The Characteristics of Gas and Particulate Emissions from Smouldering Combustion in the Pinus pumila Forest of Huzhong National Nature Reserve of the Daxing’an Mountains

Abstract

Smouldering combustion can emit a large amount of CO2, CO and particulate matter (PM). Moisture content is an important factor of the emission characteristics. As the hot spot of forest smouldering combustion, the gas and particulate emissions of the Huzhong National Nature Reserve with different moisture contents are discussed herein. The emission factors (EF) of CO2 and CO were 100.71 ± 39.14 g/kg and 11.76 ± 3.89 g/kg, respectively. The EF of PM2.5, PM4 and PM10 were 87.11 ± 19.47 g/kg, 353.37 ±159.25 g/kg and 602.59 ± 276.80 g/kg, respectively. PM2.5 accounted for 16.59 ± 5.25% of the PM, and PM4 and PM10 were 54.03 ± 13.46% and 91.00 ± 10.81%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the EF of CO2 and CO with different moisture contents, nor in the EF of PM2.5, but there was a significant difference in the EF of PM4 and PM10 with different moisture contents. In addition, the peak of CO2 and CO appeared at 2~3 h; the peak of PM2.5 lagged behind that of PM4 and PM10. According to the regression analysis, experimental expressions were obtained for the modified combustion efficiency (MCE) and the EF of PM.