Drying saw dust

flyboy16101 · April 04, 2025, 08:19:26 AM

Dose any one have any ideas on drying sawdust, I would like to dry it in the gravity wagon I blow it into from the sawmill for storage if possible. Searching online I come up with the tromel style dryers with a heat source on one end but due to size and indoor space available I'm trying not to do that. I wasn't sure if mixing it and blowing air through it while it mixes would work or not. Im located in western Pennsylvania so humidity is a little bit of an issue. I'm trying to get to around 15% to make wood pellets.

Jeff · April 04, 2025, 08:30:40 AM

Well, I could probably tell you what didn't work. I was a tester for Wood-Mizer' failed Bio-Mizer. A sawdust burning outdoor boiler. It was an interesting experiment, but I am glad it is over. I built a system for trying to dry it with a furnace fan. It just was not an economical advantageous project. Ill see if I can find the post on the dryer.

Jeff · April 04, 2025, 08:33:00 AM

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=33753.0

nopoint · April 07, 2025, 09:59:54 AM

I too don't believe it will work... but... In the world of grain such as oats have had some luck with screw in fans. Fans don't provide heat but do provide more air flow. The other thing that helps is putting a screen of sorts in the door. Helps to provide natural convection. Have to put the screen in before you fill,,, don't forget. Also think about how it will come out. Personally I spread my sawdust on the field and spend my free time cutting a little firewood.

MaineSawyer · July 09, 2025, 05:14:23 PM

What are you using to make the pellets? If it is a gas powered rig or mechanical rig would it dry out the dust for you from frictional heat? Could also use a small IR heater set up away from your gravity rig, no open flame or sparks, then blow it through duct work while you are moving the dust? Just spit balling but be safe. Combustible dust is a real thing and when moving it the fines will get out and build up.

At a factory I used to work at we used over to 60K lbs of dust a day dried in a rotary steam tube dryer to get it as close to 0% as we could before extruding it. Would love to have a small hammer mill style to make dust logs to burn for heat!

K-Guy · July 10, 2025, 09:49:31 AM

There is equipment available already, using a tumbler with fans so it can't settle and cake up but that is all I know about it.

aigheadish · July 11, 2025, 07:19:02 AM

I really have no idea, but what about covering all the holes in a clothes dryer with a fine screen and running it on low heat, or something comparable, and I think I'd do it outside... Ha, @Gary_C mentioned the same thing on the thread Jeff posted.