FOREST WASTE AS A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE ENERGY-SOURCE

Following a method based on the procedure given by Hubbard et al. [1] the calorific values of combustion in oxygen at 298.15 K were measured by static-bomb calorimetry for forest residues. This waste mainly com ing from mount reforestation, construction of firebreaks, etc., consti tutes an important risk to originate forest fire. From combustion expe riments the mean calorific value of all species studied was found clos e to 19 000 kJ.kg-1, similar to calorific values of Municipal Waste. I t can be concluded that this forest residues can be used as an additio nal fuel to be added to Municipal Solid Waste in energy recovery plant s. By doing this, energy, in this moment lost as abandoned residues, c an be recovered. At the same time the elimination of this waste minimi zes the risk of forest fires. Our results reasonably agree with litera ture values.