Charcoal created from high-density wood burns longer, hotter, and releases more total energy.

Hello my name is Alden Pool, I am a student at the John Jay Science and Engineering Academy in San Antonio Texas. My project is entitled “Investigating the Energy of Charcoal”. This is my second research project in the field of charcoal. Last time I tested charcoal made from hard wood and soft wood. I found that charcoal made from hard wood burned for the longest amount of time and at the highest temperature. So, this made me wonder perhaps there are other physical factors other than just the hardness of the wood that affect its performance as charcoal. The density of wood is an important physical property of wood, it is related to both the strength, and the hardness of the wood. I wondered could this property also be related effectiveness of charcoal the wood produces? So, I decided to investigate this theory. I designed an experiment that compared the, energy released, duration of burn, and temperature over time. I found that charcoal made from a denser wood, not only burned longer and hotter, but also released more energy when burned than that of charcoal made from less dense wood.

So why should anyone care about these results? Well for one, there are still many places in the world that lack the necessary infrastructure for more reliable sources of energy. Plenty of people still rely solely on firewood to meet their energy needs for heating, cooking, and light. However, using firewood comes with its own set of problems. Not only is wood heavy, and hard to move, but it also emits harmful particulates into the air when it is burned. These particles can damage the lungs when inhaled, which commonly leads to respiratory problems in communities that rely solely on burning wood to meet their energy needs. The solution is charcoal. Charcoal burns cleaner than fire wood; it emits fewer harmful particles into the air. Additionally, charcoal is also much more energy dense than wood. Meaning you can store more energy in a smaller space; furthermore, it is easier to store and transport than wood. Charcoal can also be made from agricultural waste; dried biomass can easily be converted into charcoal. This allows for what was once waste to be turned into a usable source of energy.

I hope that my research can help educate and inform the world about a less harmful, and more sustainable source of energy.

Thank you.

My research story begins in 2019 when I had to choose what high school I wanted to attend. I had always enjoyed science so I decided to apply to the John Jay Science and Engineering Academy magnet school. I wrote my essay, mailed in my application, and crossed my fingers. I was so happy when I received news that I was accepted. As part of attending the magnet program, I needed to create a science fair project each year. The challenge was that I had ever completed a science fair project.

Developing that first idea was a challenge. I wanted it to be interesting, so I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do. Because I am a Boy Scout, I go camping quite often and I really enjoy cooking outdoors. I had used charcoal before, and I wondered if I could make it myself… and maybe even improve on it.  What properties might lead to a more effective charcoal? Would hardwood or softwood make better charcoal? To explore this idea, I created and tested charcoal made from three species of wood (oak, cedar, and pine).  I found that oak, a hardwood, was more effective than cedar and pine, both softwoods. By completing my first research project, I learned so much about the scientific process, collecting data, running analyses, creating a poster, and sharing my findings with others. I also discovered that in science there are many challenges and opportunities for creative problem solving. For example, I had to develop a way to measure the heat released from the charcoal as it burned. I was able to place a round metal disk on a stand and recorded the rise in temperature of the metal plate.

After the success with my first project, I wondered if there were other physical properties of wood that influence the usability of charcoal. I knew that the density of wood was important in determining both the hardness and strength of wood, so I decided to investigate whether the density of the wood played a role in the effectiveness of charcoal.  I was excited to not only build on, but also improve upon on my prior research. For this experiment, I created a new way to measure the effectiveness of charcoal, by building my own calorimeter using a #10 tin can, a glass beaker, and a thermocouple purchased from Amazon. Not all science has to be conducted in a lab with expensive equipment. To obtain my materials, I went to several cabinet shops and asked to have some of their waste wood. After making charcoal from 4 species of wood that vary in density (Mesquite, Oak, Cypress, and Poplar), I conducted an experiment to evaluate the impact of wood density on charcoal effectiveness. I found that charcoal made from a higher density wood (mesquite) burned hotter, longer, and released more energy compared to charcoal made from lower density woods (Oak, Cypress, and Poplar). This is the research I will be presenting at AJAS this year.

The most amazing part of being involved with the John Jay Research Team is that I have had many opportunities to share my research findings. I have had the opportunity to present my program of research at the school science fair, but also the regional fair, in person at Texas A&M University for the Texas Junior Academy of Science, and now as a part of the American Junior Academy of Science. I plan to continue my research into charcoal by creating my own charcoal briquettes and testing whether surface effects performance.  I believe my experience with the science fair has helped me discover not only what makes effective charcoal, but also what I would like to in the future… attend Texas A&M and study materials engineering.