Pre-treatment of furniture waste for smokeless charcoal production

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of using furniture waste for smokeless fuel production using the pyrolysis process. Four types of wood-based wastes were used in the pyrolysis process: pine sawdust (PS), chipboard (CB), medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and oriented strand board (OSB). Additionally, the slow and fast types of pyrolysis were compared, where the heating rates were 15 °C/min and 100 °C/min, respectively. Chemical analyses of the raw materials and the pyrolysis product yields are presented. A significant calorific value rise was observed for the solid pyrolysis products (from approximately 17.5 MJ/kg for raw materials up to approximately 29 MJ/kg for slow pyrolysis products and 31 MJ/kg for fast pyrolysis products). A higher carbon content of char was observed in raw materials (from approximately 48% for raw materials up to approximately 75% for slow pyrolysis products and approximately 82% for fast pyrolysis products) than after the pyrolysis process. This work presents the possibility of utilizing waste furniture material that is mostly composed of wood, but is not commonly used as a substrate for conversion into low-emission fuel. The results prove that the proposed solution produced char characterized by the appropriate properties to be classified as smokeless coal.