The initial moisture content of the rice straw and the
amount of water added during pelletization were important
factors affecting the yield ratio and LHV of rice straw pellets.
This study identified the optimal initial moisture content to
be between 13% and 20%.
(2) With an initial moisture content of 15% and forming temperatures
of 60 or 80 C, rice straw pellets were formed with a
high yield ratio and high durability. In particular, the durability
of rice straw pellets produced under these conditions
corresponded to the quality standard of wood pellets in
Japan.
(3) The particle size, which ranged from 5 to 20 mm in this
study, did not significantly affect the yield ratio or durability,
compared with the initial moisture content and the forming
temperature. In terms of time required for shredding, a
shredded particle size of 10–20 mm was sufficient.
Acknowledgments