Why a Multi-bale Handling Unit is Essential for Efficient Feedstock Logistics

摘要

There are several reasons that a multi-bale handling unit is essential for efficient feedstock logistics. The harvesting operation is the most constrained of any operation in the feedstock logistics chain. This constraint is due to the crop calendar (growing season) and weather (field conditions that permit harvest). The entire logistics chain must be organized to maximize productivity of each harvest day. To reduce the cost of in-field transport, storage must located within a given distance of the production field. It will be demonstrated that the productivity of the in-field hauling operation must be equal the baling operation. Using round baler for a feedstock contract reduces the capital investment required to obtain a feedstock contract, and thus increases the potential for small- and intermediate-size farmers to participate in the bioenergy industry. A large central storage is expensive to build (place material into storage) and expensive to operate (remove material from storage). To be efficient (maximize biomass hauled per truck per week), the scheduling has to be under central control and maximized based on available transporters. To achieve this, and thus maximize receiving facility operation, the bio-refinery needs the flow of materialinto the receiving facility to be as constant as possible. The key advantage of the multi-bale handling unit is that the bale stays in the rack until it is unloaded into the initial size-reduction operation at the bio-refinery and eliminates of single bale handling at the bio-refinery.