Comparison of soybean wax firelogs, commercial firelogs, and firewood with respect to air emissions.

摘要

A common problem in the secondary wood products industry is the disposal of wood residues generated during manufacturing. This study explores one option that could promote better utilization. The purpose of this research was to develop a firelog using an agriculturally based binder combined with wood residue that, when combusted, emitted fewer pollutants than firewood or other firelogs. Wood residue collected from a door manufacturer was combined with a soybean-based wax to produce test firelogs. Air emission tests were conducted on the soybean wax firelogs, five brands of commercial firelogs, and oak firewood, utilizing a free-standing fireplace. The levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), oxygen (O2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and total hydrocarbons (THC) emitted were recorded. The levels of SOx and NOx were negligible for all of the burns. The O2 decreases were the inverse of CO2 increases. No statistical differences were found between the firelogs and firewood for the CO2 levels produced. The soybean wax firelogs produced 32 percent less CO than the commercial firelogs and 60 percent less CO than the oak firewood, per mass of log burned. For the soybean wax firelogs, the CO levels decreased as the wax content increased. The commercial firelogs produced 42 percent less CO than the oak firewood. The soybean wax firelogs produced 66 percent less THC than the commercial firelogs and 55 percent less THC than the oak firewood..