Thermal stability of metal-supported catalysts for reduction of cold-start emissions in a wood-fired domestic boiler

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The aim of the present work is to develop a catalyst based on a mixture of manganese oxides and platinum supported on a metallic monolith for abatement of emissions from wood combustion, particularly during the cold-start phase. The activity and the thermal stability of the catalysts have been studied in the laboratory, before performing tests in a wood-stove. The effect of the hydrothermal treatment at 900°C on the adherence of the washcoat onto a metallic substrate was studied using scanning electronic microscope. It revealed well-adhering washcoat onto the metallic support due to the growth of the alumina whiskers during the treatment. The influence of the amount of washcoat, as well as the influence of the concentration of manganese oxides in it (Mn: 5 to 20 mol%/Al 2O 3) on the activity of fresh and hydrothermally-treated catalysts were studied. The activity tests were carried out using a mixture of carbon monoxide, naphthalene and methane in the presence of air, steam and carbon dioxide to resemble the flue gases from wood combustion. On the fresh catalysts, containing the same total amount of manganese, a high concentration of manganese oxides in the washcoat favoured the oxidation of carbon monoxide and naphthalene, whereas a lower concentration of manganese oxides in the washcoat gave higher activity for the oxidation of methane. An increased total amount of manganese oxides in the catalysts, which had the same amount of washcoat, resulted in an increase in activity for the oxidation of the three combustibles. After thermal treatment at 900°C for 270 h in steam, most of the manganese oxide catalysts were activated for the oxidation of carbon monoxide and naphthalene while only being slightly deactivated for the oxidation of methane. The addition of manganese oxides in the washcoat, however, lowers the temperature of the γ- to α-alumina phase transformation. Platinum (0.5 mol%) was added to the manganese oxide (10 mol%) catalyst to improve its activity. A platinum catalyst was also tested for comparison. The platinum and the mixed catalysts showed similar activity for the oxidation of carbon monoxide and naphthalene, while the mixed catalysts were more active for the oxidation of methane. A similarly mixed MnO x –Pt (10–0.5 mol%) catalyst supported on Al 2O 3 stabilised with 3% lanthanum, but at larger scale, was tested in a wood-stove. The possibility of pre-heating the catalyst during the start-up phase was studied. The tests revealed a strong decrease of the carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons emissions during the start-up phase when the catalyst was pre-heated with hot air compared with no pre-heating or no catalyst.