Abstract
The uses of wood and wood-based materials in everyday life ranging from domestic to industrial purposes have called for renewed updating of the information and knowledge on various thermal properties of the materials at various stages and classifications. This paper investigates the thermal properties (specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity) of some selected tropical hard wood species using the method of mixtures and the Lee’s Disk method respectively. The results show that the thermal conductivity of the selected wood species fall within the general range of 0.1-0.8 W/mK for tropical wood materials, with Celtis mildraedii having the least thermal conductivity of 0.08W/mk and Strombosia glaucescens the highest value of 0.392 W/mK. The specific heat capacity was highest for Holorrhena floribunda (1.97 J/g.K) and the lowest for Pterygota macrocarpa (1.01 J/g.K). These results can be used for testing the validity and efficiency of hard woods used for domestic and industrial applications.
Highlights
Wood is a porous biomaterial which contains small holes and spaces that influence the mechanism of heat transfer and specific heat capacity [1]
It was observed that Albizia zygia with a density of 0.40 g/cm3 had the highest thermal conductivity value of 0.392 W/mK while Celtis mildraedii with a density 0.56 g/cm3 had the least thermal conductivity value of 0.08W/mK
The range of thermal conductivity (k) values for the tropical wood species determined (0.08-0.392W/mk) in this paper were within the general range of conductivity (0.1-0.8 W/mK) [11] [19] [20] for wood materials
Summary
Wood is a porous biomaterial which contains small holes and spaces that influence the mechanism of heat transfer (thermal conductivity) and specific heat capacity [1]. Wood can be bound or free and appears in a solid or liquid state [2] [3]. It consists of an organic composite material which is made up of cellulosic fibers and lignin. Wood has a long history of use both as a solid fuel and as a construction material. Thermal properties of wood are needed in applications such as fuel conversion, building construction, and other areas of industry [5] [6]. Knowledge of the thermal properties of wood helps to understand and model heat transfer processes in wood and wood-based materials. The energy design and evaluation of energy performance of wood-frame buildings partially rely on the thermal properties of wood and wood products [7]
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