Cotton burr with stems (CBS), a byproduct from cotton ginning operations was evaluated for its suitability in firelogs. Firelog burn quality was examined by varying the CBS to paraffin wax ratio, and firelog processing conditions. The firelogs were burned in a wood stove to quantify the burn quality, burn time, product durability, and gaseous emissions. Firelog composition had no effect on the burn temperatures. Carbon monoxide (CO), ammonium (NH4), hydrogen (H2), and nitrous oxide (NO) gases were not detected in the gaseous emissions. Air emission samples from combustion showed the presence of n-alkanes, n-alkenes, oxygenated volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), halogenated alkane, cyclic terpenes, benzene derivatives and naphthalene. Overall this study showed the potential of CBS as an alternative material for manufacturing firelogs.
