Utilization of bus tree wood (Melaleuca sp) as environmentally friendly fuel for household industrial scale Aluminum smelting stoves in Merauke, Papua

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Musamus, Merauke 99600, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: krahangmetan@unmus.ac.id

Abstract

The purpose of this study is the use of bus wood trees as fuel for aluminum smelting for the home industry because it has a good heating value and is very efficient, from the laboratory test results, the bus tree wood has a calorific value of 5981 (calories/g). The methods used experimental and analytical to get the results from the use of bus wood as fuel for aluminum smelting which will certainly produce good mechanical properties. The results obtained a good combustion process that releasing all the heat contained in a fuel and done with three combustion control processes, including a fairly high temperature to ignite and maintain the flame of the fuel, turbulence or mixing O2 and the use of good fuel and sufficient time to complete combustion process. The fuel (bus wood) which is inputted in the furnace is designed so that the combustion process takes place more completely with minimal heat losses. The results of temperature changes seem a thermocouple and crucible furnace insulator material were very good heat resistance hence the time of the melting process it doesn't take longer which is 15 minutes. The aluminum in crucibles has melted at a temperature of 723℃.