Characterization of peat burning for mitigation of environmental impacts of peat fires in the Paraiba Valley Region

• Grant number: 15/24201-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2016
• End date: November 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Thermal Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Guenther Carlos Krieger Filho
• Grantee: Guenther Carlos Krieger Filho
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fernando de Souza Costa ; Laura de Simone Borma ; Manoel Ferreira Cardoso ; Maria Cristina Forti ; Turibio Gomes Soares Neto

Abstract

The Paraíba Valley region in the state of São Paulo has been recurrently affected by peat fires that require attention to the population by the Secretary of Health, Secretary of Environment and Fire Department. In this project peat burning in São José dos Campos will be studied and characterized.Peatlands will be sampled and their physicochemical characteristics evaluated. With this information it will be possible to identify the risks to human health due to peat fires. Laboratory experiments will be performed with peat samples to characterize the combustion process and to evaluate emitted gases and particulate material. The outcomes from these investigations will be compared to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).A computational model for predicting the fire propagation conditions on the underground (smoldering) and on the surface will be prepared and validated with experimental data obtained in the project.This research project will generate data and information necessary to define the parameters and actions of greatest impact on control and mitigation of fires in peatlands. This project, because of its scope and execution time, does not exhaust the study of the problem. The aim in this phase of the project is to technically support the discussion of the problem and propose alternatives for its solution. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ZUK, PAWEL JAN; TUZNIK, BARTOSZ; RYMARZ, TADEUSZ; KWIATKOWSKI, KAMIL; DUDYNSKI, MAREK; GALEAZZO, FLAVIO C. C.; KRIEGER FILHO, GUENTHER C.. OpenFOAM solver for thermal and chemical conversion in porous media. COMPUTER PHYSICS COMMUNICATIONS, v. 278, p. 19-pg., 2022-09-01. (15/24201-0)

KRIEGER FILHO, GUENTHER CARLOS; BUFACCHI, PAULO; COSTA, FRANKLIN; VIEIRA CORTEZ, ELY; CARLOS ANDRADE, JOSE; RIBEIRO, KELLY; DE SOUZA COSTA, FERNANDO. Smoldering characteristics of high bulk density peat. PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE, v. 38, n. 3, p. 10-pg., 2021-04-10. (15/24201-0)

RIBEIRO, KELLY; PACHECO, FELIPE S.; FERREIRA, JOSE W.; DE SOUSA-NETO, ERACLITO R.; HASTIE, ADAM; KRIEGER FILHO, GUENTHER C.; ALVALA, PLINIO C.; FORTI, MARIA C.; OMETTO, JEAN P.. Tropical peatlands and their contribution to the global carbon cycle and climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, v. 27, n. 3, DEC 2020. (15/24201-0)