Densification Process Models and Optimization

Compression tests and models are commonly used to understand the densification characteristics of metal, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and food. Compression models help reveal the behavior of biomass grinds or particles during pelleting and can help to optimize the pressures required to manufacture a quality pellet. Pellets are formed by using either pressure agglomeration or compaction processes in which the particles are bound together with or without binders. The compression models expressing the relationship between pressure and time during the compaction of different raw materials are available in the literature. This chapter will focus on the various compression models and their suitability for different biomass feedstocks. This chapter also focus on how response surface methodology and advanced computational methods can be used for densification process modeling and optimization.