THERMAL IGNITION KINETICS OF WOOD SAWDUST MEASURED BY A NEWLY DEVISEDEXPERIMENTAL-TECHNIQUE

The activation energies of two wood sawdusts were determined using an experimental technique based on the crossing-point temperature concept , which was derived from the transient model of self-heating in a soli d. The two samples used in this study were treated and untreated sawdu st. The activation energies measured were 106 +/- 4 kJ mol(-1) for the treated sawdust and 90 +/- 3 kJ mol(-1) for the untreated sawdust. Th ese values are similar to those in previously published results which were obtained using the steady-state model. The transient model provid es a quicker yet sufficiently accurate method of determining thermal i gnition kinetics.