Method and system for producing spalted wood products using an aging chamber
AssigneeVermont Wildwoods
InventorParker Nichols
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Abstract
The disclosure provides for artificially produced spalted wood products and devices, systems, compositions, and methods for production. A spalt inoculum mixture that includes a fungal component is developed and incubated with a hardwood substrate under controlled conditions to generate naturally modified produced spalted wood from the hardwood substrate. The devices, systems, and methods increase the reliability and reproducibility of spalted wood production on a commercial scale.
Claims18
An aging chamber system for producing a spalted wood product, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- at least one memory element, the at least one memory element configured to store instructions for controlling the one or more processors, the at least one memory element retains sensor data;
- a compartment, the compartment having an inner wall surface forming a chamber configured to retain timber;
- a hygrometer, the hygrometer is configured to measure humidity levels within the chamber, the one or more processors transmits data from the hygrometer to the at least one memory element;
- a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the chamber, the one or more processors transmits data from the temperature sensor to the at least one memory element;
- a climate control system to maintain a predetermined temperature;
- a concrete floor slab;
- a composition for production of a spalted wood product disposed on the concrete floor slab, the composition comprising:
- a soil component;
- a fungal component;
- a wood chip inoculum;
- and
- wherein the soil component includes about 2 inches to about 10 inches of B-horizon soil disposed on the concrete floor slab.
A method for producing a spalted wood product utilizing an aging chamber system for producing a spalted wood product, the method comprising:
- applying a wood chip inoculum that comprises a mature fungal component to a wood specimen to produce a fungal-wood mixture;
- aging the fungal-wood mixture at an aging site for an aging period to produce the spalted wood product;
- placing the wood specimen within the aging chamber system for producing the spalted wood product;
- wherein the aging chamber system for producing the spalted wood product further comprises:
- one or more processors;
- at least one memory element, the at least one memory element configured to store instructions for controlling the one or more processors, the at least one memory element retains sensor data;
- a compartment, the compartment having an inner wall surface forming a chamber configured to retain timber;
- a hygrometer, the hygrometer is configured to measure humidity levels within the chamber, the one or more processors transmits data from the hygrometer to the at least one memory element;
- a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the chamber, the one or more processors transmits data from the temperature sensor to the at least one memory element;
- a climate control system to maintain a predetermined temperature;
- a concrete floor slab;
- a composition for production of the spalted wood product disposed on the concrete floor slab, the composition comprising:
- a soil component;
- a fungal component;
- and
- the wood chip inoculum;
- wherein the soil component includes about 2 inches to about 10 inches of B-horizon soil disposed on the concrete floor slab.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.