PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF BAMBOO CHARCOALS FROM SPECIES Bambusa vulgaris var vittatta, Dendrocalamus asper AND Phyllostachys pubescens

Abstract

The search for sustainable fuels has become important for the development of energy generation in balance with the environment. Brazil has climatic conditions and a vast territory for the production of forest biomass. The research produced in the laboratory determines the gravimetric yield, upper calorific value, percentages of fixed carbon, volatile and ashes of the charcoals of bamboo species: Bambusa vulgaris var vittatta, Dendrocalamus asper and Phyllostachys pubescens. For the carbonization process, small pieces of bamboo were obtained, were dried in the stove at 100°C for 24 hours, the dried mass was weighed and added in a carbonizer heated to 150°C for 45 minutes, heated to 180°C for 45 minutes and heated to 210°C for 30 minutes, this charcoal was then cooled and weighed to calculate the gravimetric yield. The samples were pulverized in a pot mill, the upper calorific value in a calorimeter was determined. The volatile, fixed carbon and ash contents were determined according to the Brazilian MB-15 method. The results obtained for the species B. vittatta, D. asper and P. pubescens, were respectively: gravimetric yield 44.08%, 42.77% and 47.09%; calorific value 28.806kJ/g, 29.075kJ/g and 28.489kJ/g; percentage of fixed carbon 62.1%, 66.09% and 57.8%; percentage of volatiles 35.89%, 30.92% and 40.4%; ash percentage 2.01%, 2.99% and 1.8%. It was observed that the D. asper specie presented better results in the general context of the analysis carried out because, despite presenting a slightly lower gravimetric yield, it presented the higher calorific value and higher fixed carbons content.