Energy value and related properties of desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) L. (Del)

Authors

  • A. Wakili Forestry Department, School of Agricultural Technology, The Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi-Nigeria
  • M. B. Abdullahi Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Federal University,Kashere, Gombe-Nigeria
  • A. Abubakar Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, S.A.A.T, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola-Nigeria

Keywords:

Calorific value, Coppice, Combustion rate, Temperature, Moisture

Abstract

A fresh wood sample of Balanites aegyptiaca L. (Del.) was taken from Buskuri open forest and tested for moisture content, calorific value, combustion rate and its coppicing ability. The study shows that the moisture content at the time of energy determination was found to be 3.81 percent and the calorific value of 16.49 Mj/Kg was recorded. The results also reveals that in eight minutes, the temperature of the wood sample reached 500oC and temperature above 100oC was retained for a period of 26minutes. The species was found to coppice at the rate of 100cm per annum. An urgent need to stop cutting Balanites aegyptiaca for fuel wood and the need for advance research on the wood properties of the same species for enhanced diversification of utilization were recommended.

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Published

2015-12-31

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2015)

Section

Articles