Major research begins into ‘non-ideal’ operation of wood burners

Researchers have started a six week study to measure emissions from domestic wood burning stoves, using a dedicated laboratory-based test facility in Manchester.

Because the current estimates of how much wood burners contribute to air pollution are based around their use in optimal condition, the researchers want to examine their performance under ‘non-ideal’ operational conditions which will include ignition, reloading, maloperation and use of unconventional fuels, which they suggest are a large and unaccounted for source of particulate pollution in the UK. 

This is what gives the project its name: CLARISE (CondensabLe AeRosol from non Ideal Stove Emissions)

Scientists from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, the University of Manchester, and the University of York – variously experts in biomass burning experiments, emissions monitoring, atmospheric complexity analysis and regional modelling – are working in a state-of-the-art test facility, in a Manchester-based laboratory.

By using a wood burner in a controlled environment alongside specialised pollution monitoring equipment, researchers are replicating a range of conditions and real-life scenarios.

The high-resolution data they are collecting will be used to predict the relative amounts of secondary particulate that can be expected from both ideal and non-ideal operation, allowing them to assess the relative importance of non-ideal emissions and their estimated contribution to PM2.5 in the UK and beyond

Dr James Allan, a research scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of Manchester. said: ‘Currently emissions predictions assume that wood burners are operated correctly and the appropriate fuels are used. However, we suspect that many wood burners are not used correctly, with people likely to overstack fuel or burn unseasoned woods.’

‘Our laboratory experiments will investigate the effects of gas emissions that condense in the air and form particulate matter after they are emitted.’

Dr Marvin Shaw, research scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of York said: ‘Recent studies of combustion in household woodburners suggest that operational conditions, such as ignition, reloading, maloperation and use of unconventional fuels are a large and unaccounted for source of pollution in the UK. This project brings together national expertise in order to understand how the operation of these wood burners affects the emissions of gas and particulate pollutants.’