The Effect of Flue Gas Recirculation on CO, PM and NOx Emissions in Pellet Stove Combustion

Abstract

Pellet stoves are popular appliances because they are an affordable technology and because the fuel is easy to store and to use. The increasing concern for environmental issues, however, requires a continuous effort to reduce pollutant levels in the atmosphere. This experimental work focuses on flue gas recirculation (FGR) as a possible way to improve combustion and decrease the emissions of carbon monoxide CO, particulate matter PM, and nitrogen oxides NOx in order to fulfill European and Italian emission requirements, for NOx in particular. A pellet stove has been tested in several experimental sessions with and without FGR. Pollutant emissions have been measured and analyzed in terms of statistical summaries and instantaneous trends. With FGR, the average CO and PM emissions were found to be 80% and 45% lower than the corresponding emissions without FGR. Results for PM are significant since FGR reduces emissions well below the most restrictive limits enforced in Italy. The analysis of instantaneous emissions in relation to excess air indicated that FGR can considerably reduce emissions, especially at the extremities of the oxygen O2 content range. Optimal ranges of excess air, in terms of O2 in flue gas, were identified for both the tested configurations, in which CO and PM emissions are minimized. The optimal range is 8–9% without FGR, and it decreases to 5–7% with FGR. Finally, a reduction in NOx emissions by about 11% has been observed in the configuration with FGR. Although this reduction seems modest as compared to CO and PM, it is important in that it lowers the emission level to the most severe limit in Italian regulations and indicates an improved FGR system as the solution for further reduction.