In recent years a number of formerly coal fired power stations have started to turn to biomass as feedstock in order to improve sustainability of fuel sources. This has resulted in worldwide shipments of wood pellets intended to be burned. Most of these shipments are executed without incident but there are significant hazards associated with the carriage of wood pellets.
The commodity consists of wood fragments/shavings etc compressed into pelletised form. These pellets can include a binder additive but not all wood pellets use binders. Either type can self-heat when in bulk form. The processes involved result in depletion of oxygen in enclosed spaces containing the cargoes and evolution of carbon monoxide – those are hazards associated with the carriage of wood pellets which are noted in the IMSBC Code.
See attached file: Wood pellets and risk of fire.pdf
木屑颗粒及火灾隐患
近年来，为了提高燃料来源的可持续性，以往的一些煤炭发电厂已开始将生物质作为原料。这导致可用作燃料的木屑颗粒在全球范围内运载。此类运输大都没有发生事故，但运输木屑颗粒仍存在重大危害。
此类货物由木屑/刨花等压缩成颗粒状。这些颗粒含有粘合剂，但不是所有的木屑颗粒都添加。不过不论颗粒是否添加粘合剂，在作为散货运输时都可能发生自热。自热过程会使围蔽处所内的氧气耗尽，进而产生一氧化碳 – 在IMSBC规则中提及了运输木屑颗粒可能存在的危险。
详细信息请参阅附件。
