[Stoves] wood: air dry, damp, moist and too wet to burn

[Frank Shields]

Lanny,

 

 

This is a great question and a test method that need be developed for the
fuel classification BOX.

Could be something like placing a fuel of specific size in a vertical pipe
sitting on a screen. How many Whatman cellulose filters are needed at the
bottom to achieve and maintain combustion. Something like that. Moisture is
not the only characteristic that effects combustion. Bark covered, verticle,
shape etc. 

 

Regards

 

Frank

 

 

From: Stoves [mailto:stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of
Lanny Henson
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2013 5:42 AM
To: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves
Subject: [Stoves] wood: air dry, damp, moist and too wet to burn

 

 

Has anyone broken down the moisture level of red oak wood, or biomass, into
categories similar to:  air dry, damp, moist and too wet to burn? 

(Damp and moist may not be the best names for the two middle categories.)

Also is there an energy balance chart? 

Moisture levels for red oak wood: 

1.	Air Dry:  (13% and below), will ignite and maintain flaming
combustion, without fire starter.
2.	Damp:  (13% to ?%), needs some assistance to reach and maintain
flaming combustion on is own, paper dry biomass, wax or other. 
3.	Moist:  (?% to ?%), needs extra help to reach flaming combustion and
needs help more than once to maintain flaming combustion.  The fire may burn
a while until the moisture displaces the combustion air and then the fire
goes out. You may have to top light and use a fire starter more than once to
dry the wood to a point that it will burn, but once the combustion zone is
hot, the wood will maintain flaming combustion.
4.	Wet:  wood, (?% or more), too wet to burn, the energy in oak wood
equal to or less than the energy necessary to evaporate its moisture
content. Adds no energy to  a fire.

 

Thanks, Lanny

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