Fire extinguishing strength of the combustion product of wood saw dust (ash)

Abstract

Forty saw dust samples from four mature hard wood plants grown in southwestern part of Nigeria were analyzed for their ash contents, moisture contents, metallic contents and hence the fire extinguishing strength of the saw dust ash by classical and instrumental methods of analyses. Mahogany (Khaya ivorensis) wood saw dust ash had the highest mean metallic content (5.989±2.51ppm) followed by Opepe (Sarcocephalus latifolius) , 4.704±0.21ppm while Poro poro (Sorghum bicolour) wood ash had the least metallic content (1.611±0.48ppm). Mahogany also had the highest mean moisture content (2.6615±0.64) while Opepe had the least moisture content (0.9362±0.45). The fire extinguishing strength of Mahogany was the highest, and had a positive correlation with its metallic content as depicted by their correlation coefficient (0.850). Poro poro had the least fire extinguishing strength. The comparison of the extinguishing strength of wood saw dust samples and the commonly used ABC fire extinguisher showed that ABC fire extinguisher has more extinguishing strength than the wood saw dust ash. Hence, improvement on the extinguishing strength of the saw dust ash is necessary. © JASEM