The temperatures in the biomeiler pile are measured with thermocouples buried in several locations. Nine of them are found at three heights (1’, 2’, and 3’ above the ground) in the inner core, outer core, and mantle of the pile. The graph shown in today’s post shows the temperatures measured by thermocouples at 3’ height. […]
January Experimental Results, Part 2 Read More »
Fairbanks is located in the Tanana Valley in the interior of Alaska. During the winter months it is often the case that cold air is trapped at ground level and a warmer layer of air lies overhead. Air temperatures increase with altitude, which is the opposite of the normal condition. This situation is called an
The graph shows the temperature in the chicken coop, the temperature of the air in the vent pipe coming from the biomeiler, and the temperature of the outdoor air. On the same graph, I added the electrical energy usage for the days when I had to use the electric heater. The scale is the same,
Experimental Results for January, Part 1 Read More »
The temperature readings in the pile have been puzzling me. Today, I’ll describe how I have tried to improve matters. While doing the morning chores, I run the air compressor to aerate the biomeiler pile. I expected that the internal temperature would increase after the recent upgrade to the aeration system. There should now be
Biomeiler Rehydration and Reinoculation Read More »
After purchasing the parts to upgrade the aeration system, the temperatures have been high enough that the tire valve and clip-on chuck have functioned with no troubles. That temporarily removed my motivation to make the planned upgrade. This is the tire valve fitting I made for a soda-bottle-rocket launcher. It was repurposed to make the
Biomeiler Aeration Upgrade Read More »
At the end of the fall season, the birch trees often still have loads of seeds on their branches. During the winter, fresh snow covers the ground, leaving a clean canvas for the squirrels to work with. As they jump from branch to branch, birch seeds are shaken loose and drift to the ground as
On December 26, 2024, I posted a picture of the garland of lazy snow that was hanging from the garage light arm. It recently broke, but the bonds between snowflakes were strong enough that one side stayed attached. A couple of days ago, a warm spell caused the snow on the roofs to start melting.
Properties of Snow Read More »
Today was a great day for winter scenery. I am a fan of Maxfield Parrish so I always enjoy seeing the strong color contrasts provided by clear winter days. The opening picture was taken at noon. On the way to the mailbox, I had to walk under a birch tree. As I did so, the
In order to reduce feed costs we supplement commercially-made pellets with fermented whole grains. Here, in Fairbanks, it is hard to find commercial chicken food for less than $0.58 per pound. So, we buy whatever grains or seeds can be found for a better price and mix them together in a tote bin. Usually, it
Our luck ran out. The recent cold spell lasted long enough that I had to turn on the electric heater in the coop. The temperatures were in the -20s, with the coldest recorded temperature being -29F. The fresh air coming in through the pipe that coils inside the biomeiler is still reading 32-37F, but the
Electric Heat Needed Read More »