Physicochemical Characterization of Representative Firewood Species Used for Cooking in Some Colombian Regions

Hernán E Díez,Juan F Pérez

doi:10.1155/2017/4531686

Abstract

Socioeconomic conditions and the main firewood species used for cooking in three Colombian regions are studied in this work. The species collected were Cordia alliodora, Guazuma ulmifolia, Eucalyptus grandis, and Pinus patula. The used patterns of biomass and socioeconomic conditions of the selected regions were defined by means of secondary information. Firewood was physicochemically characterized and the species are compared with fossil fuels with regard to emissions of CO2, energy density, and costs. The studied regions require solutions to use firewood in eco-efficient systems, since in these rural regions people use biomass as an energy source. Studied firewood species are suitable to be gasified in fixed bed reactors due to their high volatile matter content (>80%) and low ash content (<1.8%). Pinus patula is the one with the highest fuel value index, mainly due to its low ash content (0.4%). The firewood consumption in advanced stoves has environmental advantages resulting from its low CO2 emissions: a cubic meter of Eucalyptus could replace 113 liters of kerosene or 120 m3 of natural gas for cooking applications.

Highlights

Biomass consumption in developing countries has a fundamental role in satisfying the energy demand [1]
Firewood species were taken from Sibundoy (Putumayo state), Rionegro (Antioquia State), and Cienaga de Oro and Sahagun (Cordoba State), with rural areas of 93, 196, 751, and 976.6 km2, respectively
The efforts should be aimed at helping the rural population, in which people use the biomass as an energy source due to facts such as the low cost of firewood, low income, and traditions

Summary

Introduction

Biomass consumption in developing countries has a fundamental role in satisfying the energy demand [1]. In Colombia between 1.3 and 1.6 million of households, mainly in rural areas, use firewood to cook in traditional stoves [5] These stoves reach energy conversion efficiencies between 10% and 15% [6]. Firewood burned in traditional cookstoves (three stones) reduces the indoor air quality, due to its high emissions of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4). These emissions can generate respiratory diseases to people in contact with smoke, mainly women, children under five years, and old people [8]. The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth cause of death around the world and the biomass burned is one of the factors of high risk for the development of such disease [10]

Methods

Results

Conclusion