Critical parameters for particle emissions in small-scale fixed-bed combustion of wood pellets

In this study, laboratory experiments in a small-scale (10 kW) reactor have been performed to investigate the particle formation mechanisms and the influence of different operating parameters on the particle emissions from combustion of wood pellets under fixed-bed conditions. The results presented herein show that the particles from fixed-bed combustion are formed from three different mechanisms: coarse fly ash particles (> 10 mum) are released by mechanical ejection from the fuel bed, submicrometer-sized fly ash particles are produced from the vaporization and nucleation of ash minerals, and, finally, submicrometer-sized soot particles are produced from incomplete combustion. Significant effects on the particle emissions have been observed for the combustor wall temperature and the flow pattern in the combustion zone. Increasing the combustor wall temperature yields a decrease in the emissions of coarse fly ash and soot particles; however, the emissions of submicrometer-sized fly ash particles increase simultaneously. For example, the emissions of soot are reduced by a factor of similar to5 and the emissions of fly ash are increased by a factor of similar to2 when the wall temperature increases from 400 degreesC to 950 degreesC. Increasing the mixing rate in the combustion chamber will also decrease the emissions of soot particles. An important conclusion from this study is that the total emissions of particles can be minimized in fixed-bed combustion of a solid biomass by minimizing the combustion temperature in the burning char particle and maximizing the temperature in the secondary combustion zone.