Effects of Outside Storage on the Energy Potential of Hardwood Particulate Fuels–Part III: Specific Gravity, Ash Content, and pH of Water Solubles

Approximately 150 tons of green, hardwood whole-tree fuel chips were stored outdoors in a 20-foot-high, conical pile at Blacksburg, Va. The pile was monitored for 1 year to determine the effect of outside storage on the rate of fiber loss, the level of non-combustibles in the fuel, and the pH of water-soluble matter. Chip samples were extracted from within the pile on a regular schedule. Tests for specific gravity, ash content, and pH of water solubles were conducted. At ambient temperatures above 20?C, wood substance loss occurred at a uniform rate of 1.5 percent per month. Ash content increased by 0.23 percentage points per month after the first 4 months of storage. This increased ash content may burden fly ash and grate ash disposal systems unless they are properly designed. The adverse effects of fiber loss and ash content can be virtually eliminated by storage of frozen whole-tree chips.

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