2. Fuel preparation and properties

2.1 Biomass preparation

Fuels from various sources (forestry, the wood industry, dedicated crops, recycled wood, etc.) have to undergo conditioning operations, generally carried out at the production site or on an intermediate preparation platform, and sometimes even on the boiler plant site itself.

The main operations are :

• collection or harvesting ;

• sorting/separation ;

• grinding (to prepare a fuel suitable for use in boilers) ;

• screening (removal of coarse particles) and dedusting (removal of fine particles);

• drying (in forests, on platforms, in ventilated sheds) and storage...