FireDragon Emissions Report

BCB International conceptualised an innovative, eco-friendly and clean burning bioethanol-based fuel back in 2013 when it was observed that hexamine and other fuels, when used in confined spaces especially, can prove extremely detrimental. This led to the collaboration of BCB International with Cardiff University to produce FireDragon solid fuel, which is a non-toxic, high performing and cost-effective alternative to most available fuels.

Often, other commercially used fuels such as wood, charcoal and hexamine emit harmful by-products, while also contributing heavily to global warming. FireDragon, however, being predominantly ethanol based, not only reduces emissions significantly, but also has an extremely high energy density and calorific value of approximately 37.34MJ/Kg. For comparison, the calorific value for charcoal is approximately 30.0MJ/Kg. This is due to the structure of ethanol, with its short hydrocarbon backbone and an oxygen molecule, both of which aid in the thermal decomposition of the fuel and the subsequent formation of carbon dioxide and water vapour and the efficient release of heat energy.

FireDragon is favoured in many sectors for its efficacy, cleanliness and sustainability. When compared to other commonly used fuels, such as wood and charcoal, FireDragon has significant reductions in multiple metrics, including carbon dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide. Table 1 highlights these metrics.

?A significant note is also the large reduction in particulate matter that is released, as this can cause significant respiratory issues in confined and sometimes open spaces, while also being relatively carcinogenic. With FireDragon and its clean burning capabilities, thanks to the ethanol base, this is nearly eliminated. When looking at the values for carbon monoxide, when this is broken down further, we can see that the volume released from FireDragon is significantly below that of other fuels as shown in Figure 1.

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In conjunction with this, FireDragon has been tested for an ‘hourly soot index’ figure, to demonstrate how cleanly it physically burns. The results were Hourly Soot Index, Sih = Si/Tm = 0.00. This again can highlight the benefits of FireDragon in confined spaces, ideal for military personnel in tents or in humanitarian settings.

When looking into the emissions metrics, we can estimate and then roughly quantify the impact on the environment. As seen in figure table 1, roughly 2.9 million tonnes of deforestation can be saved when using FireDragon instead of wood and charcoal as an estimation based on the four billion people reliant on those sources for their primary energy needs.

Since 2019, BCB International have utilised around 840,000 litres of bioethanol for FireDragon production. This volume of ethanol can then be thought to produce 1563.05 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which equated to roughly 312.61 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. If we assume that 6 trees can store and utilise 1 ton of carbon dioxide per year, roughly 52 trees are utilised and are needed to counter the emissions released. However, if wood and charcoal were to have been used in place of FireDragon, utilising the metrics in table 1 we can estimate 152 trees would have had to be utilised per year. This allows for around 100 trees to be ‘freed up’ to absorb the excess carbon dioxide, equivalent of 600 tonnes, per year through using FireDragon.

Overall, it is clear to see the environmental effects of FireDragon when compared to other fuel sources is significant, especially when looking at toxicity and emissions. With a clear reduction in greenhouse gases and particulate matter, FireDragon is a top contender for helping tackle global warming. BCB International are striving to develop and manufacture FireDragon in sustainable packaging in the future to further aid in our carbon footprint.