Thermochemical Conversion of Wood – Product of Low-Temperature, Limited-Air Heating When wood is heated with a limited supply of air to a temperature not less than about 280°C (pyrolysis/low-temperature carbonisation), the principal solid fuel produced is termed wood charcoal.

Introduction / Context:
Thermochemical conversion of biomass includes pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion. Under oxygen-limited heating of wood, volatiles are driven off and a carbon-rich solid residue remains. Identifying the name and conditions of this product is basic knowledge for fuel technology and renewable energy systems.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Wood heated with limited air (pyrolytic conditions).
• Temperature not less than about 280°C, rising through 300–500°C for typical charcoal making.
• Batch or continuous retort/klins used; volatiles may be recovered as by-products.

Concept / Approach:

In low-oxygen heating (destructive distillation), cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin thermally decompose. The process releases tars, methanol, acetic acid, and light gases, leaving a porous carbonaceous solid. The conventional name for the solid residue from wood is wood charcoal. It has high fixed carbon, low volatile content (relative to the original wood), and good adsorptive properties. It differs from coke, which is produced by high-temperature carbonisation of coal, not wood.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Industrial and traditional charcoal production commonly operates in the 300–500°C range, yielding biochar/charcoal; analytical proximate/ultimate analyses confirm high fixed carbon and low ash for good hardwood charcoals.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Coke derives from coal at ~900–1100°C; bituminous coal and peat are geological materials, not products of wood pyrolysis; briquetted coal is a manufactured form factor, not a pyrolysis product of wood.

Common Pitfalls:

Using “coke” generically for any carbonized solid; overlooking the lower temperature regime and biomass origin that define charcoal.

Final Answer:

wood charcoal