Investigating the use of wastes from the processing of eucalyptus wood for the compacted solid fuels production

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the charcoals of bark, shavings and sawdust of Eucalyptus pellita, and the briquettes produced from these materials, carbonized at two temperatures. The bark, shavings and sawdust generated by mechanical processing were charred at temperatures of 400 °C and 600 °C. The physicochemical properties of the charcoals produced were compared with those of the carbonized wood at the same temperatures. Then the charred residues were briquetted and analyzed through equilibrium moisture, apparent specific mass, natural and forced degradation rate. Carbonization of the bark of Eucalyptus pellita wood increased the gravimetric yields in charcoal. There was a positive relationship between the carbonization temperature and the equilibrium moisture of the briquettes produced with the carbonized residues. The briquettes produced with charcoal from the carbonized bark at 400 ºC presented a high rate of thermal degradation.