Determination of Shell Charcoal Yield of Different Coconut Varieties in Sri Lanka Under Optimum Temperature Condition
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Due to improper management, inefficient use of resources, low quality inputs and production
procedures, charcoal production in Sri Lanka has become a less profitable industry, which
pollutes the environment while causing health problems to the workers as well as to society. In
Sri Lanka, charcoal is mainly produce using traditional methods. Therefore, the efficiency of
these methods and quality of the charcoal produces are low compared to modern-improved
technologies. As a developing country, it is difficult to adopt these improved methodologies due
to lack of capital and other facilities. The study was carried out to determine (i) Optimum
temperature condition for carbonization of Coconut shells and, (ii) the variety that gives the
highest charcoal yield.
Methodology
To determination of optimum carbonization temperature, Coconut shells were oven dried for
two days at 70 C, crushed and passed through 5mm sieve. Samples were weighed and placed in
a muffle furnace at carbonization temperatures of 200,250, 300,350,400,450,500,550 C for
different resident time periods 5, 10, 15,20,25,30 minutes respectively. The charcoal yield was
weight in each occasion. Quality parameters such as volatile matter, ash content, moisture
content and fixed carbon content of the charcoal was determined. The temperature and time, at
which to weight charcoal yield with best quality produced were taken as the Optimum
temperature and time. Which referred to the one, which gave the highest amount of charcoal
with particular quality parameters (moisture content, ash content and volatile matter content)
under optimum carbonization conditions.
Description
Keywords
Agriculture, Export Agriculture, Crop Production, Coconut, Plantations