Storage of Aspen Whole-Tree Chips under Laboratory Conditions.

Screened aspen clean-wood chips and unscreened aspen whole-tree chips were stored in insulated boxes supplied with humidified air. Two series of tests were made one with a single box of clean-wood chips and two boxes of whole-tree chips, all stored for 96 days the other with two boxes of each type of chips, each box containing three weight loss sample bags, and all stored for 180 days. Similar temperature profiles for the first 96 days of storage were obtained in both series. Cleanwood chip temperatures were never more than 14 F -- and usually less than 7 F -- above ambient, whereas the whole-tree chip temperatures reached 42 F above ambient much of the time during the first 85 days of storage. Weight losses of ovendry wood substance averaged 3 percent for the clean-wood chips and 19 percent for the whole-tree chips after 180 days of storage. Author