*How can fire start? Newton's Law of Cooling
*requires that heat flows away from hot spots,
*toward cooler spots. The ignition
*temperature for dry hay is claimed to be
*about 400 degrees F, and the microbes who
*are busy digesting the moist hay and making
*all that heat are bound to die well below
*that temperature....
*
*...Do they make some oil or alcohol in their
*digestive process which stays behind after
*they cook, and which does the final high
*heat part of the reaction? Or what?
Hi,
My knowledge of this spontaneous combustion of hay comes
from common knowledge from this community and personal
experience, but I'm in over my head on the exact details.
I did study biochemistry at OSU about 37 years ago and read
some since.
I think you will find the explanation, for the continued
heat buildup after microbe death, in the "Maillard
Reaction".
This does not require oxygen and produces heat and flammable
gases which might/will ignite when exposed to air.
It's a reaction that takes place in the presence of sugars
and amino acids. It also takes place in your body, but of
course shouldn't result in spontaneous combustion of any
Graze-L patrons.
And that's as far as I'm going on Maillard, as I have
already told you more than I know on the subject.
--
Kindest regards,
=======================
F. W. Owen
Owenlea Holsteins
9430 Spencer Road
Homerville, Ohio 44235
e-mail fwo@bright.net
home page http://www.bright.net/~fwo
voice & fax 330.625.2369
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