Combustion Of Solid Fuels Research Articles

Self-Reported Primary Cooking Fuels Use and Risk of Chronic Digestive Diseases: A Prospective Cohort Study of 0.5 Million Chinese Adults.

Household air pollution (HAP) from inefficient combustion of solid fuels is a major health concern worldwide. However, prospective evidence on the health impacts of solid cooking fuels and risks of chronic digestive diseases remains scarce. We explored the effects of self-reported primary cooking fuels on the incidence of chronic digestive diseases. The China Kadoorie Biobank recruited 512,726 participants 30-79 years of age from 10 regions across China. Information on primary cooking fuels at the current and previous two residences was collected via self-reporting at baseline. Incidence of chronic digestive diseases was identified through electronic linkage and active follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of self-reported long-term cooking fuel patterns and weighted duration of self-reported solid cooking fuel use with chronic digestive diseases incidence. Linear trend was tested by assigning the medians of weighted duration in each group and then taking those as continuous variables in the models. Subgroup analyses were undertaken across the baseline characteristics of participants. During y of follow-up, 16,810 new cases of chronic digestive diseases were documented, among which 6,460 were diagnosed as cancers. Compared with long-term cleaner fuel use, self-reported long-term use of solid cooking fuels (i.e., coal, wood) was associated with elevated risks of chronic digestive diseases (; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.13), including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.87), hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis (; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.73), cholecystitis (; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.32), and peptic ulcers (; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.33). The longer the weighted duration of self-reported solid cooking fuel use, the higher the risks of chronic digestive diseases, hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis, peptic ulcers, and esophageal cancer (). The aforementioned associations were modified by sex and body mass index (BMI). Positive associations of always solid cooking fuel use with chronic digestive disease, hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis, NAFLD, and cholecystitis were observed among women but not men. The longer the weighted duration of self-reported solid cooking fuel use, the higher the risk of NAFLD among those with a BMI . Long-term self-reported solid cooking fuels use was associated with higher risks of chronic digestive diseases. The positive association of HAP from solid cooking fuels with chronic digestive diseases indicates for an imminent promotion of cleaner fuels as public health interventions. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10486.

Flamelet LES of oxy-fuel swirling flames with different O[formula omitted]/CO[formula omitted] ratios using directly coupled seamless multi-step solid fuel kinetics

Oxy-fuel combustion, in combination with carbon capture technologies, has generated significant interest since it has a high potential for rapid CO2 cutbacks for newly built and retrofitted coal-fired power plants. Although research and development of oxy-fuel combustion technologies have been advancing recently, the combustion of solid fuels in an oxygen–carbon dioxide environment is not yet fully understood. In particular, the oxygen content in the recirculated flue gas is an adjustable parameter in oxy-fuel combustion. This work aims to analyze its impact on the thermo-chemical conversion by applying a recently developed approach for accurately predicting pulverized solid fuel combustion to a range of oxy-fuel swirl flames. The employed modeling framework builds upon a detailed solid fuel kinetic mechanism that seamlessly describes the entire solid conversion process. For the description of the gas phase, a combined flamelet modeling approach with large-eddy simulation is applied. This previously introduced high-fidelity framework (Nicolai et al., 2022) was applied to three operating points in a pilot-scale facility, for which in-reactor data is available. The overall model, combined the available experimental data, is employed for the three operating points with different oxidizer O2/CO2 ratios to give deeper insights into combustion. In particular, the influence of the local oxygen partial pressure on the solid fuel conversion is analyzed in detail.

Analysis of the Chemical Composition of Ash and Slag Waste from Solid Fuel Combustion for Sale as Raw Materials

Analysis of the Chemical Composition of Ash and Slag Waste from Solid Fuel Combustion for Sale as Raw Materials

Modern Kiln Burner Technology in the Current Energy Climate: Pushing the Limits of Alternative Fuel Substitution

The current manuscript presents a review on existing kiln burner technologies for the cement production process, in the context of the current climate of energy transition and environmental remediation. Environmental legislation has become ever stricter in response to global climate change, and cement plants need to adapt to this new reality in order to remain competitive in the market and ensure their longevity. The cement production process is a well-established technology with more than a century of existence. There are several plants in operation whose process is outdated by modern standards, particularly considering the current industry decarbonization needs. The cement process requires tremendous amounts of energy, mainly recovered from the combustion of solid, liquid or gaseous fuels, which yields massive emissions of greenhouse gases. Thus, an important onus is placed upon the minimization of pollutant emission in the combustion system, as well as a substitution of fossil fuels with more sustainable alternatives. One of the sustainable alternative fuels comes in the form of refuse derived fuels (RDF). These high caloric fractions of municipal solid waste present a double advantage by reducing the amount of fossil fuels used and reducing the landfilling fraction of waste. However, their use in rotary kiln burners comes with important limitations for burner operation, namely that a high degree of control over primary air supply is needed to ensure complete combustion with minimal pollutant emission.

Association between solid cooking fuel and cognitive decline: Three nationwide cohort studies in middle-aged and older population

BackgroundHousehold solid-fuel burning contributes to indoor air pollution and is linked to poor cognitive function, but how solid cooking fuel use leads to cognitive decline over time is not well elaborated. ObjectiveWe examine the associations of solid cooking fuel with cognitive function among three nationally representative cohorts. MethodsThis study uses data from the 2010–2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), the 2011–2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and the 2003–2015 Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) in adults over the age of 50. Time varying Cox model was conducted to measure the association between cooking fuel types and cognitive decline. Mediation analysis was used to estimate the potential mediation effects on the associations of cooking fuel types with cognitive decline risk. ResultsRespondents in CFPS, CHARLS, and MHAS relied on solid cooking fuel at baseline approximately 56 %, 51 %, and 12 %, respectively. Using solid fuel was consistently associated with higher risk of cognitive decline in three cohorts (CFPS: HR = 1.300 [95 % CI: 1.201, 1.407], CHARLS: HR = 1.179 [95 % CI: 1.059, 1.312], MHAS: HR = 1.237 [95 % CI: 1.123, 1.362]). Compared to those with persistent solid fuel, persistent clean fuel and change from solid fuel to clean fuel were associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline. Hypertension, diabetes, physical activity, dyslipidemia and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) may partially mediate the cognitive decline caused by solid fuel use. Of the cognitive decline burden, 18.23 % (95 % CI: 12.21 %, 24.73 %) in CFPS, 8.90 % (95 % CI: 2.93 %, 15.52 %) in CHARLS and 2.92 % (95 % CI: 1.52 %, 4.46 %) in MHAS of cognitive decline cases attributable to solid cooking fuel use. ConclusionThe use of solid cooking fuel is associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline. It is essential to promote the expanded use of clean fuel to protect cognitive health.

Threat of air pollution in the cleanest plateau

Threat of air pollution in the cleanest plateau

The Effects of Trash, Residential Biofuel, and Open Biomass Burning Emissions on Local and Transported PM2.5 and Its Attributed Mortality in Africa.

Long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the second leading risk factor of premature death in Sub-Saharan Africa. We use GEOS-Chem to quantify the effects of (a) trash burning, (b) residential solid-fuel burning, and (c) open biomass burning (BB) (i.e., landscape fires) on ambient PM2.5 and PM2.5-attributable mortality in Africa. Using a series of sensitivity simulations, we excluded each of the three combustion sources in each of five African regions. We estimate that in 2017 emissions from these three combustion sources within Africa increased global ambient PM2.5 by 2%, leading to 203,000 (95% confidence interval: 133,000-259,000) premature mortalities yr-1 globally and 167,000 premature mortalities yr-1 in Africa. BB contributes more ambient PM2.5-related premature mortalities per year (63%) than residential solid-fuel burning (29%) and trash burning (8%). Open BB in Central Africa leads to the largest number of PM2.5-attributed mortalities inside the region, while trash burning in North Africa and residential solid-fuel burning in West Africa contribute the most regional mortalities for each source. Overall, Africa has a unique ambient air pollution profile because natural sources, such as windblown dust and BB, contribute strongly to ambient PM2.5 levels and PM2.5-related mortality. Air pollution policies may need to focus on taking preventative measures to avoid exposure to ambient PM2.5 from these less-controllable sources.

Gas Particle Partitioning of PAHs Emissions from Typical Solid Fuel Combustions as Well as Their Health Risk Assessment in Rural Guanzhong Plain, China.

Air pollutants from the incomplete combustion of rural solid fuels are seriously harmful to both air quality and human health. To quantify the health effects of different fuel-stove combinations, gas and particle partitioning of twenty-nine species of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from seven fuel-stove combinations were examined in this study, and the benzo (a) pyrene toxicity equivalent (BaPeq) and cancer risks were estimated accordingly. The results showed that the gas phase PAHs (accounting for 68-78% of the total PAHs) had higher emission factors (EFs) than particulate ones. For all combustion combinations, pPAHs accounted for the highest proportion (84.5% to 99.3%) in both the gas and particulate phases, followed by aPAHs (0.63-14.7%), while the proportions of nPAHs and oPAHs were much lower (2-4 orders of magnitude) than pPAHs. For BaPeq, particulate phase PAHs dominated the BaPeq rather than gas ones, which may be due to the greater abundance of 5-ring particle PAHs. Gas and particle pPAHs were both predominant in the BaPeq, with proportions of 95.2-98.6% for all combustion combinations. Cancer risk results showed a descending order of bituminous coal combustion (0.003-0.05), biomass burning (0.002-0.01), and clean briquette coal combustion (10-5-0.001), indicating that local residents caused a severe health threat by solid fuel combustion (the threshold: 10-4). The results also highlighted that clean briquette coal could reduce cancer risks by 1-2 orders of magnitude compared to bulk coal and biomass. For oPAH, BcdPQ (6H-benzo(c,d)pyrene-6-one) had the highest cancer risk, ranging from 4.83 × 10-5 to 2.45 × 10-4, which were even higher than the total of aPAHs and nPAHs. The dramatically high toxicity and cancer risk of PAHs from solid fuel combustion strengthened the necessity and urgency of clean heating innovation in Guanzhong Plain and in similar places.

Formation, Emission and Control Technology of Particulate Matters during Solid Fuel Combustion

The emission of particulate matters during anthropic activities is an environmental pollution and health hazard to countries globally, especially developing ones, which cannot be ignored [...]

STUDY OF THE PROPERTIES OF ASH-REMOVAL OF DIFFERENT ORIGIN TO COMPLY WITH NATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Introduction. In Ukraine, about 30% of all electricity is produced by burning solid fuels - coal, shale, and peat. In our country, there are about 15 operating thermal power plants, which generate about 5-6 million tons of ash and slag waste as a secondary product per year. Thus, the waste of the fuel and energy complex, which is formed in the furnaces of thermal power plants, is a huge accumulation of ash in the form of dust-like residues and lumpy sludge, as well as various ash-slag mixtures. These products of high-temperature processing (1200-1700 ºС) of the mineral part of the fuel are widely used in many countries of the world, and taking into account the global trend of increasing the share of the secondary market for the use of waste, it is necessary to predict an increase in the rate of their processing in Ukraine as well. Problems. In Ukraine, as a filler, the material obtained by crushing carbonate rocks is used as a filler, which is established in DSTU B B.2.7-121. At the same time, as a result of burning coal, millions of tons of dust-like waste - fly ash - are generated at power-generating enterprises of Ukraine. The grain composition of this material approaches the filler requirements according to DSTU B V.2.7-121 and can be used for the production of asphalt concrete mixtures. The purpose of the work is to establish the possibility of using fly ash of various origins for the production of asphalt concrete mixtures. Materials and methods. Fly ash of various origins was used during the research. The results. It has been established that these materials meet the requirements of DSTU B B.2.7-121 according to all the specified indicators in accordance with the non-activated mineral powder of the I brand. Conclusions. Conducted studies on determination of grain composition, porosity, swelling and structuring ability showed that the studied fly ash meets the requirements of table 5 of DSTU B B.2.7-121, and the indicators are close to limestone mineral powder.

Comparison of density of asphalt concrete mixture with fly ash and limestone filler

The road construction industry is one of the strategic industries of Ukraine. Currently, the issue of quality and availability of basic building materials for road construction is particularly acute, which is directly related to its high material intensity. Known stocks of conditioned raw materials that could be used as components of asphalt concrete are constantly decreasing, so it is necessary to look for alternative sources of raw materials for construction materials and study the possibility of their use. In this regard, the most effective use of local raw materials is the use of industrial production waste, which can become one of the solutions to the problem of the lack of raw materials of inorganic origin. In Ukraine, about 30% of all electricity is generated by burning solid fuels such as coal, oil shale, and peat. There are about 15 operating thermal power plants in Ukraine, which generate about 5-6 million tons of ash and slag waste per year. Thus, the fuel and energy complex waste generated at thermal power plants is a huge accumulation of ash in the form of dusty residues and lumpy sludge, as well as various ash and slag mixtures. These products of high-temperature treatment (1200-1700 °C) of the mineral part of the fuel are widely used in many countries and given the global trend towards an increase in the share of the secondary market for the use of secondary industrial products, an increase in the rate of their processing in Ukraine should be predicted.

Optimization of Discharging Electrodes of a Multi-Chamber Electrostatic Precipitator for Small Heat Sources

On the way to reducing emissions released into the atmosphere, there is an obstacle in the form of the emissions of solid pollutants produced by households, namely the burning of solid fuels in small heat sources. In this article, the authors deal with the development of a low-cost electrostatic precipitator, which would be able to significantly reduce the production of particulate matter. This is a tubular precipitator concept, which is enhanced by dividing the precipitation space into four chambers, each of which has an ionization electrode. With the investigated structural arrangement, it is possible to increase the size of the collection area without affecting the external dimensions of the separator. The essence of this article was to focus on the design of an ionization electrode, which, in addition to the function of a negative electrode, would also fulfill the function of a structural element of the proposed geometry. The work contains a technical design for the shape of the ionization electrode, which was subsequently examined using ANSYS Fluent software. The conditions under which a corona discharge will occur on the electrodes and how particulate matter is captured in the separation device were investigated with the help of simulations of the electric field intensity. According to the achieved simulation results, calculations were made for the theoretical efficiency of particle collection, which reached a value of approximately 78%.

Slagging Characteristics of a Steam Boiler Furnace with Flare Combustion of Solid Fuel When Switching to Composite Slurry Fuel

Two interconnected mathematical models have been developed to describe slagging of a steam boiler furnace at the macro and micro levels. The macro-level model is implemented in Ansys Fluent. Using the fuel characteristics and temperature in the furnace, this model can predict the characteristics of ash formation on heat exchanger tubes when the melting temperature of the mineral part of solid fossil fuel is exceeded. The obtained values of slagging rates are used as initial data in the software implementation of the original Matlab microlevel model. Under conditions of dynamic change in the thickness of the slag layer, this model can evaluate the heat transfer characteristics in the hot gas/slag layer/tube wall/water coolant system. The results showed that switching a coal-fired boiler from a solid fossil fuel to a fuel slurry will improve stability and uninterrupted boiler operation due to a lower slagging rate. The combustion of coal water slurries with petrochemicals compared with coal–water fuel is characterized by higher maximum temperatures in the furnace (13–38% higher) and a lower average growth rate of slag deposits (5% lower), which reduces losses during heat transfer from flue gases to water coolant by 2%.

Mechanisms of Lung Damage and Development of COPD Due to Household Biomass-Smoke Exposure: Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, MicroRNAs, and Gene Polymorphisms

Chronic exposure to indoor biomass smoke from the combustion of solid organic fuels is a major cause of disease burden worldwide. Almost 3 billion people use solid fuels such as wood, charcoal, and crop residues for indoor cooking and heating, accounting for approximately 50% of all households and 90% of rural households globally. Biomass smoke contains many hazardous pollutants, resulting in household air pollution (HAP) exposure that often exceeds international standards. Long-term biomass-smoke exposure is associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in adults, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, chronic bronchitis, and other lung conditions. Biomass smoke-associated COPD differs from the best-known cigarette smoke-induced COPD in several aspects, such as a slower decline in lung function, greater airway involvement, and less emphysema, which suggests a different phenotype and pathophysiology. Despite the high burden of biomass-associated COPD, the molecular, genetic, and epigenetic mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis are poorly understood. This review describes the pathogenic mechanisms potentially involved in lung damage, the development of COPD associated with wood-derived smoke exposure, and the influence of genetic and epigenetic factors on the development of this disease.

Spatial and Temporal Volatility of PM2.5, PM10 and PM10-Bound B[a]P Concentrations and Assessment of the Exposure of the Population of Silesia in 2018-2021.

Air pollution both indoors and outdoors is a major cause of various diseases and premature deaths. Negative health effects are more frequently observed in a number of European countries characterized by significant pollution. In Poland, especially in Upper Silesia, the most serious problem is the high concentration of particulate matter (PM) and PM10-bound benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). The main source of these two pollutants is so-called "low emissions" associated with the burning of solid fuels mainly in domestic boilers and liquid fuels in road traffic. This study examined the variability in the PM and PM10-bound B[a]P concentrations and their relationships with meteorological parameters, i.e., atmospheric pressure, air temperature and wind speed, in 2018-2021 at 11 monitoring stations. In many Silesian cities, the average annual concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and B[a]P were much higher than those recorded in other European countries. At each station, the average daily PM10 concentrations were exceeded on 12 to 126 days a year. Taking into account the WHO recommendation for PM2.5, the highest recorded average daily concentration exceeded the permissible level by almost 40 times. The same relationships were observed in all measurement years: PM10 concentrations were negatively correlated with air temperature (R = -0.386) and wind speed (R = -0.614). The highest concentrations were observed in the temperature range from -15 °C to -5 °C, when the wind speed did not exceed 0.5 m·s-1. The calculated lifetime cancer risk (LCR) associated with the exposure to B[a]P in the Silesian Voivodeship suggested 30-429 cases per 1 million people in the heating season depending on the scenario used for the calculations (IRIS, EPA or WHO).

Development of new Mn-based oxygen carriers using MgO and SiO2 as supports for Chemical Looping with Oxygen Uncoupling (CLOU)

Chemical Looping with Oxygen Uncoupling (CLOU) is a technological adaptation of CLC, most applicable for the combustion of solid fuels. In the CLOU process, an oxygen carrier in the fuel reactor, avoiding the direct contact of the fuel with the air, releases the oxygen needed for the fuel combustion. The oxygen carrier is regenerated with air in the interconnected air reactor. The present work explores the behavior of the system Mn/Mg/Si as oxygen carriers for chemical-looping with oxygen uncoupling (CLOU). Six different mixed oxides of the system Mn/Mg/Si were investigated for the CLC/CLOU process. Materials were prepared by spray drying with different metal ratios used in the investigation. The properties of interest for the viability of these materials are the lattice oxygen supply for CLC and the gaseous oxygen release for CLOU, properties that were explored in a TGA. Further, the fluidization behavior and the mechanical resistance were investigated in a batch fluidized bed reactor. In the TGA it was observed that the most reactive oxygen carriers for the CLOU process were materials without Si in the structure, more specifically M24Mg76 and M48Mg51 which had a molar ratio of Mn/Mg of 0.17 and 0.51 respectively. It was also observed that for the oxygen carriers with Si in the composition, the regeneration was very poor. Oxygen carriers M24Mg76 and M48Mg51 were selected for batch fluidized bed reactor testing showing good behavior with respect to the CLOU reactivity, and mechanical stability. One of the materials, the M24Mg76 showed activation during the experiments in the batch fluidized bed reactor experiments, increasing the oxygen transport capacity by 20 % during the experiment. However, 10 vol% of O2 was needed to regenerate both oxygen carriers at 850 °C. No agglomeration tendencies were seen, and the attrition rate was low, obtaining high-extrapolated lifetime values. The fact that highly reactive oxygen carriers can be made with cheap and highly available metals oxides, i.e. Mn and Mg, makes this system very promising and a possible alternative to benchmark Cu-based CLOU materials.

Findings on the use of a Ca-based sorbent as an oxygen carrier precursor in a Chemical Looping Combustion unit

Limestone Chemical Looping Combustion (L-CLCTM) is a novel process to burn sulfurous fuels with intrinsic desulfurization and CO2 capture. L-CLCTM is based on using calcium-based sorbents as precursors for CaSO4 formation, which is used as an oxygen carrier. Its principle lies in the in-situ sulfur retention process performed in fluidized bed combustors burning solid fuels with high sulfur content. The target redox pair for the oxygen transference to the fuel is CaSO4/CaS. In this research work, experimental tests burning CH4, syngas and H2 with a moderate H2S concentration were conducted in a continuous CLC unit. This experimental campaign is first in a kind as there is hardly information about the CaSO4/CaS pair for the L-CLCTM process. High combustion efficiencies were achieved at moderate temperatures (800–850 °C) when burning H2 and syngas (∼96–99 %). Likewise, low CH4 combustion efficiency (∼59 %) was found even operating at a temperature as high as 945 °C. Additionally, experimental tests at different Ca/S molar ratios were performed. They revealed that it was possible to reach suitable sulfur retention values (∼82 %) by using a Ca/S molar ratio of 2.25. This value resulted in a very feasible ratio since it is commonly used in fluidized bed combustors.

Pollution from cooking in rural and poor urban households of Africa: A methodological review

The article examines the effect of cooking food in kitchens on the health of women, as women and children are at a greater risk to indoor air pollution (IAP). It is important to study the cooking practices and prevalent behaviours among African women to understand the magnitude of the danger they face. The study suggests that a decline in the combustion of solid fuels and the use of clean energy can improve health among women and children, as well as sustainability goals. Proverbs 17:22 says, ‘A joyful heart is the health of the body, but a depressed spirit dries up the bones’. Bible verse Numbers 35:33–34 indicates, ‘You shall not pollute the land in which you live’. The cooking fuel analysis framework among rural women in Africa will guide forward the governments’ sustainability policies for communities to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being of women and children.Contribution: The article conducts a comprehensive analysis of the literature on African cooking practices. A combined search string is made with keywords. Thematic content analysis is conducted with NVivo (produced by QSR International). The article covers two themes, namely improved well-being and suggesting policies to combat climate change and its impacts. Policies and schemes at grassroots levels and better economic conditions in African countries can help to overcome challenges and change health-damaging cooking behaviours. The new advanced sustainability analysis framework has the potential to influence modern kitchen fuels and increase the adoption of new technologies in African villages.

The Association between Household Air Pollution and Blood Pressure in Obuasi Municipality, Ghana

Emerging evidence suggests a possible link between exposure to household air pollution (HAP) from a reliance on polluting solid fuels (SFs) (e.g., wood and charcoal) for cooking and high blood pressure. As part of the CLEAN-Air(Africa) project, we measured the blood pressure among 350 cooks in Obuasi Municipality, Ghana after 24 h exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) from the combustion of either solid fuels (n = 35) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (n = 35). Multinomial regression models were used to describe the relationship between different stages of blood pressure (mmHg) and the respondents’ main fuel type used, adjusting for key covariates. A linear regression model was used to describe the relationship between personal exposure to PM2.5 and the respondent’s systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure, adjusting for key covariates. Blood pressure was higher in cooks using SFs for cooking than in those using LPG. A significant exposure–response relationship was not observed between increasing exposure to PM2.5 and increasing blood pressure (systolic: β = −2.42, 95% CI: −8.65, 3.80, p-value = 0.438, and diastolic: β = −0.32, 95% CI: −5.09; 4.45, p-value = 0.893).

Progress Variables to Resolve the Steady State Period in a Batch-Type Fixed Bed Combustor

ABSTRACT Lab scale combustion of solid fuels, such as biomass, is mostly performed using fixed bed combustors. Steady state data detailing various progress variables (temperature and emissions) are widely available within the literature. However, there is very little information available on how the onset of the steady state operation is identified especially in relation to batch operation, which is subject to depleting fuel bed. This paper uses experiments coupled with a systemic post-processing approach based on MATLAB in order to identify the onset of the steady state operation. The results show that by using both the percentile mean deviation and slope of certain measured progress variables (including the fuel bed temperature, freeboard temperature, fuel mass loss, and emissions) the steady state regime can be accurately predicted. The use of freeboard temperature data alone is not sufficient. Based on the methods developed, radiation error in thermocouple data was found to be significant in both non-staged and staged air combustion modes of fixed bed combustor. Moreover, the radiation error was lower for downstream thermocouples in contrast to upstream thermocouples.