At what temperature does hay spontaneously combust?

Publish date: 2024-09-15
When hay's internal temperature rises above 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius), a chemical reaction begins to produce flammable gas that can ignite if the temperature goes high enough. Fire is possible in hay that's loose, in small or large bales or stacks, and stored inside or outside.

Can hay spontaneously combust?

Actually, wet hay is more likely to lead to spontaneous combustion than dry hay. If wet hay with more than 22% moisture is stored in a barn or stacked then the risk of spontaneous combustion is increased. Further, the wet hay loses in forage quality.

How long does it take hay to combust?

“Depending on forage moisture at baling and how hay is stored, excessive heating and molding can occur,” Bushong said. “The time required from heating to combustion can vary from a few days to 10 weeks, depending on conditions.”

How do you keep hay from catching fire?

Decreasing the Risk of Fire

The best way to reduce the risk of a hay fire is to bale hay at a moisture content of 20% or less because at this moisture level, microbial activity decreases.

Can straw spontaneously combust?

Breadcrumb Menu. Usually, we think of water and moisture as a way to put a fire out, but the opposite is true with hay and straw, which when too wet can heat and spontaneously combust.

Why Does Moist Baled and Stacked Hay Spontaneously Catch Fire?

Can hay bales explode?

STILLWATER — It might sound strange, but with no apparent ignition source, hay bales can burst into flames and cause much damage to storage facilities or spark a raging wildfire. The combination of low wind speeds, high humidity, moist hay and hot temperatures is a recipe for disaster.

At what temperature does hay mold?

“Hay bale temperatures of 120°F to 130°F will likely result in mold growth and will make the protein in the hay less available to animals,” Hartschuh says. While these temperatures will not cause fires, continued mold growth can raise temperatures to dangerous levels.

How hot can hay get?

Most hay goes through one or more heating cycles (a “sweat”) immediately after baling. It is not unusual for internal bale temperature to exceed 100° F, and it may go as high as 130° F if enough moisture and oxygen is present.

Is hay ruined if it gets rained on?

Rained-on hay often has relatively high protein values compared to fiber content unless there's great leaf loss. Leaves contain a lot of the plant's protein. As soluble carbohydrates leach, structural fibers make up a greater percent of forage dry matter. The digestibility of rained-on hay can decline 6 to 40 percent.

Does salting hay work?

In the past, some farmers have applied salt to the surface of hay that was baled wet, but research has shown little benefit from salting. While the theory is good, the amount of salt needed would be very large and expensive, and would likely reduce the palatability of the hay.

How long should hay sit before stacking?

Wait 10 days then pile them. Was short on shed space so only dairy hay went inside. All the other bales were stacked 6 high outside.

What is the ignition temperature of dry grass?

Ignition can occur at surface temperatures as low as 300 °C, if the vegetation is in contact with the surface for 10 minutes or longer. At surface temperatures of 400 °C, ignition can occur in 3 minutes, and at surface temperatures of 500 °C, ignition can occur in a few seconds.

What happens when hay sweats?

This sweating process is the normal respiration of the cut plants that are still giving off some moisture, carbon dioxide and heat from the plant cells. This process can continue for two days or more after mowing.

Can wet grass spontaneously combust?

Therefore, when grass clippings are bagged, you have a large amount of clippings in a bag that is generating heat; and if that bag is broke open inside a trash truck or a compost bin, the gases produced by the grass clippings are exposed to oxygen, causing the material to ignite and catch fire (spontaneously combust).

Is straw highly flammable?

It may seem like a house insulated with straw poses a significant fire hazard. Yes, loose straw is indeed highly flammable.

Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?

You might find hay bales left in a field simply because a farmer hasn't had time to stop by and grab the bales yet. Most farmers work overtime during the summer to get the hay in the barn by the time the fields stop producing.

Does raking hay help it dry?

Raking tends to roll the wetter hay from the bottom of the swath to the outer surface of the windrow, which improves drying. Following the initial improvement, the increase in swath density can reduce drying rate, so the crop moisture content at raking is important.

Can you wrap hay that has been rained on?

If rain damage often plagues your hay making, you might consider using plastic wrap this year. Try baling it tough, then wrapping it with stretch plastic wrap to keep water and air out while keeping nutrients in. Studies have shown excellent success wrapping bales containing 25% to 40% moisture.

Can hay get too hot?

At 150 degrees, hay is becoming dangerously hot and should be checked at least once a day. If the temperature rises to 160 degrees, monitor the temperature every three to four hours and be aware of changes in odor and signs of smoking.

What happens when hay heats?

Heating causes changes in the chemical structure of the hay which reduce its feed quality. Chemical bonds form between carbohydrate and protein, reducing metabolisable energy content and protein availability.

Why is my hay hot?

Unfortunately, moist hay can quickly become hot hay which can ignite through spontaneous combustion. Most farmers strive to bale hay that is field dried to 20 percent or less in moisture. At this moisture content, the baled hay can cure properly and maintain quality.

What is the white stuff on hay?

In hay, the white mold in the bale is the mycelium and dustiness is from the tiny spores. The potential for hay molding starts even with the standing hay crop where bacteria protects the plant from fungal and yeast infections.

Does hay heat up after baling?

Most hay goes through one or more heating cycles (a sweat) immediately after baling. It is not unusual for internal bale temperature to exceed 100° F and it may goes as high as 130° F to 140° F if enough moisture and oxygen are present.

Can hay get wet and still be good?

Added moisture from rainfall can also cause growth of microbial organisms. These organisms metabolize carbohydrates and can thus further reduce forage quality. If rained-on hay is not again dried fully, mold and mycotoxin growth can occur which can put livestock health at risk.

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