Review of Chain Flail Delimbing-Debarking

Over 200 commercially built chain flail delimber-debarkers are now in operation worldwide. These units, teamed with in woods chippers, are producing chips acceptable for pulping from many species of hardwoods and softwoods. The flails can remove the bark as well as drum debarkers in the case of southern pine species. The chips produced by these portable operations have been shown to be equal in quality to the chips produced at mill and satellite wood yards. It has been estimated that the flail-chipper system will produce up to 2.9% more clean chips than are obtained with conventional longwood harvesting and handling systems. The flails have been used to remove rot, foliage, and charcoal in specialized applications. The rejects from the flail represent a readily recoverable source of energy material, but this debris must be reduced in size to facilitate handling. Developments for reducing the size of the rejects are ongoing, especially using modified agricultural tub grinders. Chains are a major cost in the operation of the flails. Strategies have been developed which can prolong the life of the chains, and tests are ongoing with improved materials in the manufacturing of the chains. The cost of delimbing and debarking with the portable flails has been estimated to be between $(US)0.60and $(US)3.30 per green tonne.