How much about cylinder head?
This is theATRD-250E, it is the smallest Ring Die machine I build at this time. If you want to start a small pellet making business, this is my choice for where to start. But only after you have put your time in with a small flat plate pellet mill. This mill is belt driven which means it doesn't come apart at the seams when a nut or bolt shows up in the mixing bowl. Instead the belt starts squeeling and fills the air with acrid smoke, but your mill doesn't usually sustain serious damage.
In a small startup company the extra cost of cylinder head the belts wearing out is a small price to pay for this type of security. Small operations or new operations usually don't have the appropriate equipment to keep the feedstock totally pure. The little tube on the top is called a conditioner. It allows you to add heat, moisture or binding agents if you need them.
This mill is rated at 500 KG (1100 Lbs) per hour for softwood pellets. But that number should be taken with a grain of salt. Your actual production will depend on the type of material being processed. Grasses and spray gun grains are the easiest, wood is harder, and hardwoods are the worst to make into pellets. The skill of the crew in managing particle consistency, and moisture control are the biggest factor in how much production you will achieve. This mill uses only 22KW of 3 phase electric power which makes it very economical to use. The small motor driving the conditioner uses 1.5KW per hour of electricity.
I recommend that you use this mill with a VFD (variable frequency drive) so that you can change the speed of the motor to peak your production. Getting exactly the right speed can make a gigantic difference in the production you achieve with any pellet mill. You are welcome to buy this mill without a motor and supply it yourself. This mill brass valve weighs 550KG (1210 LBS ) with the motor and 430KG (935 lbs) without the motor. Dimensions are 156 X 140 X 129 CM (62 X 55 X 50 Inches). The Die is 250 mm (9.8 inches) in diameter as the model number indicates.
You should figure on changing the expendable die and roller every 21 days of operation assuming an 8 hour workday. Spare dies are $670.00 and spare rollers are $525.00. The drive belts are also expendable but you should have no problem finding them at your local auto parts store. In fact most of the parts that might ever go bad on this machine should be easily sourced at a thermostat local parts supply house or industrial hardware store. If you are not a good wrench, you should either plan on learning to become one, or have one on your payroll. This is good industrial grade machinery but like all machinery it requires maintenance.
















