Burning fine materials in bags

[LakeLouiseLocal]

Hi all,

We have a Pacific Energy Alderlea T4.

My husband has been fine burnable materials (needles, wood shavings, wood dust, bark bits (birch, inner and outer) in brown paper bags and burning them like logs for a few years now. Never more than one per load, in amongst the log "cabin" of birch that we burn. We also use a top-down burning technique.

The latest pile of fine materials seems to me (his inestimable wife) to have a lot of material closer to the "dust" end of the scale. It would be about 40-50%, and the rest ranges in size - up to 3-4 inch sized bits of wood and bark.

I am slightly worried about creating an explosion in our stove if we use this new mix of materials in the bags.

In the past, I've filtered out much of this finer material. Now, I'm getting an argument... I mean discussion.

I would appreciate comments about the use of the bags in general, and, the safety of this fine material.

all the best from Lake Louise.

 

[macattack_ga]

burning paper bags filled with wood chips? I don't think there is an explosion risk.

 

[branchburner]

I've been doing the exact same thing for a few years, filling brown paper bags about 1/4 to 1/3 full and burning them like log. I don't think removing the finer, powdery stuff matters. And ... sorry about this... neither does my wife.

 

[ToltingColtAcres]

I am slightly worried about creating an explosion in our stove if we use this new mix of materials in the bags.

does the fine material include black power, blasting caps, or pyrodex?

 

[Cynnergy]

You could always mix it with melted wax and make fire starters out of it. I make my own and they're pretty good.

Why are you concerned about explosions? Have you had any before? The only thing I could think of is if your draft stalls a bit on lighting the bag, you could end up with a lot of unburnt gasses in the firebox if that material was all smouldering at once. Once it does light off, it could go with a whoosh. I think the term for that here is back puffing. Do a search and you'll get lots of info. If you have a proper install, I think it should still be safe if it were to happen, but it is a bit unnerving.

 

[PWash]

common wheat flour or powdered sugar will explode if atomized in the air, happens in farm silos sometimes. you can try burning off your eyebrows by blowing a handful of flour into a candle.
wood fines in a bag wont explode.

 

[AmbDrvr253]

No worries

 

[Swedishchef]

Don't sweat it. Your stove can burn it safely.

But if you really want to prove that you're right, add a small cap rings for children's cap guns in a bag before he lights it on fire. Actually, don't do that....you may end up having more discussions!

I lived in Jasper for 2 years. Wonderful spot!

Happy burning

Andrew

 

[Fastdonzi]

Is this a Cat Stove?? Any worries about Fly Ash from the Paper???

 

[begreen]

PE T4 is a non-cat. The fly ash could plug the screen if there is one in the cap.

 

[NHcpa]

I burn my pellet fines in paper bags in the woodstove for starting. Also toilet paper and paper towel cardboard rolls. Old timers around here also use pine cones.

 

[drz1050]

Pine cones are great fire starters.. just don't throw the green ones in there

 

[firefighterjake]

You could always mix it with melted wax and make fire starters out of it. I make my own and they're pretty good.

Why are you concerned about explosions? Have you had any before? The only thing I could think of is if your draft stalls a bit on lighting the bag, you could end up with a lot of unburnt gasses in the firebox if that material was all smouldering at once. Once it does light off, it could go with a whoosh. I think the term for that here is back puffing. Do a search and you'll get lots of info. If you have a proper install, I think it should still be safe if it were to happen, but it is a bit unnerving.

^^^^^ This . . . agreed.

 

[Corey]

common wheat flour or powdered sugar will explode if atomized in the air, happens in farm silos sometimes. you can try burning off your eyebrows by blowing a handful of flour into a candle.
wood fines in a bag wont explode.

I think this a valid question. Way back in high school wood shop, one guy in the class would scrape some of the fines from the dust collector bag and throw them in the air so the 'cloud' was directed at a propane torch...usually resulting in a big WOOOSH! and a fireball. So sawdust fines can do the same thing.

The key is, you need to have 'really fine' fines...flour consistency...even normal saw dust seems to be too coarse for this, and then need to be puffed up in the air in a large cloud.

With that said, I've been burning all manner of bark, twigs, chips, etc for a dozen years or more and no issues with the dust. It's been my observation a lot of the 'really fine' material (at least in my mix) is actually dirt - which doesn't burn / explode, etc. Most anything wood is actually of saw dust consistence or larger, which doesn't explode, either.

Now one time I did have a pretty good 'puff' as I threw some of this small material on a bed of coals. I got a little carried away and snuffed the actual flame out. So the firebox filled with smoke and then suddenly lit off, backpuffing a cloud of smoke and ash in the house. Ya only do that once! ...but as long as there is flame it doesn't seem to be an issue.