Improving the efficiency, safety, and utility of wood burning units. Quarterly report No. WB-4

Technical Report · Fri Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6114604

Dyer, D F; Maxwell, T T; Maples, G

The purpose of the work described in this volume is to study the gasification of wood under conditions similar to those found in a stove or fireplace. This study is then used to gain knowledge regarding the validity of the technique used to measure the combustion efficiency of a stove or fireplace during the testing now in progress at Auburn University as part of the program. Five samples each of pine, sweet gum and poplar were heated in the absence of air at temperatures ranging from 600/sup 0/F to 1000/sup 0/F. The cross-sectional temperature, weight loss and composition of exhaust gas were monitored throughout each test. It was found that, in general, concentrations of CO/sub 2/ and CO decrease during a test, whereas concentrations of CH/sub 4/ and H/sub 2/ increased significantly, approximately midway through each run. An exothermic reaction within the core of each sample was noted which corresponded with increased production of CH/sub 4/ and H/sub 2/. Increasing the ambient temperature of the furnace simply served to accelerate the decomposition of each sample and to increase the amounts of CH/sub 4/ and H/sub 2/ produced. The heating value of the exhaust gas from poplar at 1000/sup 0/F has been calculated and plotted versus time, and the combustion efficiency using this gas as fuel has been calculated using actual stove test data for the products side of the combustion equation. The results of these calculations are also plotted versus time.

• Research Organization: Auburn Univ., AL (USA). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: EC-77-S-05-5552
• OSTI ID: 6114604
• Report Number(s): ORO-5552-4(Vol.2)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
STOVES
EFFICIENCY
WOOD
COMBUSTION KINETICS
GASIFICATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES
APPLIANCES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
KINETICS
REACTION KINETICS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
320101* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Residential Buildings- (-1987)