Development of a Metal Kiln for the Production of Charcoal from Waste Wood

Abstract

The need for preservation of fresh fish for commercialization purposes has attracted research efforts especially from fish scientists. There are a number of energy sources utilized for fish processing, such as electrical and wood. Due to the abundance of vegetation in the university community, there abound waste woods from felling of aged timbers; this offers potential for wood charcoal production. The focus of this study is to develop a pilot plant for wood-charcoal kiln to be employed for fresh fish processing. Relevant mathematical formulations were employed for determination of kiln model dimensions prior to fabrication of kiln parts. The wood charcoal produced in the kiln was used for fresh fish processing and the combust emission was analyzed at peak carbonization stage. Mathematical computation of Heat transfer analysis of the charcoal-making process in the kiln was undertaken using MATLAB. The wood average mass of 35 kg was combusted in the kiln to make charcoal to obtain a minimum and maximum wood conversion efficiency of 0.105 and 0.314 respectively were obtained. Maximum carbonization temperatures in the range of 350–400°C were also observed. Computational results agreed with experimentally observed data and revealed that incorporation of an insulating material would have an adverse effect on the carbonization process. The study established that the design upon modification would be environmentally safe, viable and an economic alternative for processing fish farm produce.

Keywords: Production, Smoking, Charcoal, Kiln, Design