Qualidade das madeiras de Astronium fraxinifolium Schott e Enterolobium gummiferum (Mart.) J.F.Macbr. para produção de carvão vegetal

Abstract

The Cerrado, the second largest biome in Brazil, despite having a great diversity of forest species, still little is known about the technological quality of its wood. In this sense, in order to evaluate the energetic potential of the Astronium fraxinifolium and Enterolobium gummiferum woods, native from the Cerrado forest remnants, this work aimed to study the quality of the woods and the charcoal of these species. Disks were removed at a height of 1.3 m from the soil of three trees of each species. Samples were made for the analysis of the anatomical, physical, chemical, energetic properties of the wood and also for the production of charcoal, under laboratory conditions, under two final carbonization temperatures (350 and 450ºC). Subsequently, charcoal characterization was carried out, and carbonization yields and charcoal productivity per unit volume were calculated. It was found that the woods of the forest species are anatomically similar and have satisfactory physical, chemical and energetic characteristics that enhance them for energy purposes. E. gummiferum coal stood out for its low ash content, whereas A. fraxinifolium showed higher apparent density, and consequently, higher carbonization yields and charcoal productivity per unit volume of wood. The coals produced at both final carbonization temperatures showed parameters suitable for domestic use and the steel sector, thus indicating the use of the final temperature of 350ºC as it presents higher gravimetric and energetic carbonization yields.