Characterization and kinetics study of off-gas emissions from stored wood pellets.

The full potential health impact from the emissions of biomass fuels, including wood pellets, during storage and transportation has not been documented in the open literature. The purpose of this study is to provide data on the concentration of CO(2), CO and CH(4) from wood pellets stored in sealed vessels and to develop a kinetic model for predicting the transient emission rate factors at different storage temperatures. Five 45-l metal containers (305 mm diameter by 610 mm long) equipped with heating and temperature control devices were used to study the temperature effect on the off-gas emissions from wood pellets. Concurrently, ten 2-l aluminum canisters (100 mm diameter by 250 mm long) were used to study the off-gas emissions from different types of biomass materials. Concentrations of CO(2), CO and CH(4) were measured by a gas chromatograph as a function of storage time and storage temperature. The results showed that the concentrations of CO, CO(2) and CH(4) in the sealed space of the reactor increased over time, fast at the beginning but leveling off after a few days. A first-order reaction kinetics fitted the data well. The maximum concentration and the time it takes for the buildup of gas concentrations can be predicted using kinetic equations.