Mise en évidence du passage de l'oxygène au travers des douelles constituant les barriques par l'utilisation d'un dispositif original de mesure de la porosité du bois. Premiers résultats

Abstract

This paper presents a new system for measuring the transfer of oxygen through a piece of wood, in atmospheric conditions. Basically, two rooms were separated by a wood samples of different thickness. External room was in contact with ambient air and internal room containing nitrogen gas. During the experiment we recorded the oxygen concentration of the internal room. The wood sample was treated with glue for fixing on it aluminium slice and to eliminate the transversal porosity which is much more important on the longitudinal one. Then, we compared the system with a model of oxygen transfer on a stave that constitutes the barrels. The first results show the ability of the machine to measure the oxygen transfer. After evaluation of gas leaking, we study different parameters influencing the wood porosity. Clearly the humidity level was the principal parameter of variability and conduced to operate the oxygen transfer after completing the drying of the samples. The grain has also a strong effect on the rate of oxygen transfer.