for general analysis samples according to CEN/TS 14780. The method described in this document is applicable to all solid biofuels.
NOTE   The term moisture content when used with biomass materials can be misleading since untreated biomass frequently contains varying amounts of volatile compounds (extractives) which may evaporate when determining the moisture content of the general analysis sample by oven drying (see Bibliography).
Since small particle size biofuels are very hygroscopic, their moisture content will vary with change of humidity of the atmosphere and therefore the moisture of the analyses sample should always be determined simultaneously when portions are weighed out for other analytical determinations, for example calorific value, carbon, nitrogen.

This European Standard describes the method of determining the total moisture content of a sample of solid biofuels by drying in an oven and may be used when the highest precision is not needed, e.g. for routine production control on site. The method described in this document is applicable to all solid biofuels.
The total moisture content of biofuels is not an absolute value and conditions for its determination have to be standardised to enable comparative determinations to be made.  
NOTE   The term moisture content, when used with biomass materials, can be misleading since untreated biomass frequently contains varying amounts of volatile compounds (extractives) which may evaporate when determining moisture content by oven drying.

This European Standard describes the method of determining the total moisture content of a sample of solid biofuels by drying in an oven and should be used when high precision of the determination of moisture content is necessary. The method described in this document is applicable to all solid biofuels.
The total moisture content of biofuels is not an absolute value and conditions for its determination have to be standardised to enable comparative determinations to be made.
NOTE   The term moisture content when used with biomass materials can be misleading since untreated biomass frequently contains varying amounts of volatile compounds (extractives) which may evaporate when determining moisture content by oven drying (see Bibliography).

This Technical Specification specifies a method for the determination of the size distribution of particulate biofuels by the rotary screen method. The method described is meant for particulate biofuels only, namely materials that either have been reduced in size, such as most wood fuels, or are physically in a particulate form e.g. olive stones, nutshells, grain etc. This document applies to particulate uncompressed fuels with a nominal top size of 3,15 mm and over, e.g. wood chips, hog fuel, olive stones etc.

This Technical Specification describes the method for determining the particle density of compressed fuels such as pellets or briquettes. Particle density is not an absolute value and conditions for its determination have to be standardised to enable comparative determinations to be made.
NOTE Particle density is subject to variation due to the susceptibility of organic material to environmental or technical impacts such as air humidity, vibration, abrasion or biodegradation. Particle density can therefore vary during time, thus the measured values should be regarded as a momentary fuel property.

This Technical Specification specifies a method for the determination of the size distribution of particulate biofuels by the oscillating screen method. The method described is meant for particulate biofuels only, namely materials that either have been reduced in size, such as most wood fuels, or are physically in a particulate form, e.g. olive stones, nut shells, grain, etc. This document applies to particulate compressed and uncompressed fuels with a nominal top size of 3,15 mm and over,e.g. wood chips, hog fuel, olive stones etc.

This Technical Specification specifies a method for the determination of the size distribution of particulate biofuels by the oscillating screen method. The method described is meant for particulate biofuels only, namely materials that either have been reduced in size, such as most wood fuels, or are physically in a particulate form. This document applies to particulate fuels with a nominal top size less than 3,15 mm (e.g. sawdust).

This working document aims to define the requirements and method used for testing the mechanical durability of pellets. It is intended for persons and organisations that manufacture, plan, sell, erect or use machinery, equipment, tools and entire plants related to such pellets, and to all persons and organisations involved in producing, purchasing, selling and utilising pellets.
The durability is the measure of the resistance of densified fuels towards shocks and/or abrasion in consequence of handling and transportation processes.

This Technical Specification specifies a method for the determination of the gross calorific value of a solid biofuel at constant volume and at the reference temperature 25 °C in a bomb calorimeter calibrated by combustion of certified benzoic acid.
The result obtained is the gross calorific value of the analysis sample at constant volume with all the water of the combustion products as liquid water. In practice, biofuels are burned at constant (atmospheric) pressure and the water is either not condensed (removed as vapour with the flue gases) or condensed. Under both conditions, the operative heat of combustion to be used is the net calorific value of the fuel at constant pressure. The net calorific value at constant volume may also be used; formulae are given for calculating both values.
General principles and procedures for the calibrations and the biofuel experiments are presented in the main text, whereas those pertaining to the use of a particular type of calorimetric instrument are described in annexes A to C. Annex D contains checklists for performing calibration and fuel experiments using specified types of calorimeters. Annex E gives examples to illustrate some of the calculations.

This Technical Specification describes a method of determining bulk density of solid biofuels by the use of a standard measuring container. This method is applicable to all solid biofuels with a nominal top size of maximum 100 mm.
Bulk density is not an absolute value, therefore conditions for its determination have to be standardised in order to gain comparative measuring results.
NOTE 1 The nominal top size is defined as the aperture size of the sieve where at least 95 % by mass of the material passes (see normative reference 2a)
NOTE 2 Bulk density of solid biofuels is subject to variation due to several impacts such as vibration, shock, pressure, biodegradation, drying and wetting. Measured bulk density can therefore deviate from practice conditions during transportation, storage or transhipment.

This document specifies the requirements and method used for the determination of volatile matter of solid biofuels. It is intended for persons and organisations that manufacture, plan, sell, erect or use machinery, equipment, tools and entire plants related to solid biofuels, and to all persons and organisations involved in producing, purchasing, selling and utilising solid biofuels.
The volatile matter is determined as the loss in mass, less that due to moisture, when solid biofuel is heated out of contact with air under standardized conditions.

This document specifies a method for the determination of ash content of all solid biofuels (CEN/TS 14588).

This document describes the method of determining the total moisture content of a sample of solid biofuels by drying in an oven and should be used when high precision of the determination of moisture content is necessary. The method described in this document is applicable to all solid biofuels.
The total moisture content of biofuels is not an absolute value and conditions for its determination have to be standardised to enable comparative determinations to be made.  
NOTE  The term moisture content when used with biomass materials can be misleading since untreated biomass frequently contains varying amounts of volatile compounds (extractives) which may evaporate when determining moisture content by oven drying.

This document describes the method of determining the total moisture content of a sample of solid biofuels by drying in an oven and may be used when the highest precision is not needed e.g. for routine production control on site. The method described in this document is applicable to all solid biofuels.
The total moisture content of biofuels is not an absolute value and conditions for its determination have to be standardised to enable comparative determinations to be made.  
NOTE The term moisture content when used with biomass materials can be misleading since untreated biomass frequently contains varying amounts of volatile compounds (extractives) which may evaporate when determining moisture content by oven drying.

This document describes the method of determining the moisture in the analysis sample by drying the sample in an oven. It is intended to be used for general analysis samples according to prCEN/TS 14780. The method described in this document is applicable to all solid biofuels.
NOTE The term moisture content when used with biomass materials can be misleading since untreated biomass frequently contains varying amounts of volatile compounds (extractives) which may evaporate when determining the moisture content of the general analyses sample by oven drying.  
Since biofuels in small particle size are very hygroscopic, their moisture content will vary with change of humidity of the atmosphere and therefore, the moisture of the analyses sample should always be determined simultaneously when portions are weighed out for other analytical determinations, for example calorific value, carbon, nitrogen.