Title: Understanding the environmental impacts of peatland fires: optical density, gas emissions and airflow effects

Authors: Pither Palamba

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, Cenderawasih University, Jayapura, Papua – 99351, Indonesia

Abstract: Indonesia boasts expansive peatlands, mainly situated in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Papua islands. Peatlands play a critical role in maintaining hydrological balance and serving as important carbon sinks. However, peatland fires emit potent greenhouse gases, exacerbating climate change. This study aims to quantify visibility and optical density during dry peat combustion, alongside measuring gas emissions like CO, CO₂, O₂, and HC under various airflow conditions. Research tracks smoke and gas production, smoldering temperature evolution, and mass loss rates, revealing multistage combustion processes, including pyrolysis (fuel oxidation), char oxidation (smouldering), a portion of may occasionally transition to flaming, and cooling (extinguishing). Dry peat combustion releases volatile matter, leading to dense smoke and incomplete combustion emissions, reducing visibility. Increased airflow accelerates combustion rates and mass loss, intensifying optical density and carbon emissions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for managing peatland fires and mitigating their environmental impact.

Keywords: fuel oxidation; char oxidation; mass loss rate; optical density; carbon emission flux.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2024.141447

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2024 Vol.12 No.4, pp.330 - 343

Received: 30 Sep 2023
Accepted: 30 Jan 2024
Published online: 13 Sep 2024 *

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