Fixed source monitoring system for marker emission during biomass combustion

Abstract

Emissions from biomass combustion depend on biomass characteristics, operating parameters and concern different types of compounds such as: CO2, CO, SO2, NOX, inorganic and organic micro-pollutants, polyciclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated byphenils, and particulate matter. The aim of this work is the development of a fixed source sampling method for total levoglucosan emission, commonly considered, along with its isomer mannosan and galactosan as an atmosphere tracers for Total Suspended Particles generated by biomass burning. The semi-volatile behavior of such compound was taken into account and its sampling occurred by depositing the main fraction on a filter and the volatile fraction sampled by impingers filled with specific solution. Subsequently, the emission factors of levoglucosan in Total Suspended Particles from burning of rice and wheat straw varying from 53.7 to 65.8 mg/kgfuel were evaluated. The proposed method uses an isokinetic probe with quartz filter for particle fraction sampling and a system of impingers for the volatile fraction. The important result obtained from the experiment showed that a percentage between 30% and 50% of levoglucosan exceeds the filter and was sampled in the impingers. This result suggests the importance to collect both fractions of levoglucosan emission in order to not neglect the volatile fraction which represents an important component and must not be omitted.