Temperature and gas evolution during large scale outside storage of wood chips
- The temperature and gas concentrations in a
newly established pine-wood debris pile of 20 m × 15 m ×
6 m in dimensions (approximately 400 tons of fresh weight
material) were monitored for 150 days. Temperature was
measured at ten different positions within the pile, while
concentrations of CO2, O2, CO and CH4 were taken at four
different representative locations. The pile was characterized
by a strong temperature increase within the first 10–
12 days of storage. Results of the gas analysis in this period
suggest that the temperature increase was caused by microbial
processes. In particular, reduced oxygen concentration
and almost complete absence of methane indicate mainly
aerobic respiration processes. Effects of weather conditions
on the temperature/gas distribution and time evolution are
also discussed in the paper.