The Effects of Outdoor Conditions on the Combustion Properties of Scotch Pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.) Wood

Abstract

The wooden material, which is a light and durable material, has also undesirable properties such as contagion from outdoor conditions and combustion properties. This research is conducted with the intent of determining the combustion properties of wood material left in outdoor conditions for one year. For this purpose, samples prepared from scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) according to ASTM-E 160-50 are first impregnated with tanalith-E (T) and wolmanit-CB (W-CB) in compliance with ASTM-D 1413-76, and then are varnished with synthetic (St) and water based (wb) varnish according to ASTM-D 3023. The weight loss, the collapse time in combustion, the total combustion duration, the temperature values in the combustion levels are identified by subjecting pieces, which are left in outdoor air conditions, to combustion tests according to the principles specified in ASTM G7-05 standard by the end of the year. According to the results, the impregnation materials have decreased the collapse time by %7-26 in the combustion, increased the total combustion duration by %14-34, and the varnishes have raised the collapse times and reduced the total combustion durations.

Full text

92
E. J. Engineering Sciences and Technology, Vol. 1:(2017),92-99.
http://www.cessciencegroup.com All rights reserved.
The Effects of Outdoor Conditions on the Combustion Properties of Scotch
Pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.) Wood
Ş. Şadiye YAŞAR1,*, Musa ATAR2, Mehmet YAŞAR1 and M. Said FIDAN3
1 The University of Gumushane, Gumushane Vocational High School, Department of Design, Gümüşhane/TURKEY
2 The University of Gazi, Faculty of Technology, Department of Wood Products Industry Engineering,
Ankara/TURKEY
3 The University of Bursa Technical University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Industry Engineering,
Bursa/TURKEY
*E-mail: ssyasar@gumushane.edu.tr
Received 03 April 2017; Accepted 26 May 2017
ABSTRACT
The wooden material, which is a light and durable material, has also undesirable
properties such as contagion from outdoor conditions and combustion properties. This research is
conducted with the intent of determining the combustion properties of wood material left in
outdoor conditions for one year. For this purpose, samples prepared from scotch pine (Pinus
sylvestris L.) according to ASTM-E 160-50 are first impregnated with tanalith-E (T) and
wolmanit-CB (W-CB) in compliance with ASTM-D 1413-76, and then are varnished with
synthetic (St) and water based (wb) varnish according to ASTM-D 3023. The weight loss, the
collapse time in combustion, the total combustion duration, the temperature values in the
combustion levels are identified by subjecting pieces, which are left in outdoor air conditions, to
combustion tests according to the principles specified in ASTM G7-05 standard by the end of the
year. According to the results, the impregnation materials have decreased the collapse time by
%7-26 in the combustion, increased the total combustion duration by %14-34, and the varnishes
have raised the collapse times and reduced the total combustion durations.
Keywords: Combustion, wood, impregnation, varnish, gases analysis, outdoor
conditions.
1.Introduction
The wooden material is a highly-preferred material because of its durability and
naturalness. The wooden material can be preserved for centuries when appropriate conditions are
provided. It is observed that various furniture made of wood, such as a bed, a cabinet, has

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survived until today as undisturbed in the grave of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen
(Desroches, 1963).
Increasing the usage life of this precious material can only be achieved through protecting
it against fire, chemical degradation, mechanical weathering, outdoor weather conditions and
conservation from biological pests (Archer & Lebow, 2006) .
The wooden material is disfigured by outdoor weather conditions like humidity, sunlight, acid
degradation, temperature and the wind. Sapwood samples of southern pine have an average life
span of 1.8-3.6 years in open air conditions without projection, 45 years with copper oxide, 25
years with CCA, 55 years with coal tar creosote, and 29,6 years with copper naphthenate
(Crawford et al., 2002)
Nowadays, commercial protectors have been developed for the protection of wooden
materials. The permanence of the protective materials has a high importance. In our day, greased
preservative substances like creosote and pentachlorophenol, and waterborne salt preservative
substances like chlorinated copper arsenate (CCA), amine-copper quaternary (ACQ), copper-
chrome-boron (CCB), copper-potassium bichromate-boric acid (Wolmanit-CB) are applied as
water solutions. There are many factors such as the amount of concentration, temperature and
amount of pressure which affect the activity of these impregnation materials (Baysal et al., 2007;
Toker et al., 2009; Percin, 2015)
Nowadays, chemicals such as borax, boric acid, ammonium, phosphorus and nitrogen are
used to prevent the combustion of wooden material and to delay it. However, the biggest
diffculties in these formulations are water erosion and leaking inconveniences (Rowell &
Dietenberger, 2005).
Baysal et al. state that he has applied the Turkish pine and Poinciana wood, which are treated
with a mixture of boric acid and borax mixture before varnishing procedure, with phrases of the
combustion with flame, combustion without flame source and ember combustion phase according
to ASTM 160-50 standard. The best results are obtained only in test samples impregnated with
boric acid and borax mixture (BA + BX) with regard to combustion properties. (Baysal et al.,
2003). The retention amount of Abies Nordmanniana fir impregnated with water-based
preservatives and copper-based preservatives such as tanalith-E, wolmanit-CB and ACQ has
shown an increase in comparison with concentration amounts (Cavdar, 2014).
Atar et al. (2015) have stated that after the impregnation of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris
Lipsky) wood with boric acid and borax, it is coated with cellulosic, synthetic, polyurathane,
waterborne, acrylic and acid hardening varnishes. Combustion temperature is highest in the
Borax and waterborne in combustion with flame according to material and process type (Atar et
al., 2015)
The highest measured weight loss during combustion of Sapele tree impregnated with Tanalith-E,
immersol aqua borax and boric acid is obtained in control samples impregnated with Tanalith-E.
Tanalirh-E + water-based varnish has shown the highest values in the average combustion
temperature. It is concluded that water-based varnishes accelerate combustion (Uysal et al.,
2011).

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2. Material and Methods
Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) samples are selected from Trabzon region with the
coincident method. Impregnation material, Tanalith-E is supplied from Hemel and Wolmanit-CB
is provided from Ramtaş-Emsan Korusan. Tanalith-E is a material which is used as water-based
with copper triazole solution (Hemel, 2017). The combination of Wolmanit-CB contains 28 %
copper sulphate, 48 % potassium bichromate, 24 % boric acid (Bozkurt et al., 1993). Aqua
Compact Lasur brand water-based varnish and Wood Art brand synthetic varnish are applied
during the varnishing stage. Wolmanit-CB and Tanalith-E impregnation materials have been
impregnated to the wood material according to ASTM-D 1413-76 principles (vacuum-pressure).
The impregnated materials are left in an air recirculating room for 20 days for evaporation of the
dissolvent agents. It is held at the relative humidity of 65 ± 3% at 20 ± 2 ° C to reach the constant
moisture. Retention amounts (R) of impregnation materials are as follows.
3
10
G.C
= R






V
(kg/m3), (1)
G= T1 –T2
Here, G is the amount of impregnation solution absorbed by the sample, T1 is the
specimen weight after the impregnation, T2 is the specimen weight before the impregnation. C is
the concentration (%) of the impregnation solution and V is the volume of the samples.
The retention amounts and solution concentrations of impregnation materials are shown in Table
1. The principals specified in ASTM-D 3023 are followed in the varnishing of the
acclimatised samples after impregnation. The instructions of the producing companies are
complied with in the application of varnishes. After the implementation, samples are kept at
room temperature.
The varnished samples are left in open air conditions for one year with respect to the
principles stated in ASTM G7-05 standard. The samples are placed on the test stand with an
angle of 45 ° with their surfaces facing south. The combustion characteristics of the samples
received from the outside air are measured in the combustion testing device, which is shown in
Figure 1, by following the ASTM E 160-50 principles. Before the combustion test, each sample
group is weighed and a total of 24 pieces overlapping in 12 layers with 2 rows are stacked on top
of the wire table in the machine. The fire source is placed in the center of the stack at the bottom.
After combustion has occurred for 3 minutes while the fire source is open, it is switched off and
combustion without flame source and combustion during ember combustion phase are carried
out. Temperature changes (° C) are measured regularly from a thermometer for 15 seconds on the
combustion with flame, and for 30 seconds on the Combustion without flame source and ember
combustion phase.

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Figure 1. Fire test apparatus (Temiz et al., 2008)
For all parameters, multiple variance analysis (ANOVA) and least significant difference
test (LSD) performed with SPSS 20 are used.
3. Results and Discussion
The retention amounts and solution concentrations are given in Table 1.
Table 1. Mean retention of the test samples used in the experiments.
Impregnation Material
Retention (kg/m3)
Concentration (%)
Tanalith-E
2,47
2,4
Wolmanit-CB
2,90
4
Studies showing that solution amount of impregnation materials increases the retention
amount are available. The high concentration of Wolmanit-CB may have led to increase in the
retention amount (Temiz et al., 2008).
Results of variance analysis are given in Tab. 2. According to variance analysis, the
impact of impregnation material and the type of varnish has been found to be significant except
for TC’ s double interaction (P<0.05).
The mean result values of the of the LSD test are given in Table 3. The graph of the change in
combustion temperatures is given in Figure 2.

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Table 2. Results of the analysis of variance for the temperature of combustion, illuminance, the
duration of combustion and weight loss ratios
Combustion With Flame(CWF)
Combustion Without Flame Source(CWOF)
F.D.
S.S.
S.M.
F.V
P.V*
F.D.
S.S.
S.M.
F.V
P.V*
im
2
766,500
383,250
34,359
0,000
2
256,500
128,250
8,679
0,002
vt
2
326,625
163,312
14,641
0,000
2
1771,875
885,938
59,951
0,000
im*vt
4
1617,375
404,344
36,250
0,000
4
1562,625
390,656
26,435
0,000
Error
18
200,778
11,154
18
266,000
14,778
Total
26
2911,278
26
3857,000
Ember Combustion Phase(ECP)
Weight Loss (WL) (%)
F.D.
S.S.
S.M.
F.V
P.V*
F.D.
S.S.
S.M.
F.V
P.V*
im
2
26497,125
13248,563
66,409
0,000
2
1,165
0,582
9,526
0,002
vt
2
11127,375
5563,687
27,888
0,000
2
1,418
0,709
11,595
0,001
im*vt
4
10854,000
2713,500
13,602
0,000
4
12,273
3,068
50,190
0,000
Error
18
3591,000
199,500
18
1,100
0,061
Total
26
52069,500
26
15,956
Total Time of Combustion (TC)
Demolition Time (DT)
F.D.
S.S.
S.M.
F.V
P.V*
F.D.
S.S.
S.M.
F.V
P.V*
im
2
142340,625
71170,312
72,582
0,000
2
1822753,125
911376563
37,299
0,000
vt
2
89184,375
44592,188
45,476
0,000
2
2103721,875
1051860,937
43,048
0,000
im*vt
4
6750,000
1687,500
1,721
*0,189
4
2011078,125
500769,531
20,576
0,000
Error
18
17650,000
980,556
18
439818,750
24434,375
Total
26
255925,000
26
6377371,875
im: impregnating material, vt: types of varnish, F.D: Degrees of Freedom, S.S: Sum of Squares, S.M: Mean of Squares, F.V: F Value
(<0.005)
Table 3. Mean values of the weight loss, combustion temperatures, combustion durations, and
the groups resulting from the least significant difference (LSD) analysis
Factor
WL
(%)
Temperature Values (Co)
Combustion Time (sec.)
CWF
CWOF
ECP
TC
DT
Impregnation Materials
(IM)
Wolmanit-CB (W-CB)
92,6
458,9
549,3
298,8
621,7
2146
Tanalith-E (T)
92
466,4
541,8
363,3*
497,9
2514
Nimp
92,5
453,4
544,8
295
670,4
1880
Varnish Types
(VT)
Synthetic (Syn)
92,5
459,9
534,1
290,5
677,9*
2353
Water-Based (Wb)
92,1
455,1
552,8*
336,3
557,9
1786
Nvar
92,6
463,6
549,1
330,3
554,2
2401
IM+VT
W-CB+Syn
91,4
460,6
538,3
274,8
700,4
1940
W-CB+Wb
92,6
446,4
546,6
304
587,9
1805
T+Syn
92,8*
467,4
536,1
313,8
587,9
3099*
T+Wb
91,2
474,9*
557,1
419,5
430,4
1794
Nimp: None impregnated Nvar: None varnished, WL: Weight Loss, CWF: Combustion With Flame, CWOF: Combustion Withou Flame
Sourcet, ECP: Flame, Ember Combustion Phase, TC: Total Time of Combustion, DT: Demolition Time, * : maximum values

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The lowest weight loss has shown up in T+Wb, the highest has shown up in T+Syn. The
highest combustion with flame temperature (CWF) has been observed in T+Wb, the lowest has
observed in W-CB+Wb. In the combustion without flame source (CWOF), Wb has resulted in the
highest temperature, Syn has shown the lowest results. In the Ember Combustion Phase (ECP),
the highest results are obtained in T+Wb, the lowest ones are obtained W-CB+Syn. The total
combustion duration values (TC) are determined as highest in W-CB+Syn, as lowest in T+Wb.
The demolition time (DT) values are found highest in T+Syn, lowest in Wb.
200
300
400
500
600
W-CB
T
Nimp
Syn
Wb
Nvar
W-CB + Syn
W-CB + Wb
T + Syn
T + Wb
Combustion Temperatures (Co)
CWF
CWOF
ECP
Figure 2. Combustion with flame, combustion without flame source and ember combustion
phase temperature changes
4.Conclusions
The impregnation materials have increased temperature values when used alone in
proportion to the control samples. Wolmanit-CB has shown lower temperatures at combustion
temperatures when compared with Tanalit-E. The varnish type has been more effective in the
combustion without flame stage. Better results have been obtained from synthetic varnishes, one
of varnish types. The combustion temperatures have increased in the water-based varnishes
compared with control samples. Even though it has demolished early, Tanalith-E + synthetic
varnish has continued to burn ember combustion phase. The Tanalit-E + water-based varnish duo
has been extracted early while showing high temperatures.
The impregnation material and varnish choice affects the combustion properties of wooden
material. Wolmanit-CB can be recommended as impregnation material, synthetic varnish can be
recommended as a type of varnish for especially places which are exposed to outdoor weather
conditions with the risk of burning.

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Acknowledgments
This research has been constituted from some sections of doctoral thesis of Şadiye
YAŞAR prepared under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Musa ATAR in Gazi University Institute of
science and technology in April 2015. This study was presented as an oral presentation at the
International Conference on Agriculture Forest Food Sciences and Technologies (ICAFOF 2017),
15-17 May 2017, Cappadocia, Turkey.
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