Prediction of Size Distribution and Mass Concentration of Smoke Particles on Moisture Content and Combustion Period from Para Rubber Wood Burning

Wachara Kalasee,Panya Dangwilailux

doi:10.3390/app11125649

Abstract

The size distribution and total particle mass concentration (TPMC) of smoke particles from para rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis) combustion in the ribbed smoked sheet (RSS) process were studied. In this experiment, temperature data values of para rubber wood combustion were recorded at 500 mm above the base of the fire by K-type thermocouples. The wood moisture content and wood combustion period were used to find and improve an equation of smoke particle size distribution (SPSD) and TPMC by the response surface method (RSM). An eight-stage Andersen air sampler and a high-volume sampler were used to measure and calculate SPSD and TPMC, respectively. Resulting data in this experiment showed that TPMC ranged from 3.12 to 77.42 mg/m3. SPSD was single mode in which MMAD, mass median aerodynamic diameter, ranged from 0.64 to 1.27 microns for para wood with moisture content ranging from 31.5 to 89.7% dry weight basis. The combustion period and moisture content of para wood have a direct effect on the change of temperature data above the base of the fire and the TPMC and MMAD values. For predicting TPMC and MMAD values by the para wood moisture contents in each combustion period, the results found that the second-degree model was a better plot than the first-degree model, confirmed by higher values of the coefficient of determination (R2).

Highlights

Biomass is the most important source of renewable energy in the world [1,2,3]
The results conclude that the smoke particle size distribution indicated a single-mode behavior
The highest MMAD and total particle mass concentration (TPMC) values were found in the initial combustion period with the highest moisture content for the para rubber wood

Summary

Introduction

Biomass is the most important source of renewable energy in the world [1,2,3]. Exhaust from the wood combustion contains water vapor and gases, including CO2, CO, and N2; soot particles; smoke; and ash residue [4,5]. Smoke and soot are composed of the small particles resulting incomplete combustion. The small particles principally contain carbon and other combustible materials: for instance, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs [6,7], tar, and volatile [8,9,10,11]. In the drying process of ribbed smoked sheet (RSS) production, hazardous air pollutants from para rubber wood combustion, such as smoke particles, cause worker and neighborhood health problems. Smoke particles from para rubber wood burning has a negative effect on the quality of RSS [12,13] and lowers the price. In order to manage the smoke particles appropriately, a study of their characteristics was necessary

Methods

Results

Conclusion