Energy Viability Of Mimosa Tenuiflora And Anacardium Occidentale For Brick Firing In Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil

The aim of this study was the technical evaluation of Mimosa tenuiflora and Anacardium occidentale wood for brick firing, by determining the wood consumption, brick quality and purchase cost of different species proportions. Three treatments (proportions of species) were adopted, namely 0JP - 100% A. occidentale; 50JP - 50% M. tenuiflora + 50% A. occidentale; and 100JP - 100% M. tenuiflora, with four replicates We determined the stacking factor, total wood consumption (m(3)), volatile matter, ash and fixed carbon, higher calorific value, density, moisture, kiln loading frequency, temperature curve, relation between temperature and initial brick quality, brick classification after firing, wood purchase cost, gross revenue and net revenue. Data were submitted to the Lilliefors and Cochran tests and analysis of variance by the F-test, while the means were compared using the Tukey test. The significance level of 5% was set for all cases. M. tenuiflora wood presented the best results of chemical composition (higher calorific value and basic density), and thus had the lowest consumption (m(3)). The use of the A. occidentale for firing bricks is not recommended because despite having a lower purchase price, the energy characteristics of this wood increases the consumption and thus the total cost of purchasing this fuel.