YIELD AND EFFICIENCY IN TRANSFORMATION OF WOOD INTO CHARCOAL,

Abstract

This article reviews and discusses the transformation of wood into charcoal both by using laboratory equipment and various types of small, pilot charcoal kilns, mainly in terms of charcoal yield and conversion efficiency.

It was reported in laboratory studies that mass and carbon and oxygen content were largely lost at the carbonization temperature of 200 to 300 C. The charcoal heat content was greater increased at the temperature of 300 to 400' C while the black color of charcoal was also observed at this temperature range.

The types of pilot charcoal kilns that give the highest yield and conversion efficiency are the mud and brick beehive. Mark V, rice husk mound, sawdust mound and earthen mound yield a moderate result whereas the remaining metal drum kilns, e.g., tonga, single and double drum turn out the lowest yield and efficiency, due primarily to greater loss of heat through sheet iron kiln wall, too high chimneys and firing technigues.