576 



PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION H. 



2. THE CALORIFIC VALUE OF SOME AUSTRALIAN 

 WOODS, WITH NOTES ON THE PRODUCTION OF 

 CHARCOAL AND ASH. 



By James Mann, Victorian Government Reeearch Scholar, 



[abstract.] 



Objects of Investigation. 



To determine, for different Australian woods, and the charcoal 



produced from them, their calorific values as fuel, the quantity of 



charcoal and the amount and colour of the ash. 



The specimens of wood used in the tests, were in the form of 

 I -inch cubes, and for each species, at least four cubes were tested 

 both as wood and charcoal. The cubes were dried for twenty-four 

 hours at a temperature of 103 degrees C, and placed in a desic- 

 cator, to prevent absorption of moisture before weighing. 



Charcoal Tests. 



The cubes were carbonized in a closed muffle packed with 

 powdered charcoal, which was heated in a gas furnace. When 

 nearly cool the carbonized cubes were placed in the desiccator, as 

 above. 



Ash Tests. 



Cubes, similar to those used in the charcoal tests, were burnt in 

 platinum crucibles. 



The following table (Table 1) gives the weights of charcoal and 

 ash produced from one ton of wood. The third column is the 

 v/eight of ash produced from one ton of charcoal : — 



Botanical Name. 



Euc. hicolor 

 roslrata 

 stuartiana 

 sideroxyloii . . 

 hemiphloia . . 

 polyanthema 

 macrorrhyncha 

 melliodora . . 

 dbliqua 

 globulus 

 amygdalima 

 hotryoides 

 eugenoides . . 

 bosistoana 

 consideniana 

 viminalis 

 pvlverulenta 



Local Name. 



Black box. . 

 Redgum . . 

 Apple gum 

 Red ironbark 

 Grey box . . 

 Red box . . 

 Stringy bark 

 Yellow box 

 Slessmate . . 

 Bluegum . . 

 Peppermint 

 Gippsland mahogany 

 White stringj'^bark 

 White box 

 Yert chuck 

 White gum 

 WooUybutt or mealy 

 stringj'bark 



Weight of Ash 

 from Charcoal 

 in Pounds. 



3-98 



2 05 

 23-89 



3-26 

 00-03 

 13-86 



2-40 

 22-70 



2-68 

 19-63 



4-23 



8-84 



1-11 

 67-00 



3-93 

 17-63 



3-9& 



