Study of Thermal Properties of Some Selected Tropical Hard Wood Species

2016

English

The uses of wood and wood-based materials in everyday life ranging from domestic to industrial purposes have called for renewed updating of the information and knowledge on various thermal properties of the materials at various stages and classifications. This paper investigates the thermal properties (specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity) of some selected tropical hard wood species using the method of mixtures and the Lee’s Disk method respectively. The results show that the thermal conductivity of the selected wood species fall within the general range of 0.1-0.8 W/mK for tropical wood materials, with Celtis mildraedii having the least thermal conductivity of 0.08W/mk and Strombosia glaucescens the highest value of 0.392 W/mK. The specific heat capacity was highest for Holorrhena floribunda (1.97 J/g.K) and the lowest for Pterygota macrocarpa (1.01 J/g.K). These results can be used for testing the validity and efficiency of hard woods used for domestic and industrial applications.

Smith, S. A.; Preko, K.; Owusu, F. W.