The timber industry in Amazonia generates large quantities of residues from log processing. A viable alternative for the enterprises is the production of charcoal from these residues. This study evaluates the main properties of the charcoal from Manilkara amazonica (maçaranduba), Lecythis pisonis (sapucaia) and Piptadenia suaveolens (timborana), carbonized in 7 and 10 days. The charcoal was produced from residues of timbers from the sawmill of Cikel Brasil Verde S. A., in Rio Capim estate, Paragominas, PA. A series of 30 kilns was used, being 10 for each species, of which 5 kilns used a 7-day carbonization process and 5 kilns 10 days. After the carbonization, samples of the charcoal produced were collected for studying gravimetric yield and physical, chemical and mechanical properties. The main results were: gravimetrical yield of the charcoal varied from 21,47 to 29,59 % (humid base); the bulk medium density varied from 178,51 to 231,14 kg.m-3; apparent medium density from 0,38 to 0,53 g.cm-3; calorific power from 23451 to 28830 kj.kg-1; volatile materials content from 23,94 to 31,47 %; ashes from 0,7 to 2,5 %; fixed carbon from 68,29 to 74,49 %; and the friableness varied from 12 to 32,6 %. It was noted that species is the main factor that influences the properties of the charcoal. It was not possible to say which species produced the best charcoal, from the properties analyses, because all the three species present some good characteristics, but these are always accompanied by other inadequate characteristics.
Charcoal; Manilkara amazonica; Lecythis pisonis; Piptadenia suaveolens; properties of the charcoal