solar Kiln firewood drying

[KGNC]

Has anyone used a solar kiln for drying firewood?
Any ideas on how long to dry the wood assuming good heating?
Whats the best way of stacking cord wood in a Kiln?
I was thinking about loading onto pallets and just moving them in and out with the tractor.
I have about 3 cords of oak I just cut that I would like to get dry for this winter. If it works well I'm sure I would do more.
What about one of the plastic cover green house units. Could I just set one of those up over a stack of wood? I could get a whole winters worth inside.

[beenthere]

Solar collector will raise the temperature, and may add protection from rain.

Otherwise, will depend on how small the wood is split, how much dry, warm air is moved through the stacked split wood, and just how dry you want the wood to get.   Some are content to try to burn wood that isn't dry. I'd say dry is 15% oven dry basis through the entire piece.

Hope this helps a bit in figuring it out. Anything will 'help' in the way of shelter from rain, and increased temperature, and non-restricted air movement to carry away the evaporated moisture.

[rfalk]

Rick Bergman at the Forest Products Lab is currently doing a firewood drying study (albeit using a normal dry kiln)...he might have some preliminary info on temps/times, etc. FPL main line is (608) 231-9200. Bob

[ironstumper]

KGNC,
           I'm curious about what if anything you found out. I too am considering my half built solar kiln could be used for that purpose. Did you pursue this? Did you get any feedback anywhere?

[KGNC]

Iron,
I did nothing with this last year but I have a test planned as soon as my son gets his plants out of his green house.
it's a small homemade frame covered with plastic. I'm going to put in a face cord or so and see how much faster it drys then the pile out in the yard. It's red oak I cut last month so it should be good for the test.

[jimF]

A study years ago was performed on drying firewood in a kiln at the Forest products Lab.  Baskets were filled and placed in a steam kiln.  The main finding was that the airflow through the pile was very poor.  To get sufficient airflow the fire wood would need to be stacked otherwise one is wasting their time.

[Ironwood]

At this time of year couldn't you just spread your stacks (12" apart) and let the air flow do the work? Just put a roof over it. Air flow is just as important as temp.

        Ironwood (frequent wood burner)