Woodchip is actually a highly graded commodity. The type   of chip you see on the ground in children’s play areas is        rarely suitable for use in a boiler.

 When making woodchip for a boiler, the wood is stacked by the ride side in the woodlands and left to ‘season’ for about 1 year – this reduces the moisture content.  It is then chipped by a specialised chipper and then delivered to storage beside the boiler

Specification

• Moisture content
• Each boiler manufacturer will specify the maximum moisture content of the wood.  This will be to protect several aspects of boiler operation
• Sooting up the machine
• Even combustion
• Cost effectiveness – if the boiler is using some of the heat to dry the wood it is not using it to create heat for the boiler.
• Chip size
• The size of the chip must be uniform so that it burns evenly and also so that it does not jam the augur. This means that the large slivers, often seen in woodchip, must be eradicated by special screening.
• The chip size will be specific depending on the boiler make – this will have specific parameters both min and max.

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