Is this a worry with Eco2pure or wood chip filtration? I already had a fire from spontaneous combustion with oily paper towels in my trash can. I don't ever want to see that again!

It won't fire up if you have cut off the oxygen supply.

Any examples of this with ecopure??

Sure it will fire given the right conditions, what conditions are you talking about?

This is only my opinion and should not be token as fact and please correct me if I am wrong.
Spontanious combustion occurs when fuel is heated to a high enough tempreture in the presence of oxygen.
Fire needs fuel, heat , and oxygen to occure. Abasic fire fighting corse informed me of this.
In the case of oily rags the heat is produced by the decomposition of the oil and rags this heat is contained by the outer layer acting as insulation. Once the tempreture rises above flashpoint of the oil spontanious combustion is possible.
The problem that I can see is if the colum si made of PVC pipe the heat can soften the tower, and if dte decomposition creates expansion the tower could burst allowing oxygen into the material providing all the required componants for fire, If the heat generated is enough spontanious combustion would be possible at this moment.
The question is
Does the colum become hot if left full of wood chips left submerged in BD being treated?
This may be tested with a small sample in a tin or glass container void of air and left in a safe spot and monitered.
What do you think?
Dom

It seems like you need several things.

Oil+Water+Oxygen+Bioreactive material (cloth, etc).

I suppose the question then is what is done with the column when not in use? Is it maintained full of oil (little oxygen), or drained of oil (allowing oxygen in)?

Why drain it, as the bio will only drain back into the unwashed bio container and have to be pumped back into the tower again when the next batch is to be filtered?
You do feed in at the bottom of the tower and take off from the top don't you?