Spontaneous heating and ignition in stored palm kernels—the role of anaerobic fermentation

✍ Scribed by K. N. Palmer

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1955
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 574 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-5142
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2740060905

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The rate of absorption of oxygen by moist palm kernels which had previously fermented under anaerobic conditions has been studied. No evidence was found of the formation of reactive fermentation products able to absorb oxygen rapidly and heat the kernels, thus leading to spontaneous ignition. It is concluded that the spontaneous ignition of palm kernels in jute bags is less likely than was originally believed, and that the observed outbreaks of fire in these materials may have been due to other causes.