Overview
ISO 17828:2015 - Solid biofuels - Determination of bulk density specifies a standardized method to determine the bulk density of pourable solid biofuels using a standard measuring container. The method applies to materials with a nominal top size up to 100 mm and uses 5 L or 50 L containers to produce comparable results. Because bulk density depends on handling and moisture, ISO 17828 standardizes filling, shock exposure and weighing procedures so measurements are reproducible for quality control, transport planning and commercial transactions.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope: Applies to pourable solid biofuels (nominal top size ≤ 100 mm); excludes large chunk wood, non‑comminuted bark, baled material and large briquettes that cannot be represented by the standard container volumes.
- Measuring containers: Cylindrical, smooth, shock‑resistant, waterproof containers of 5 L (±2%) or 50 L (±2%) with specified height/diameter ratios.
- Filling procedure: Pour sample from 200–300 mm above rim to form a cone, level off with a scantling and remove over‑size particles that block levelling.
- Shock exposure: Controlled compaction simulated by dropping the filled container from 150 mm onto a wooden board three times, then refilling and levelling to account for practical settling/compaction.
- Weighing accuracy: Balance resolution depends on container size (e.g., nearest 1 g for 5 L, 10 g for 50 L).
- Calculations: Bulk density as received = (massfilled − massempty) / container volume. Basic bulk density (dry basis) is calculated from moisture content: Dd = Dar × (100 − M) / 100.
- Moisture: Moisture content must be determined immediately after bulk density test using referenced oven‑dry methods.
- Variability notes: Standard highlights that bulk density changes with vibration, shock, pressure, drying/wetting and biodegradation - measured values may differ from in‑transit or stored conditions.
Applications and users
Who uses ISO 17828:2015:
- Fuel testing and certification laboratories (quality assurance)
- Biomass producers and pellet manufacturers (product specifications)
- Bulk fuel suppliers and traders (billing/volume-to-mass conversions)
- Transport and storage planners (space and load planning)
- Regulators and procurement teams (standardized reporting)
Practical uses:
- Converting delivered volume to mass and energy content (using calorific value)
- Estimating storage and transport capacity
- Quality control and verification of supplied biofuel consignments
- Comparing fuels on a consistent, moisture‑corrected basis
Related standards
- ISO 16559 - Solid biofuels: terminology and definitions
- ISO 18134‑1 / ISO 18134‑2 - Moisture content (oven‑dry methods)
- ISO draft methods for sampling and sample preparation referenced for representative sampling
Keywords: ISO 17828:2015, solid biofuels, bulk density determination, measuring container, biomass fuel, compaction, moisture content, bulk density method.
