Experimental determination of the effect of temperature and oxygen concentration on the production of birch wood main fire emissions

Abstract

The combustion process (efficiency and toxicity of combustion generated emissions) depends on the chemical composition and physical characteristics of materials, the oxidizing agents, and the temperature. This article will determine the influence of temperature (450 and 600 °C) and the volume of oxygen concentration (9, 15, and 21%) in an oxidizing atmosphere on the main emissions of burning White Birch wood (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.) The examined samples weighed 3 ± 0.05 g; the average density was 540 kg/m3; and the absolute humidity was 8%. The samples were thermally loaded in a Setchkin furnace specially modified to enable the thermal sample in an atmosphere with an adjustable oxygen concentration and the withdrawal of fire emissions by means of UniGas C440 analyzer probes and BERNATH ATOMIC Modell 3006 analyzers. At 450 °C, the concentration of oxygen in the oxidation mixture did not significantly influence the maximum concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) and the total organic carbon (TOC) in the fire emissions. At 600 °C, the decrease of the oxygen concentration in the oxidation atmosphere caused a significant increase of the maximum concentration of CO and TOC in the fire emissions. However, the generally accepted presumption of a maximum concentration increase of CO in the emissions as a result of the oxygen (O2) concentration decrease in the oxidation atmosphere has not been confirmed. The highest concentration of CO and TOC were measured in the initiation phase or closely after it.