[Stoves] Comments about T-LUDs: Types of carbon

[psanders at ilstu.edu]

Frank and Kevin,

Thanks to both of you for useful info.

If I interpret the info correctly, it seems that any carbon that is in the
carbonates is trapped there unless there are some very high-temperature
reactions that would be endothermic (undesirable if we then simply want 
to burn
the carbon to get heat).  Therefore, to me the issue of carbon in 
carbonates is
about equivalent to being part of the inert ash and not part of the 
combustible
carbon content.

Biomass contains:

hydrocarbons that are driven off in the pyrolysis process
elemental carbon that is the "char" after pyrolysis (is this "fixed
     carbon" or some other name?)
water moisture
inert materials = ash

There are certainly more complex answers because of the nature of 
hydrocarbons,
but is this correct in a simple summary?

Paul
Quoting frank at compostlab.com:

> Paul, and all
>
> I agree with you about the definition of Ash. It is the inorganic material
> after 'complete' combustion. But in stoves we do not always get complete
> combustion and the left overs are 'called' ash and that can contain a lot of
> un-ash like material.
>
> If you were to toss in some agricultural lime (CaCO3) into the ash you would
> have carbonates (CO3) in the ash. Carbonates can get into the ash in 
> many ways
> and can be formed during combustion with the sodium, calcium, magnesium and
> potassium salts in the organic product. The test equipment used to determine
> carbon will measure all (organic and inorganic) carbon. I  have always called
> the carbonates 'fixed' ash but now think I may be wrong. So to determine the
> unburned carbon from the carbonates there must be another test for one or the
> other.
>
> Frank
>


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