Doing it for the kids
Member
As the tittle suggests, any suggestions welcome!
Any tips on drying wood chip?
- Thread starter Doing it for the kids
- Start date
Doing it for the kids
Member
I was meaning on a drying floor, what RH to set it at etc?
akaPABLO01
Member
Depends on how high you stack it, volume and fan.
Install a drying floor, stack the wood, measure the moisture.
Install a drying floor, stack the wood, measure the moisture.
Doing it for the kids
Member
Wood chip, 1 m deep in a drying floor with 60hp fan.
Wondering what the optimum RH setting is for chip, imagine it's not the same as for wheat!?
Wondering what the optimum RH setting is for chip, imagine it's not the same as for wheat!?
Pilgrimmick
Member
- Location
- Argyll
about 18-20%
Doing it for the kids
Member
Are you referring to MC?
That's being dried to spec, easy enough to test.
What do I set the fans RH to for optimum drying? I imagine about 60% but there will come a point where the extra dryness is not helpful
- Location
- Cumbria
My tip is look very carefully at the Dec 2016 RHI consultation..............
Courier
Member
- Location
- M62 - M1 - M18 triangle
30 months stacked sensibly under an open barn before it gets chipped.....
Pilgrimmick
Member
- Location
- Argyll
I buy my chip in at 18-23% any more than 25% and it will not qualify for RHI payments in my boiler. I have no idea about the drying floor set up, but do not overdry it.
Doing it for the kids
Member
Thanks, ive taken advice on this, we don't really need to do this to top up our tier 1. It's more about using existing staff and infrastucture over the winter months. With the cost of electric now I am not even sure what margin there is yet.
I am just trying to learn the most efficient settings for drying chip.
- Location
- Berkshire
Drying chip is different to grain due to the greater amounts of water being expelled and that you are probably drying in the wetter months of the year.
Forget rh and focus on temperature...
Forget rh and focus on temperature...
Doing it for the kids
Member
Ok thanks, sounds like you have experience, what air temps have you found work best?
- Location
- Berkshire
I would normally put around 60 degrees through, but I'm not drying on floor, I have drying bins running from a L-enz unit drying around 5000m3/yr.
What heat source are you using on the floor, I presume it's from a biomass source ?
From what I understand chip will be more harsh on the floor, wooden floors will take a bit of a hammering with the increased use and heat, depends how much you are planning to dry I guess...
What heat source are you using on the floor, I presume it's from a biomass source ?
From what I understand chip will be more harsh on the floor, wooden floors will take a bit of a hammering with the increased use and heat, depends how much you are planning to dry I guess...
Doing it for the kids
Member
Ok thanks. Oct - April, 5 load a week per side, in theory.
Using straw as a fuel source. I'm not convinced it will stack up but want to give it our best shot.
Hoping to do a pilot next week.
Using straw as a fuel source. I'm not convinced it will stack up but want to give it our best shot.
Hoping to do a pilot next week.
- Location
- Berkshire
What size loads ??
If they are 90m3 walking floors, you will need around 5000 kW per day to stand a chance of drying that amount in a week, can you produce that amount of heat ?
Depends how wet the chip is of course, most of ours is over 50% at the moment.
Hope you've got good ventilation on the building as that's a lot of water being pushed out !!
*edit* not trying to put you off, but it requires lots of energy, let me know how you get on !!
If they are 90m3 walking floors, you will need around 5000 kW per day to stand a chance of drying that amount in a week, can you produce that amount of heat ?
Depends how wet the chip is of course, most of ours is over 50% at the moment.
Hope you've got good ventilation on the building as that's a lot of water being pushed out !!
*edit* not trying to put you off, but it requires lots of energy, let me know how you get on !!
Doing it for the kids
Member
Finally, some figures I can relate too - thank you.
Yes 90m3
We can produce that amount but it will depend on the the heat loads of the rest of the village.
Water extraction is a concern, even with doors open, may have to fit some high level extractors too which I am happy to do if the project stacks up.
Cross about leccy Price hike too, it's a big fan.
Are you drying for third parties? Be curious to know what value this has..
Yes 90m3
We can produce that amount but it will depend on the the heat loads of the rest of the village.
Water extraction is a concern, even with doors open, may have to fit some high level extractors too which I am happy to do if the project stacks up.
Cross about leccy Price hike too, it's a big fan.
Are you drying for third parties? Be curious to know what value this has..
- Location
- East Riding of Yorkshire
From what we have done dry it steadily and not all at once. Do it steadily and it dries more evenly rather than cook it at the bottom as it will need to be moved more.
Doing it for the kids
Member
What depth? Been told a metre is fine, spread out it will not take up much space. Once dry, push to the back and then repeat until full.
turbofarming
Member
We couldn't stack it any higher than about 0.5m when we dry on our floor otherwise the bottom gets all crispy while the top hasnt dried at all.