Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: self-heating; smoldering ignition; plywood; bowes. Includes bibliographical references.

"This paper investigates the thermal conditions at the surface and at depth of 1.8 cm (3/4-inch) maple plywood exposed to heat fluxes between 6 and 15 kW/m2 in the cone calorimeter for up to 8 hours. The minimum heat flux for unpiloted smoldering ignition was 7.5 kW/m2 and compared favorably to classical self-heating theory. The role of self-heating was explored via temperature measurements distributed within the specimens. Elevated subsurface temperature profiles indicated self-heating was an important ignition factor resulting in ignition at depth with smolder propagation to the surface and into the material. The ignition depth was shown to be a function of the heat flux with the depth moving towards the surface as the heat flux increased. Supporting work included sensor calibration testing, mass loss rate analysis, char depth testing and computer modeling. The calibration testing showed optical pyrometer temperature measurements compare favorably to those of surface mounted thermocouples. Mass loss rate analysis was found to be a lagging indicator of smoldering ignition. The char depth tests showed that the rate of change of the temperatures recorded at depth increased around the time the derived char front passed. Computer modeling (HEATING) of a heat flux applied to the plywood for conditions similar to the performed ignition tests compared favorably to experimental data for sub-critical incident heat flux temperature profiles, excepting surface temperatures. For heat fluxes near critical, the model correctly predicted thermal runaway below the sample surface. At higher heat fluxes simulation results indicated surface ignition at times significantly earlier than experimental results."

This report is a study on the smoldering combustion of natural sawdust from untreated woods. The objective was to develop and test an experimental technique to study the fundamental behavior of sawdust smolder. The experimental setup was an annulus cookstove packed with sawdust between the inner and outer radii creating a central hollow core. The sawdust was ignited by a heating coil wrapped around the inner radius. Thermocouples were embedded in the sawdust bed fanning out in the radial direction, and temperature was recorded throughout the smolder process. Consistent with the literature, the experimental results indicate that wood smolder consists of three pathways, 1) sawdust to char, 2) sawdust to volatiles, and 3) char to ash. Pathways 1 and 3 can be clearly characterized by the temperature profile of the smolder; however, pathway 2 often involves flaming of the sawdust and is beyond the scope of this study. Pathway 1, sawdust to char, is an endothermic reaction that results in a clearly defined char front that propagates across the sawdust bed in the radial direction. As smolder proceeds, the char continues to oxidize and breaks down into non-volatile products such as water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO₂) in further exothermic reactions. Pathway 2, char to ash, is an exothermic reaction that can lead to glowing combustion when exposed to sufficient amounts of oxygen and results in spikes in temperature. In contrast to the clearly defined char front, the ashing zone traces cracks in the sawdust where air can penetrate through, and has no discernible front. Section 1 discusses the motivation behind the study of sawdust cookstoves in third world countries, in particular Ghana, to replace wood with sawdust as a cheap alternative for household fuel. Section 2 details the experimental setup of the cookstove rig and the methodology of the experiments conducted. Section 3 reports the results of the experiments and analyzes the temperature profiles in relation to the three types of chemical reactions as noted above. Section 4 concludes with a summary of the results and discusses efforts in measuring emissions from the smolder and future work to be done. / text

La gazéification étagée est une technologie innovante pour la production d’énergie renouvelable de petite et moyenne puissances, pour laquelle l'élargissement de la gamme de biomasses utilisables constitue un enjeu majeur de développement. Cette thèse porte spécifiquement sur la pyrolyse oxydante en lit fixe, première étape clé du procédé, qui conditionne fortement la performance et la fiabilité de cette technologie. Trois types de biomasses – pin, miscanthus, et paille – conditionnées sous forme de granulés ont été étudiés. Une étude expérimentale a été réalisée sur un réacteur pilote à lit fixe de 20 cm de diamètre et 1.6 m de hauteur permettant de reproduire des conditions opératoires proches de celles rencontrées durant l'étape de pyrolyse dans les gazéifieurs industriels. Le fonctionnement du procédé pour les trois biomasses a été caractérisé par la mesure du ratio air/biomasse, des températures, des rendements en charbon, gaz permanents et condensables et de leurs compositions. Une attention particulière a été portée à la zone d'oxydation qui se propage verticalement vers le haut dans le lit de biomasse. Une méthodologie a été développée pour mesurer la vitesse de propagation, l'épaisseur et le tassement de cette zone et étudier l'impact de la nature de la biomasse. Dans un lit de granulés de bois, la vitesse et l'épaisseur de la zone d'oxydation est 25 % plus faible que dans un lit de granulés de paille ou miscanthus. L'effet catalytique des matières minérales sur les réactions de pyrolyse primaire et secondaire et son impact sur le fonctionnement du procédé, ont également été mis en évidence. / Staged gasification is an innovative technology for small and medium renewable energy production. The expansion of the range of usable biomass remains a major obstacle to development. This thesis focuses specifically on the oxidative pyrolysis in a fixed bed, the first step of the process that strongly influences the performance and reliability of this technology. Three types of biomass- pine, miscanthus and wheat straw - in form of pellets were studied. An experimental study was carried out in a pilot fixed bed reactor of 20 cm diameter and 1.6 m height allowing the reproduction of similar conditions to those existing in the pyrolysis step of an industrial gasifier. The process operation for the three biomasses was characterized by measuring the air/biomass ratio, bed temperature, yields and compositions of char, permanent gases and condensates. A particular attention was paid on the oxidation zone which propagates upward towards the raw biomass. A method was developed to measure the propagation velocity, thickness and the compaction of the oxidation zone and to study the impact of the biomass nature. Velocity and thickness of this zone were 25 % lower in a fixed bed of wood pellets than in beds of wheat straw or miscanthus. Catalytic effect of the mineral matters on primary and secondary pyrolysis reactions and their impact on the process operation have been highlighted.

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A MATLAB model was developed for the smoldering combustion of wastewater in the context of a decentralized residential wastewater treatment appliance. Data from a batch process sewage smoldering experiment was simulated using implicit finite-difference approximations, assuming one-dimensional transient conductive heat transfer. The time-dependent temperature profiles within the column represented the main parameters of interest and were used to verify recoverable heat energy estimations. Given that the modeling method used for this thesis represents a unique approach, the assumptions and limitations of this model are thoroughly described in the context of reproducing results for other smoldering setups. A lack of convergence is seen in the model validation section of this report. Consequently, the practicality of this particular model contains significant limitations. Theoretical applications are also discussed and analyzed in terms of comparisons to modern alternatives and prototype feasibility.

Forested peatlands of the Great Dismal Swamp (GDS) have been greatly altered since colonial times, motivating recent restoration efforts. Community structure and function were hydrologically altered by 19th and 20th century ditches installed to lower water levels and enable early timber harvesting. Contemporary forest communities are comprised of maturing remnants from selective timber harvesting that ended in the early 1970s. Red maple (Acer rubrum) has become the dominant species across GDS, encroaching on or replacing the historical mosaic of cypress (Taxodium spp.)/tupelo (Nyssa spp.), Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), and pocosin (Pinus spp.). Moreover, peat soil has been exposed to more unsaturated conditions resulting in carbon loss through decomposition and increased peat fire frequency and severity. Installation of ditch control structures aim to control drainage and re-establish historical hydrology, vegetation communities, peat accretion rates, and fire regime. To help inform restoration and management, we conducted two complimentary studies to test hypotheses regarding hydrologic influences on vegetation, peat depths, and peat fire vulnerability. First, we found thicker peat, lower maple importance, and higher species richness at wetter sites (e.g., higher mean water levels). In our second study, we evaluated the integrated effects of peat properties and water level dynamics on peat fire vulnerability. We found decreased burn vulnerability with increased wetness, suggesting that the driest sites were always at risk to burn, whereas the wettest sites never approached fire risk conditions. Together our findings demonstrate strong hydrologic controls on GDS ecosystem structure and function, thereby informing water level management for restoration goals. / Master of Science

La thèse s’intéresse au contrôle de la température d’un front de combustion propagé dans un milieu poreux contenant du carbone fixe et des carbonates (CaCO3). L’objectif principal est de réduire la température, in situ (récupération d’huile ou production de gaz à partir d’un schiste bitumineux) ou dans un procédé (combustion de semicoke), afin de limiter la décarbonatation du milieu et les émissions induites de CO2. Le milieu réactif retenu pour réaliser les expériences en laboratoire est un schiste bitumineux préalablement broyé (0.5 à 2 mm) et pré-pyrolysé, appelé semicoke. Le front est propagé en co-courant. La première technique testée expérimentalement est l’ajout au semicoke d’un matériaux inerte (sable) et/ou d’un matériaux réactif (CaCO3) afin de faire varier le taux de carbone fixe et le taux de CaCO3 et ceci indépendamment. Nous montrons que l’augmentation de CaCO3 permet de baisser la température à 800 °C, mais pas en dessous, ce qui ne permet pas d’éviter la décarbonatation. Faire chuter le contenu en carbone fixe permet de baisser la température du front, voire d’atteindre l’extinction. Aux températures de propagation les plus basses, la décarbonatation est fortement limitée. En revanche le front ralentit car il n’utilise plus tout l’oxygène alimenté. La deuxième technique originale consiste à ajouter du CO2 (20 %molaire) dans l’air de combustion. Nous montrons que dans le cas d’un front chaud, ceci permet de réduire le taux de décarbonatation de 100% à 70%, et d’augmenter en parallèle la production de CO résultant de l’oxydation du carbone fixe, ce qui augmente le PCI du gaz produit. Sur un front plus froid, la décarbonatation qui était de 20% est totalement évitée par l’ajout de CO2. Enfin, des expériences sont proposées dans le mode de combustion “reaction trailing”, très peu connu et mis en oeuvre. Ce mode a l’intérêt majeur d’éviter les réactions de “Lower Temperature Oxidation” préjudiciables au rendement en huile ou en gaz d’un process in situ. Des expériences stables et répétables sont réalisées avec différents pourcentages d’oxygène dans le gaz alimenté. La température du front est directement liée à ce paramètre ; la décarbonatation est clairement limitée dans ce mode de propagation. Deux types de modélisation sont proposés. Un bilan de matière et d’énergie basé sur des expressions analytiques simples permet d’évaluer la température du front et sa vitesse de propagation. Un modèle numérique développé par l’IMFT se base sur des équations de transfert convectif/diffusif de chaleur et de matière, couplées aux réactions d’oxydation du carbone (en CO et en CO2) et de décarbonatation de CaCO3. Il décrit de façon très satisfaisante les expériences en mode “reaction leading” avec variation de la composition du milieu (première technique). / This PhD thesis focuses on the control of the smoldering front propagating in a porous medium containing fixed carbon and carbonates (CaCO3). The main objective is to reduce the front temperature, in situ (oil recovery or gas production from oil shale) or in process (combustion of semicoke), in order to limit the medium decarbonation and the resulting CO2 emissions. The reactive porous medium retained to realize the laboratory experiments is a crushed (0.5 to 2 mm) and pre-pyrolyed oil shale, called semicoke. The front propagates in co-current. The first technique experimentally tested is the addition to the semicoke of an inert material (sand) and/or a reactive material (CaCO3) to vary the contents of fixed carbon and of CaCO3, independently. We show that the increase of the CaCO3 content enables to reduce the temperature to 800 °C, but not below; this does not allow to avoid decarbonation. Bringing down the fixed carbon content enables to reduce the front temperature, see even to reach extinction. In the lowest temperatures of propagation, the decarbonation is strongly limited. On the other hand, the front slows down because it does not use all of the fed oxygen. The second original technique consists in adding CO2 (20 mol.%) to the oxidizer air. We show that for a hot front, the decarbonated fraction is reduced from 100% down to 70%, and the CO production at fixed carbon oxidation is increased; this leads to increase the LCV of the produced gas. For a cold front, the decarbonation which was 20%, is totally avoided by adding CO2. Finely, experiments are proposed in the “reaction trailing” combustion mode, little known and implemented. This mode has the major interest to avoid the reactions of “Lower Temperature Oxidation” prejudicial for oil or gas yields in in situ process. Stable and repeatable experiments are realized with different oxygen fractions in feeding gas. The front temperature is directly linked to this parameter; the decarbonation is clearly limited in this mode of propagation. Two types of modeling are proposed. A mass and thermal balance based on simple analytical expressions enables to evaluate the front temperature and velocity. A numerical model developed by IMFT is based on convective/diffusive heat and mass transfer equations coupled with the oxidation reactions (into CO and CO2) and CaCO3 decarbonation is proposed. It describes in a very satisfactory way the experiments in the “reaction leading” mode with variation of the medium composition (first technique).

An accurate estimation of biomass burning emissions is in part limited by the lack of knowledge of fire burning phase (smoldering/flaming). In recent years, several fire detection products have been developed to provide information of fire radiative power (FRP), location, size, and temperature of fire pixels, but no information regarding fire burning phase is retrieved. The Day-Night band (DNB) aboard Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is sensitive to visible light from flaming fires in the night. In contrast, VIIRS 4 µm moderate resolution band #13 (M13), though capable to detect fires at all phases, has no direct sensitivity for discerning fire phase. However, the hybrid usage of VIIRS DNB and M-bands data is hampered due to their different scanning technology and spatial resolution. In this study, we present a novel method to rapidly and accurately resample DNB pixel radiances to M-band pixels’ footprint that is based on DNB and M-band’s respective characteristics in their onboard schemes for detector aggregation and bow-tie effect removals. Subsequently, the visible energy fraction (VEF) as an indicator of fire burning phase is introduced and is calculated as the ratio of visible light power (VLP) and FRP for each fire pixel retrieved from VIIRS 750 m active fire product. A global distribution of VEF values, and thereby the fire phase, is quantitatively obtained, showing mostly smoldering wildfires such as peatland fires (with smaller VEF values) in Indonesia, flaming wildfires (with larger VEF values) over grasslands and savannahs in sub-Sahel region, and gas fares with largest VEF values in the Middle East. VEF is highly correlated with modified combustion efficiency (MCE) for different land cover types or regions. These results together with a case study of the 2018 California Campfire show that the VEF has the potential to be an indicator of fire combustion phase for each fire pixel, appropriate for estimating emission factors at the satellite pixel level.

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