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Inverse analysis of oxygen diffusivity in oak wood using the back-face method: application to cooperage

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Abstract

During the aging of wines and spirits in oak barrels, oxygen diffusion through the wood occurs and leads to mild oxygenation of the beverage. In this study, the oxygen diffusivity in oak wood was determined by inverse analysis using the back-face method. In the measurement setup, a defined oxygen concentration was applied to the front of a sample and the variation of oxygen concentration due to gas diffusion through the sample was measured on the back. The experiment was carried out simultaneously on several samples. It was then possible to study 36 samples and to assess the effect of several parameters in a reasonable time. A finite volume model using the actual experimental conditions as boundary conditions was implemented for the identification of the diffusion coefficient. The obtained values range between 4.64 × 10−11 and 2.02 × 10−9 m2 s−1 and highlight the high heterogeneity of oak wood. Such low values, compared to the diffusion of oxygen in air (a factor 105 lower), reflect the huge tortuosity of oak wood in its tangential direction.

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Acknowledgements

This study was carried out in the Centre Européen de Biotechnologie et de Bioéconomie (CEBB), supported by the Région Grand Est, Département de la Marne, Grand Reims, and the European Union. In particular, the authors would like to thank the Département de la Marne, Grand Reims, Région Grand Est, and the European Union, along with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF Champagne-Ardenne 2014–2020), for their financial support of the Chair of Biotechnology of CentraleSupélec. The authors would also like to thanks Département de la Marne for its financial support.

Funding

This work was financed by the Association Nationale pour la Recherche et la Technologie (CIFRE convention) and Chêne & Cie.

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  1. CentraleSupélec, Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, Université Paris Saclay, 8-10 rue Joliot-Curie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Claire Roussey, Patrick Perré, Joel Casalinho & Julien Colin

  2. Département R&D, Chêne & Cie, Avenue de Gimeux, 16100, Merpins, France

    Claire Roussey

  3. CentraleSupélec, Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, SFR Condorcet FR CNRS 3417, Centre Européen de Biotechnologie et de Bioéconomie (CEBB), Université Paris Saclay, 3 rue des Rouges Terres, 51110, Pomacle, France

    Patrick Perré & Julien Colin

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  1. Claire Roussey
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Roussey, C., Perré, P., Casalinho, J. et al. Inverse analysis of oxygen diffusivity in oak wood using the back-face method: application to cooperage. Wood Sci Technol 56, 219–239 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-021-01325-2

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