Yes, you can put them in the pile. Cutting up the peel into smaller pieces likely will make it decompose more quickly, but it still generally takes a long time. It is impossible to say how long because each and every pile operates differently depending on the ingredients in the pile, how large the pile is, how hot the pile gets, etc. Burying the peels deep into the center of the pile usually helps create more heat and helps them decompose more quickly than they would if you just toss them on top of the pile. Worms in general help break down a lot of the materials in a compost pile, but they don't like citrus peel, so you'll have to be patient and wait for the good bacteria and other microbes in the compost pile to break down the citrus peels.

Thank you. There are a lot of them. I'll spread them around.

Change my mind I put them in the food processor. They are nice and small LOL. Not mush or soupy tho!!