Impact of Chainsaw Power on Fuel and Oil Consumption

Abstract

This research was carried out in a selection stand of beech and fir, where logging was performed with chainsaws of different powers. Two chainsaws of 3.9 kW were used for work on one area, while on the other one the applied tools were a combination of a smaller and a larger saw (2.5 kW and 3.9 kW). After logging, the consumption of energy products (fuel (gasoline and motor oil mix ratio 50:1) and chainsaw oil) was measured for each individual chainsaw by the method of refueling. It was found that the power of the chainsaw, i.e., the combination of chainsaws of different powers, significantly influences the consumption of energy products in a beech–fir mixed stand. By using a combination of one larger and one smaller chainsaw instead of two larger chainsaws, savings of about 26% for fuel and 24% for oil were achieved. The prediction analysis found that by using two chainsaws (of lower and higher power) instead of two higher power chainsaws (currently common mode of work) in beech stands for an estimated volume of about 1 million m3 year−1, the savings could be about 54,000 L of fuel and about 19,000 L of oil. In monetary value, this is a saving of about EUR 120,000 year−1, i.e., of about 2,500,000 MJ year−1 of energy.