Experimental study of the characteristic parameters of the combustion of the wood of ancient buildings

Abstract

The degree of ageing, the combustion kinetic performance and the change law of the combustion characteristics of ancient pine were experimentally investigated using thermogravimetric analysis, calorimetry experiments, component analysis experiments and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The results show that the hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and resin contents of the ancient pine decreased by 4.78%, 3.87%, 1.39% and 0.63%, respectively. The volatile content of the ancient pine decreased by 7.37%, while the ash content increased by 5.02%. The terpenes in the ancient pine were almost decomposed, and the calorific value of the ancient pine decreased by 21.54%. The ignition point of ancient pine was 19.83°C lower than that of the fresh pine. The activation energy and heat of the pre-charring stage of the combustion of the ancient pine were 1.37 times and 0.51 times those of the fresh pine, respectively. In contrast, the activation energy and heat of the charring stage of the combustion of the ancient pine were 0.66 times and 1.2 times those of the fresh pine, respectively. The ignition time and peak time of the ancient pine were shorter, and the heat release rate, smoke production rate, specific extinction area and CO production rate were higher than those of fresh pine.

Experimental study on thermal effect and gas release laws of coal-polyurethane cooperative spontaneous combustion

“…During the charring stage, the residual polyhydric alcohols, aromatic esters, cyanates and macromolecular organics are completely pyrolysed and form HCN, CO, CO 2 and carbides. During the burning stage, the fixed carbon begins to burn and release large amounts of CO and CO 2 28 , 42 , 43 .…”

Contemporary Fire Safety Engineering in Timber Structures: Challenges and Solutions

“…Ancient timber structures predominantly employ timber that has undergone minimal processing, relying primarily on rudimentary air-drying techniques [32]. Consequently, maintaining consistent moisture content proves challenging, leading to inevitable issues such as splitting, warping, decay, and insect infestation.…”

“…Moreover, there is an amplified imperative to protect timber when conserving historical timber structures, where the combustion properties of aged wood differ significantly from those of fresh timber [41,42]. For example, ancient pine's ignition time and peak time were shorter, and the heat release rate, smoke production rate, specific extinction area and carbon monoxide (CO) production rate were higher than those of fresh pine [32]. This not only entails preserving intrinsic historical value but also necessitates the incorporation of fire-resistant and anti-decay features [43].…”

Influence of natural aging on wood combustion heat release

“…For example, Xu et al (2015), Seo et al (2016), Rantuch et al (2021), and Colombiano et al (2022) utilized a cone calorimeter to test the combustion characteristics of wood with different radiation intensities, and compared the ignition time, mass loss rate, effective combustion heat, heat release rate, oxygen loss, CO2 production rate, and smoke production rate of different types of wood. Jayaraman et al (2017), Dhahak et al (2019), Wang et al (2019), Xu et al (2021), and Liu et al (2022) studied the exothermic characteristics and thermal stability of different types of wood, and chemical components, by thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and other experiments. The combustion and thermal behavior process of wood was analyzed, the stage characteristics and thermodynamic characteristics of the combustion process were clarified, and the thermokinetic parameters, combustion characteristic parameters, and gaseous products were mastered.…”