Forest chip drying in self-heating piles during storage as affected by temperature and relative humidity conditions

Storing is an important part in the value chain of energy use forest chips as severe losses dry mass and content increases greenhouse gas emissions may occur. During storage temperature biomass affecting loss material drying. In a field-scale experiment, we monitored inside two uncovered wood chip piles for 175 days measured gravimetric moisture at beginning end experiment. laboratory drying rate under different relative humidity conditions was determined. We constructed new two-dimensional simulation model where water vapor diffusion within pile, change solved using finite volume method. The determined used source term simulation. results were close agreement with experimental data middle sections whereas not able to describe redistribution pile tails. Modeling revealed that size porosity factors determining drying, which indicates can be controlled by management, such planning dimensions compaction.