Field performance of woodburning stoves in crested butte, Colorado

Abstract

The carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) emissions of woodburning stoves have been measured under field conditions. Both conventional airtight stoves and newly installed airtight stoves certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be low emitters of PM were monitored. The certified stoves were of two types, catalytic and noncatalytic. Compared to the conventional stoves, PM emission rates (g/hr) were reduced approximately 70% by both types of certified stoves. The CO emission rates were reduced 71% and 53% by catalytic and noncatalytic stoves respectively. These rate reductions occur because the certified stoves burn cleaner (less pollutant formation per kg of wood burned) and the average burn rate of certified stoves in field use is less than the average burn rate of conventional stoves.