• What data is available on main wood fuel properties?

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    • Post Author

      espadmin

1. Background

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  • To overview the data available – go to Section 2 below.
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2. Data Overview

The European standardization of solid BioFuels is currently [July 2001], under development; see the project Standardisation of solid biofuels in Europe, project number: FAIR5-CT97-3952.

However, characterisation is available by selecting the country where a specific fuel is a dominant source of energy; for an example select Finland for wood.

All data presented in this Combustion File is contained in Tables 1 to 3 below:

Table 1 shows the average properties of different types of solid wood fuel.

Table 2 introduces data on wood chip fuel with regard to composition and ash analyses.

Table 3 gives a comparison between waste wood and Columbian coal (El Cerrejon).

Sources

[1] Evaluation of the Dutch and Finnish situation of energy recovery from biomass
and waste (Tekes, 2000, 115 pp.)

[2] Hein, K.R.G.: Combined combustion of biomass/sewage sludge and coals of high and
low rank in different systems of semi-industrial and industrial scale. EC-research project: APAS, Clean Coal Technology Programme (1992-1994),
Volume II: Final Reports.

[3] Gast, C.H. & Visser, J.G.: The cocombustion of waste wood with coal. Effects
on emissions and fly-ash composition. EC-research project: APAS, Clean Coal Technology Programme
(1992-1994), Volume II: Final Reports

Tables

Table 1a. Average properties of
different types of solid wood fuel. Source: [1]

 

[GLOSS]Logging residue chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Whole tree chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Log chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Stump chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Softwood chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Birch chips[/GLOSS]

 

Moisture
content, wt%, (fresh chips)

50-60

45-55

40-55

30-50

50-65

45-55

 

Net
calorific value in dry matter, MJ/kg

18.5-20

18.5-20

18.5-20

18.5-20

18.5-20

21-23

 

Net
calorific values as received, MJ/kg

6-9

6-9

6-10

6-11

6-9

7-11

 

Bulk
density as received, kg/loose m3

250-400

250-350

250-350

200-300

250-350

300-400

 

Energy
density, MWh/m3 of bulk volume

0.7-0.9

0.7-0.9

0.7-0.9

0.8-1.0

0.5-0.7

0.6-0.8

 

Ash
content in dry matter, wt%

1-3

1-2

0.5-2

1-3

1-3

1-3

 

Hydrogen
content in dry matter (H), wt%

6-6.2

5.4-6

5.4-6

5.4-6

5.7-5.9

6.2-6.8

 

Sulphur
content in dry matter (S), wt%

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

 

Nitrogen
content in dry matter (N), wt%

0.3-0.5

0.3-0.5

0.3-0.5

0.3-0.5

0.3-0.5

0.5-0.8

Table 1b. Average properties of
different types of solid wood fuel. Source: [1]

 

[GLOSS]Wood residue chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Saw residue chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Sawdust[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Cutter chips[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Grinding dust[/GLOSS]

 

[GLOSS]Pellets[/GLOSS]

 

Moisture content, wt%,
(fresh chips)

10-50

45-60

45-60

5-15

5-15

10

 

Net calorific value in dry
matter, MJ/kg

18.5-20

18.5-20

19-19.2

19-19.2

19-19.2

19.2

 

Net calorific values as
received, MJ/kg

6-15

6-10

6-10

13-16

15-17

16.8

 

Bulk density as received,
kg/loose m3

150-300

250-350

250-350

80-120

100-150

500-750

 

Energy density, MWh/m3
of bulk volume

0.7-0.9

0.5-0.8

0.45-0.7

0.45-0.55

0.5-0.65

2.3

 

Ash content in dry matter,
wt%

0.4-1

0.5-2

0.4-0.5

0.4-0.5

0.4-0.8

1.5

 

Hydrogen content in dry
matter (H), wt%

5.4-6.4

5.4-6.4

6.2-6.4

6.2-6.4

6.2-6.4

6.2-6.4

 

Sulphur content in dry
matter (S), wt%

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

<0.05

 

Nitrogen content in dry
matter (N), wt%

0.1-0.5

0.1-0.5

0.1-0.5

0.1-0.5

0.1-0.5

0.04

Table 2.1. Ultimate analysis and ash
percentages of wood in moisture-free condition. [2]

C
[%]

H
[%]

O
[%]

N
[%]

S
[%]

ash
[%]

SiO2
[%]

wood

45
– 50

5.6

6.5

40
– 44

0.5-1.5

0.01
– 0.05

0.6
– 2.0

Table 2.2. Analysis results for wood
ash ignited to 815 oC. [2]

Constituent

Unit

Mean
value

SiO2

%

15.3

FeO2

%

2.4

Al2O3

%

2.9

CaO

%

28.21

MgO

%

4.23

K2O

%

5.41

P2O5

%

2.28

Na2O

%

0.63

SO3

%

4.3

Pb

mg/kg

12.6

Cd

mg/kg

3.9

Cr

mg/kg

36.3

Cu

mg/kg

96.9

Ni

mg/kg

42.4

Hg

mg/kg

 

Zn

mg/kg

600

Ash

%

2

Table 3a. Proximate analysis of waste
wood and Columbian coal (El Cerrejon)

%wt as received

Waste
wood
(53-800 mm)

Coal
(El Cerrejon)

Moisture

7.2

3.2

Volatile matter

74.59

36.26

Fixed carbon

No
data

No
data

Ash

2.92

5.82

Table 3b. Ultimate analysis

%wt as received

Waste
wood
(53-800 mm)

Coal
(El Cerrejon)

Carbon

44.5

75.0

Hydrogen

5.74

4.96

Nitrogen

0.43

1.45

Sulphur

0.13

0.55

Oxygen

39.0

9.14

Chlorine
(mg/kg)

541

221

Table 3c. Calorific value

MJ/kg

Waste
wood
(53-800
mm)

Coal
(El Cerrejon)

HCV

15.62

30.82

LCV

14.33

29.7

Table 3d. Ash composition

%wt as oxide

Waste
wood
(53-800
mm)

Coal
(El Cerrejon)

SiO2

48.6

59.3

Al2O3

3.8

18.0

CaO

17.1

3.7

P2O5

0.23

0.2

Fe2O3

2.9

9.6

TiO2

6.0

0.9

MgO

1.8

2.2

Na2O

2.0

0.9

K2O

1.6

1.9

Table 3e. Heavy metals – trace
element concentration

mg/kg as received

Waste
wood
(53-800 mm)

Coal
(El Cerrejon)

Pb

817

3.05

Cd

2.3

0.09

Hg

0.05

0.03

Zn

1235

12

Ni

39

11.1

As

7.3

1.8

Cr

108

7.4

Sb

7.3

<
1.2

Sn

2.1

<
1.0