Combustion Mechanisms in Wood Fired Boilers

Abstract

The emissions from combustion of wood residue fuel in an experimental spreader-stoker boiler were measured at the Fairplay Test Facility at Oregon State University. Stack gases were monitored to determine levels of excess air, opacity, and particulate loading. Particulate emissions were measured to determine the effects of underfire air flow rate and fuel bed depth on particulate carry over rate. An experiment conducted at four energy release rates and two fuel bed depths indicated that increased bed depth has the effect of reducing particulate emissions and that the effect increases as energy release rate increases. The experiment also showed increased energy release rate has the effect of increasing particulate emissions. The effects were found to be statistically significant.