Influence of an age and damage of the oak wood on its fire risk
The aim of this work is to study the effects of different ages and damage of the oak wood (Quercus petraea Mattusch) in relation to its flash point temperature and ignition temperature, as well as on determination of the ratio of changes in extractives, cellulose and lignin, in the heat loaded samples of 5 – years old oak wood, 160 – years old oak wood, and also 160 – years old oak wood degraded by wood-destroying insects and fungi. The results of the analyses showed that the flash point temperatures were in the range of 357.52°C – 360.63°C.The ignition temperatures were at interval of 398.93°C – 414.92°C. The time to reach the ignition point was at the interval between 344 and 365 seconds. Under the thermal loading of oak wood, there comes to the significant changes, especially in the surface layers. These are, in addition to colour changes, demonstrated the chemical changes of the main components of wood and extractives. Increasing the temperature, there increases also the content of the substances extractable with ethanol and toluene. Increase in their amount is mainly due to the lignin, but partially also due to the polysaccharides decomposition products.