Debarking is the process of removing

bark Bark may refer to: Common meanings * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Arts and entertainment * ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...

from

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

. Traditional debarking is conducted in order to create a fence post or fence stake which would then go on to be pointed before being planted. Debarking can occur naturally during powerful

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...

es, such as the

2013 Moore tornado The 2013 Moore tornado was a large and extremely violent EF5 tornado that ravaged Moore, Oklahoma, and adjacent areas on the afternoon of May 20, 2013, with peak winds estimated at , killing 24 people (plus two indirect fatalities) and injur ...

Process

Debarking generally involves the use of industrial machinery into which the log or stake is placed. These machines can be either stationary or portable. Generally they are powered by hydraulic motors but can also be driven by a

power take-off A power take-off or power takeoff (PTO) is one of several methods for taking power from a power source, such as a running engine, and power transmission#Mechanical power, transmitting it to an application such as an attached implement or separate ...

. The log or stake is then pressed against blades or knives which remove the bark while the log is turned to ensure the removal of bark from all around the log. Debarking can also take place by hand, although this can be very time consuming and may not be suitable for large volumes.

Side-streams from debarking

Bark is the usual side-stream produced during log debarking. In several wood-related industries, such as plywood, veneer and laminated veneer industries, the logs, before debarking them, are submerged in warm water to ease the debarking process. The process conditions (temperature and time) depend on the country, company, wood species and their properties. In some countries, such as Finland, the water used in this process is discarded, but studies prove that it accumulates several valuable compounds, such as glucosides, proanthocyanidins and phenolics. This water is a promising side-stream that should be further studied.

References

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Process

Side-streams from debarking

See also

References