Energy potential of biomass and charcoal of Jatropha curcas peel and pie

Na produção de biodiesel a partir de pinhão manso (Jatropha curcas), são gerados resíduos na forma de casca (epicarpo) e de torta. Uma das alternativas de uso desses resíduos é a produção de energia. Neste sentido, objetivou-se, com o presente trabalho, analisar o potencial energético da casca e da torta de J. curcas, caracterizando-os in natura e transformados em carvão vegetal. Foram avaliados o teor de umidade, de acordo com Vital (1997); a densidade do granel; a composição química imediata, segundo a norma ABNT NBR 8112/86 e o rendimento gravimétrico em carvão. O epicarpo apresentou teor de umidade de 18,9%, densidade do granel de 100kg/m³; teor de materiais voláteis de 72,6%, teor de carbono fixo de 13%, teor de cinza de 14,4% e poder calorífico superior de 3.641kcal/kg. Carbonizado o epicarpo produziu 38,1% de carvão vegetal, com 29% de material volátil, 45% de carbono fixo, 25% de cinza e poder calorífico superior de 3.954kcal/kg. A torta apresentou teor de umidade, em base seca, de 2,41%, densidade do granel de 601kg/m³; teor de materiais voláteis de 77,84%, teor de carbono fixo 14,21%, teor de cinza de 7,95% e poder calorífico superior de 5.122kcal/kg. Com a carbonização da torta, obteve-se 32% de carvão vegetal com 18,27% de materiais voláteis, 71,29% de carbono fixo, 10,43% de cinza e poder calorífico superior de 6.234kcal/kg. Os elevados teores de cinzas, tanto para a casca quanto para a torta, estão relacionados aos altos teores de constituintes minerais presentes nas suas respectivas estruturas anatômicas.In the production of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas, are produced residues in the peel and of pie form. One alternative use of these residues is in the energy production. The present work analyzed the energy potential of the peel and the pie of Jatropha curcas in the following conditions: in natura and charcoal, determining: the moisture content (VITAL, 1997); the ash, fixed carbon and volatile matter (ABNT NBR 8112/86); the density and the gravimetric yield. The peel presented: moisture of 18,9%; density of 100kg/m3; volatile matter of 72,6%, fixed carbon of 13% and 14,4% of ashes and heat combustion of 3.641kcal/kg. The carbonized peel produced 38.1% of charcoal, with: 29% of volatile matter, 45% of fixed carbon and 25% of ashes; and heat combustion of 3.954kcal/kg. The pie presented: moisture of 2.41%, 601kg/m3 of density; volatile matter of 77.84%, fixed carbon 14.21% and 7,95% ashes and 5.122kcal/kg of heat combustion. In the carbonization of the pie, 32% of charcoal was produced containing: 18.27% of volatile matter, 71.29% of fixed carbon, 10.43% of ashes and heat combustion of 6.234kcal/kg. The high ashe contents are related to the fertilization of the plant

Molhabilidade e rugosidade superficial de 11 madeiras tropicais amazônicas

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a rugosidade e a molhabilidade de 11 espécies de madeiras. A rugosidade da superfície das madeiras foi analisada usando-se o rugosímetro. Para analisar a molhabilidade, foram realizadas medições do ângulo de contato pela gota séssil com o uso de um goniômetro. Água destilada e adesivo fenólico foram os líquidos empregados, sendo que o volume da gota depositada sobre o material foi de 10 μL e as medições realizadas a cada 2 segundos, por um período de 120 segundos. As espécies Virola michelii e Trattinnickia burserifolia apresentaram rugosidade diferente entre as faces radial e tangencial. Em relação à molhabilidade, a espécie Virola michelii apresentou maior molhabilidade na face tangencial para o líquido água, enquanto que para o adesivo fenol-formaldeído a melhor molhabilidade foi na face radial. Nas espécies Brosimum sp. e Chamaecrysta scleroxyllum, a maior molhabilidade se deu na face tangencial. A molhabilidade das espécies estudadas não foi claramente influenciada pela rugosidade da superfície; por outro lado, a mesma variou com o inverso da densidade da madeira.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the wettability and surface roughness of 11 Amazonian hardwoods. Surface roughness was evaluated by a profilometer, while wettability was measured by a goniometer. Distillated water and phenol-formaldehyde were employed to study wood wettability. A 10-μL drop was placed on the wood surface and the contact angle was measured every 2 seconds for 120 seconds. The Virola michelii and Trattinnickia burserifolia wood specimens analyzed presented different roughness values according to the surface evaluated, radial or tangential. Regarding wettability, Virola michelii wood showed the lowest water contact angle on the tangential surface, while the radial surface presented better wettability for phenol-formaldehyde. The wettability of the species studied was not clearly affected by surface roughness, which depends on wood density

Grouping Amazonian wood species for laminated venner lumbers (LVL) production

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Florestais, 2013.Painéis de lâminas paralelas (LVL) são painéis estruturais com lâminas de madeira coladas paralelamente entre si com adesivos estruturais, utilizando elevandas temperaturas e pressões. Foram avaliadas propriedades das lâminas de cinco espécies amazônicas (Trattinnickia burseraefolia, Copaifera sp., Micropholis sp., Schizolobium amazonicum e Parkia pendula): rugosidade, molhabilidade, densidade, retratibilidade e composição química. Estas variáveis foram utilizadas em uma análise de variáveis canônicas a fim de agrupar as espécies para posterior confecção dos painéis LVL. Foram estabelecidos oito tratamentos sem prévia classificação das lâminas; três tratamentos com mistura de espécies tiveram em suas superfícies espécies mais densas que o miolo e os outros cinco tratamentos foram homogêneos. Foram confeccionados painéis com 9 lâminas, utilizando o adesivo PVAc (150 g/m²), temperatura de 104ºC, tempo de prensagem de 9 e 5 minutos e 1 MPa de pressão específica. Foram realizados os ensaios de: avaliação não-destrutiva (Stress Wave Timer e Ultrassom), propriedades mecânicas (flexão estática, compressão paralela e cisalhamento paralelo à linha de cola) e propriedades físicas (densidade, absorção de água, inchamento em espessura e taxa de não-retorno em espessura). A avaliação das combinações faz notar que o agrupamento das espécies sugerido no capítulo 1, reflete no agrupamento dos tratamentos do G3 e do G4. Contudo não é completamente eficiente na percepção do G1 e do G2, pois estes grupos apresentaram dissimilaridades e geraram quatro novos grupos. No agrupamento por tratamento, T7 configurou um novo grupo, isolado, com características únicas. A utilização da avaliação não-destrutiva mostrou-se eficiente para predizer as propriedades mecânicas dos painéis LVLs confeccionados, desde que considerados todos os tratamentos incluídos no modelo. Por fim, nas propriedades mecânicas o G3 apresentou os melhores resultados, assim como nas propriedades físicas. _______________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTLaminated veneer lumber (LVL) is a structural board in which lumber veneers are assembled together with structural adhesives at high temperatures and pressures. It was evaluated the veneers properties of five Amazonian wood species (Trattinnickia burseraefolia, Copaifera sp., Micropholis sp., Schizolobium amazonicum e Parkia pendula): roughness, wettability, density, dimensional shrinkage and chemistry composition. These variables were used in a canon variable analysis to group the species for the LVL production. Eight treatments were established without veneers prior classification; three treatments with mixtures of species had on their edges species denser than the core and the other five treatments were homogeneous. All the LVL were produced with 9 veneers according to the following characteristics: PVAc (polyvinyl acetate crosslinkg) 150 g/m², hot-pressing ate 104ºC for 9 and 5 minutes at 1 MPa of specific pressure. The LVL properties were evaluated according to the specifics standards: nondestructive evaluation (Stress Wave Timer and Ultrasound), mechanical properties (modulus of rupture, static bending modulus of elasticity, parallel compression strength and parallel shear strength) ans physical properties (LVL density, water absorption, thickness swelling and permanent thickness swelling). The combinations evaluation notes that the species grouping suggested ins chapter 1, reflects on the treatments grouping of G3 and G4. However it is not completely efficient in G1 and G2 perception; due their dissimilarity it was generated four new groups. In treatment grouping, T7 configured a new group, isolated, with unique features. As the use of non destructive evaluation, it was effective to predict the mechanical properties of LVL panels when all treatments where included in the model. Finally, G3 showed the best results for the mechanical properties as well as in physical properties

Surface wettability and roughness of 11 Amazonian tropical hardwoods

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the wettability and surface roughness of 11 Amazonian hardwoods. Surface roughness was evaluated by a profilometer, while wettability was measured by a goniometer. Distillated water and phenol-formaldehyde were employed to study wood wettability. A 10-μL drop was placed on the wood surface and the contact angle was measured every 2 seconds for 120 seconds. The Virola michelii and Trattinnickia burserifolia wood specimens analyzed presented different roughness values according to the surface evaluated, radial or tangential. Regarding wettability, Virola michelii wood showed the lowest water contact angle on the tangential surface, while the radial surface presented better wettability for phenol-formaldehyde. The wettability of the species studied was not clearly affected by surface roughness, which depends on wood density

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora

Growing knowledge: an overview of Seed Plant diversity in Brazil

Abstract An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the country's biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique and diverse flora