Abstract
Solid-fuel stoves are at the heart of many homes not only in developing nations, but also in developed regions where there is significant deployment of such heating appliances. They are often operated inefficiently and in association with high emission fuels like wood. This leads to disproportionate air pollution contributions. Despite the proliferation of these appliances, an understanding of particulate matter (PM) emissions from these sources remains relatively low. Emissions from five solid fuels are quantified using a “conventional” and an Ecodesign stove. PM measurements are obtained using both “hot filter” sampling of the raw flue gas, and sampling of cooled, diluted flue gas using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor and AE33 aethalometer. PM emissions factors (EF) derived from diluted flue gas incorporate light condensable organic compounds; hence they are generally higher than those obtained with “hot filter” sampling, which do not. Overall, the PM EFs ranged from 0.2 to 108.2 g GJ–1 for solid fuels. The PM EF determined for a solid fuel depends strongly on the measurement method employed and on user behavior, and less strongly on secondary air supply and stove type. Kerosene-based firelighters were found to make a disproportionately high contribution to PM emissions. Organic aerosol dominated PM composition for all fuels, constituting 50–65% of PM from bituminous and low-smoke ovoids, and 85–95% from torrefied olive stone (TOS) briquettes, sod peat, and wood logs. Torrefied biomass and low-smoke ovoids were found to yield the lowest PM emissions. Substituting these fuels for smoky coal, peat, and wood could reduce PM2.5 emissions by approximately 63%.
Highlights
Emissions from domestic solid-fuel combustion in Ireland have been declining steadily since the introduction of the Air Pollution Act in 1987, with a rapid reduction in particulate matter and sulfur pollution in Dublin following the introduction of a ban on bituminous coal in 1990.1,2 Subsequent amendments to the legislation to include limits on particulate matter emissions and sulfur content, and the introduction of low-smoke zones, have been driven by the serious health risks associated with emissions from solid-fuel combustion
Five fuels were tested in this study: torrefied olive stone (TOS) briquettes; manufactured, smokeless, coal ovoids (“Ecobrite”); sod peat; wood logs; and bituminous coal
The literature reports a range of values for particulate matter (PM) emission factors for wood, woodchips, and pellets made from triticale and miscanthus burning varying from 3 to 170 g GJ−1.44−4644−46 the present PM emission factors for wood log burning using both ACSM and gravimetric methods were in the range of previously calculated PM emission factors (34.8−108.2 g GJ−1).[42]
Summary
Emissions from domestic solid-fuel combustion in Ireland have been declining steadily since the introduction of the Air Pollution Act in 1987, with a rapid reduction in particulate matter and sulfur pollution in Dublin following the introduction of a ban on bituminous coal in 1990.1,2 Subsequent amendments to the legislation to include limits on particulate matter emissions and sulfur content, and the introduction of low-smoke zones, have been driven by the serious health risks associated with emissions from solid-fuel combustion. In Ireland, official data indicates that the mix of solid fuels for domestic heating is dominated by peat, followed by bituminous coal and manufactured ovoids, with biomass accounting for less than 10% of supply on an energy basis. The amount of nontraded wood and sod peat used in the residential sector is highly uncertain.[5] A more detailed analysis of the nontraded sector suggests that, in a worst-case scenario, wood might account for 75 ktoe (13%) of final energy consumption in the residential sector.[6] Combustion of bituminous coal is currently restricted to rural areas and small towns, with a nationwide ban anticipated.[7,8] Replacing bituminous coal with manufactured briquettes derived from fossil fuels can reduce emission of PM from the residential heating sector but has little impact on CO2 emissions. Ecodesign directive for solid-fuel heaters in 2022 should assist with reducing PM, NOx, and CO emissions over a number of years; significant emission reduction could be achieved sooner if consumers were encouraged to switch to less polluting solid fuels
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