Comparison of yield and quality of bamboo charcoal produced by traditional methods

摘要

A traditional pit method and a portable drum method were evaluated for the production of charcoal from the wastes of Bambusa bambos. An indigenous earthen pot method, traditionally used in Kerala, India for the production of teak wood distillate wherecharcoal is a byproduct, was also evaluated. The methods differed significantly in yield and quality of charcoal produced. The pit and drum methods gave higher yield of charcoal, but with low quality, whereas the earthen pot method gave a lower yield but with high quality. Charcoal with high volatile content (14-20%) and low fixed carbon (74-76%) suitable for domestic use was obtained from the pit and drum methods, while charcoal with low volatile content (9%) and high fixed carbon (84%) suitable for industrial use was obtained from the earthen pot method. In general, bamboo charcoal had high ash content (7.5%) and it was alkaline (pH 8.9-9.7) and brittle, with poor hardness.