Beech leaves briquettes’ and standard briquettes’ combustion: comparison of flue gas composition

Abstract

Biomass stoves are not only popular, widespread and important sources of heat but are also not negligible sources of pollutants. The present study had two objectives in this field of research. The first one was to determine the difference between standard wooden and beech leaves briquettes flue gas composition during similar, standard home combustion conditions. The second objective was to determine the possibility of decreasing the mass concentration of pollutants contained in the flue gas produced by standard and alternative fuel combustion, i.e. wooden briquettes and beech leaves briquettes, by an oxidation catalyst. Significantly higher mass concentration of nitrogen oxides (NO x ), almost 2.5 times higher, in the flue gas was observed during the beech leaves combustion. Both fuels reached the edge of actual legislation limit (European Standard Commission regulation [EU] 2015/1185) in case of mass concentration of carbon monoxide (CO). This issue was solved by a palladium-based catalyst with average degree of conversion around 82%. The catalyst also influences flue gas composition from mass concentration of propane point of view with average degree of conversion around 15%. The mass fraction of sulphur, occurring in the beech leaves briquettes, did not cause any issue to the catalyst in terms of its degree of CO conversion. Due to the test results from the beech leaves briquettes, i.e. high mass fraction of ash and high mass concentration of NO x in the flue gas, it is appropriate to use this kind of fuel as secondary fuel during the co-combustion process.

Performance Evaluation of Wood Pellets Derived from Biomass Waste as a Sustainable Energy Source

“…The attributes above provide challenges in managing, storing, transporting, and using biomass leftovers in their unprocessed state. One approach to enhance biomass waste's thermal efficiency is briquette technology [38][39][40]. The process entails compressing loose biomass waste to generate a fuel with improved handling properties and a higher volumetric calorific value than biomass in its original form.…”

Co-Gasification of Pistachio Shells with Wood Pellets in a Semi-Industrial Hybrid Cross/Updraft Reactor for Producer Gas and Biochar Production

“…The granulometry of the pistachio shells after the standard shelling process is very homogenous, and it could be mixed and directly used in appliances designed for pellets, as shown by Ryšavý et al [29], which is important due to the energy required for the densification of biomass [30][31][32]. In the study of Hu et al [33], pistachio shells were gasified under specific laboratory conditions, while the KOH-activated char was described in detail and tested for its capacitive performance in aqueous electrolytes in electric doublelayer capacitors.…”

Evaluation and Safety Assessment of Biomass-/Waste-Generated Producer Gas

“…For example, several studies that specify biomass-based waste utilization in small combustion applications for household heating were published. Unfortunately, these applications have very limited scope of use and do not solve the overall problem [4], [5]. Moreover, alternative ways of utilisation of this material are, to some extent, ignored.…”