SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL-MODEL FOR THE SOLVOLYSIS OF CYLINDRICAL PINE-WOODSAMPLES

For producing fuel by the liquefaction of wood, it would be reasonable to use a raw material in the form of large granules instead of sawdus t or powder. In this paper, a simple mathematical model, for the solvo lysis of wood dowels of various diameters in acidified phenol is descr ibed. The modelling is based on a dual diffusion reaction. In order to determine the kinetic constants of the reaction, when the rate is ent irely controlled by the chemical reaction, experiments have been carri ed out on wood powder, well dispersed in the solvent. For the larger p ieces of wood, the dissolution appears as a stepwise process. An expla nation of this process is given, based on morphological changes in the wood matrix during solvolysis.