Ignition of Wood (6) — On the exothermic phenomena accompanied with carbonization of woods —

Abstract

The fact that heat is generated in process of thermal decomposition of wood, is known, but the mechanism and calorimetrical data of this phenomena are not clear at present.
In this paper, mechanism of this heat generation under the air lean condition is examined experimentally and theoretically. By that results, it is considered that the heat is generated with secondary catalytic decomposition and polymerization of primary decomposition products, and in this case calorific value is about 30 cal. per gram of wood, which determined by numerical calculation of heat conduction in wood. On the contrary, mechanism of heat generation under the air rich condition is understood easily as the oxidation of product gases and product carbons.