Effect of Thermal Treatment on Combustion Process of Spruce Wood (Picea abies)

This paper deals with the effect of thermal treatment of spruce wood on its burning process. Samples of 100 mm x 100 mm were dried out and then heat-treated at 150 °C, 200 °C, 250 °C and 300 °C. Thus prepared samples were tested on a cone calorimeter at a heat flow of 50 kW·m-2. The obtained results clearly show that with the increasing temperature of the treatment, the released heat from the surface unit decreases and the unit weight increases. The carbon dioxide concentration in the flue gas increases as well, however, the optical density of the smoke decreases substantially. It can be stated that the burning of spruce wood is considerably affected mainly by the thermal treatment at temperatures above 200 °C. From the point of view of the use of spruce wood as fuel, the most optimal treatment temperature is 250 °C.