WOOD DISTILLATION .. in the LABORATORY THE REV. BROTHER HORMISDAS Saint Stanislw High
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School. Montreal, Canada
HE PURPOSE of this paper is to present a laboratory type of apparatus suitable for a quantitative study of the products of wood distillation. The photopaph and the diagrams show the con-
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struction of the oven and also the general assembly of the various parts. The oven, Figures 1 and 3, is the cylindrical bottom section of an old hot-water kitchen kink. It is cut hy the acetylene torch, almut two fret from the hotlom, and the upper extremity of tlw t m k is removed and welded to the lower stvxion. 1 rectangular opening is made in this md. which is to be thr front part, for loadFIGURE2
diameter, respectively. In the l/e" opening is inserted a thermometer which should reach inside to the center and be enclosed in an iron pipe. The other two openings are outlets for the gaseous volatile products and tar, respectively. The lower outlet for tar may be dispensed with. To save heat and fuel the oven is completely enclosed with a brick wall and roof. It is fired by three rows of three Bunsen burners each. The carbonizing cycle requires approximately 10 hours. The capacity is 55 lb. of hardwood. This gives about 18 lb. of fine-grade charcoal, 25 lh. of pyroligneous liquor, and 70 cu. f t . of partly combustible gases. Careful firing is necessary during the exothermic decomposition, 275-300°C., to avoid accidents and to obtain good yields. The gaseous vapors and volatilized tar are led through the upper outlet to a maple sirup can, kept cool (Figure 4). This functions as a separator for the undissolved tar. In the 2-liter flasks (4) and (5), the greater amount of the pyroligneous liquor condenses, while in the flask (6), there is more of dilute alcohol and acetic acid, and in (7), acetone. Of course.' these substances dissolve considerable quantities of oils and tar. Subsequent operations consist in the neutralization of the acid followed by fractional distillations for the separ'ation of dissolved tar, wood oils, wood alcohol, and other volatile constituents. As shown in Figure 2, when propFIGURE 4 erly mounted with the required in6. Dilute alcohol-acid flask 1. Oven 7. Acetone flask 2. Gas testing outlet formation, the intermediate and 8. Gas meter (2 cu. ft.) wood gas 3. Tar condenser (bottom outlet for final products of wood distillation liquid tar) 9. Suction and force pump for the make a fine exhibit on the subject 4-5. 2-liter flasks; pyroligneous liquor, burner water, wood alcohol, aceticacid. 10. Motor for the science class. oils, tax Before undertaking the experiment, it is necessary to acquire a ing and unloading. Its edges are lined on the outside working knowledge of the operations required by with welded iron straps, an inch in width, and four consulting a technical book on the subject, such as, tapped holes'are drilled to screw down the cover, made "The destructive distillation of wood," H. M. Bulremv, Ernest of galvanized iron and edge-reenforced with iron bands. Bcnn, Ltd 1.ondon. 1923, 326 pp;, The whole is mounted lengthwise on a frame made ' , T h e lcclmology of wood distillation, hI. KLARavo . ~ ~ X A N O L R K u I . ~ : .D \.an Sostrand C o . S e w York C i t y . 1925, 511 PI, of welded iron straps. There are also three other "Wood 'products, distillates and extracts," F. D U M E ~ NAND Y J. NOYER, Gauthier-Villars et Cie., Paris, 1926, 432 pp. tapped holes in the oven, 2'/4", la/4", and '/zU in .7
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