Particle Number and Mass Emission Factors from Combustion of Wood Samples Collected from Queensland Forest
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QUT Digital Repository: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/ This is the authors’ version of the following conference paper: Marsh, Jack, Morawska, Lidia, Ristovski, Zoran, & Wardoyo, Arinto (2005) Particle Number and Mass Emission Factors from Combustion of Wood Samples Collected from Queensland Forest. In: Towards a New Agenda: Proceedings of the 17th International Clean Air & Environment Conference 2005, 3 May ‐ 6 May 2005, Australai, Tasmania, Hobart. © Copyright 2005 Please consult the authors. PARTICLE NUMBER AND MASS EMISSION FACTORS FROM COMBUSTION OF QUEENSLAND FOREST VEGETATION SAMPLES Arinto Y.P. Wardoyo, Lidia Morawska, Zoran D. Ristovski, and Jack Marsh International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia Abstract Knowledge of particle emission characteristics associated with forest fires and in general, biomass burning, is becoming increasingly important due to the impact of these emissions on human health. Of particular importance is developing a better understanding of the size distribution of particles generated from forest combustion under different environmental conditions, as well as provision of emission factors for different particle size ranges. This study was aimed at quantifying particle emission factors from four types of wood found in South East Queensland forests: Spotted Gum (Corymbia citriodora), Red Gum (Eucalypt tereticornis), Blood Gum (Eucalypt intermedia), and Iron bark (Eucalypt decorticans); under controlled laboratory conditions. The experimental set up included a modified commercial stove connected to a dilution system designed for the conditions of the study. Measurements of particle number size distribution and concentration resulting from the burning of woods with a relatively homogenous moisture content (in the range of 15 to 26 %) and for different rates of burning were performed using a TSI Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) in the size range from 10 to 600 nm and a TSI Dust Trak for PM2.5. The results of the study in terms of the relationship between particle number size distribution and different condition of burning for different species show that particle number emission factors and PM2.5 mass emission factors depend on the type of wood and the burning rate; fast burning or slow burning. The average particle number emission factors for fast burning conditions are in the range of 3.3 x 1015 to 5.7 x 1015 particles/kg, and for PM2.5 are in the range of 139 to 217 mg/kg. Keywords: Biomass burning, ultrafine particles, particle number emission. 1. Introduction biomass (Hueglin et al., 1997). Forest fires as a The burning of biomass emits significant amounts type of biomass burning contribute significantly to of particles that impact on human health and are the particle burden of the atmosphere. linked to morbidity and mortality (Dockery et al., The state of Queensland has a problem with 1993; Samet et al., 2000a; Samet et al., 2000b). forest fires. The state experienced its worst forest Characterization of particle emissions has been fires in 1991, burning 37,000 hectares (Hamwood, conducted in previous studies for several types of 1992). The state still suffers from forest fires from biomass burning, such as: wood burning (Hays et year to year. In the last several months there were al., 2002; Hedberg et al., 2002), grassland burning a number of such fires in Queensland, for example: (Dennis et al., 2002), agriculture product forest fires at San Fernando and Canugra in July (Anderson, 2002; Reddy and Venkataraman, 2002), 2004; at Wallaby Hill Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, and biofuel briquette (Mukherji et al., 2002). Other Minden, Gilston/Tallai Range, and Tamborine in factors that influence the characteristics of the August 2004; at Tamborine, Lowry/Hinze Dam, and emissions have also been studied, these include: Nerang in October 2004. Characterizing the particle moisture content related to completeness of emissions from forest fires is an important issue in burning (Leese et al., 1989; Todd, 1991), and rate providing better information related to their impacts of burning associated with the supply of oxygen for on human health. This paper presents an initial completeness of burning and the amount of burned study that is aimed at characterizing the particle emissions from burning vegetation samples typically growing in South East Queensland. probe of 1 cm in diameter. The sample flow was Additional emphasis is given to developing a better introduced to an ejector dilutor (Dekati) where it understanding of the size distribution and emission was diluted 10 times with heated, compressed, factors of ultrafine particles generated under particle-free air to obtain a dry, diluted sample and different environmental conditions. The to prevent further coagulation. The concentration at quantification of the emissions is conducted under the inlet of the ejector dilutor was very high and controlled conditions in the laboratory. caused frequent blockage of the dilutor inlet. This was especially observed during slow burning. The 2. Experiment Methods dilutor had to be cleaned before each new experiment. The sample flow was next mixed with a 2.1. Experimental Setup constant flow of ambient air filtered by a HEPA filter in a dilution tunnel to further reduce the concentration below 106 per cm3. The flow rate and temperature of the samples in the dilution tunnel Heater were measured using an air velocity meter. The HEPA filter Diluter 10X 1 tunnel temperature was observed to be between Thermocouple 0 cm Flue gas 28°C and 30°C. Thermocouple analyser Dust The dilution ratio was calculated by measurement SMPS Track Hepa Filter 4 of the concentrations of CO2 in the flue, the dilution 0cm Pump Dilution tunnel tunnel, and the ambient air that was used for 5 5cm dilution. The concentration of CO2 in the flue was Q trak Air velocity meter continuously measured using a flue gas analyser. At the same time the concentration of CO2 in the 7 dilution tunnel and ambient air were recorded using Air flow 4.5 cm a TSI Q Trak. The dilution ratio was found to vary Valve Air velocity Sample flow meter from 150 to 200 for fast burning and from 100 to Blower 300 for slow burning and depended on the type of Figure 1. Experimental set up. wood burned. The experimental setup is schematically shown in 2.4. Particle Measurement System Figure 1. The system consists of a stove, dilution The number concentration and size distribution of and sampling system, and a particle measurement the particles produced during the burning process system. were measured using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). The SMPS consisted of a 3071 TSI 2.2. Burning System electrostatic classifier and a 3010 condensation Stoves have been used previously as burning particle counter. The SMPS was operated in a systems to characterize biomass burning emissions window of 10 – 600 nm. The sheath air flow was (Todd, 1991; McDonald et al., 2000; Hedberg et al., selected as 4 lpm and the sample flow was 0.4 lpm. 2002). A modified commercial stove with The scanning time and retrace time were set at 120 dimensions of 66 x 74.5 x 55 cm3 was used as a s and 60 s respectively. The continuous burning system in this study. The part of the stove measurement of the total particle number originally used to adjust air flow was replaced by a concentration was determined using a ventilation system that enabled the introduction of a condensation particle counter (CPC) TSI 3022, which is able to measure particle concentrations of controlled amount of air into the stove. In order to 6 3 obtain a homogeneous rate of air flow, the outlet of more than 10 particle/cm . The sampling interval the ventilation system was connected to a was 20 s. Approximation of mass concentration of rectangular hood. The hood was connected to a fine particles (PM2.5) was measured by a TSI dust blower with a maximum capacity of 14 L/s through Trak using a PM2.5 inlet. The sampling time was 10 a pipe 30 mm in diameter. The connection was s. adjusted by a valve to control the flow rate of air. The purpose of the system was to simulate the 2.5. Sample Material and Preparation burning rates that would occur in forest fires. The samples consisted of different species of wood collected from the trees growing in a forest in Mount 2.3. Dilution and Sampling System Samson, located about 40 km from Brisbane City. The sampling system was a modified version of a Four species of Eucalypt were selected as samples system previously used for vehicle emission according to their prevalence in the forest. These measurements (Morawska, 1998; Ristovski, 1998). were: Spotted gum (Eucalypt citriodora), Red gum The samples were taken from the flue through a (Eucalypt.tereticornis), Blood wood (Eucalypt intermedia) and Iron bark (Eucalypt decorticans). All four species are known as hard woods. The sample. Pieces of wood were used as kindling for hardest of these is the Red gum, followed in order burning the following samples. The second and of decreasing hardness by Blood gum, Iron bark subsequent samples were logged in the stove just and then Spotted gum. The logs of wood were before burning of the previous sample finished. The placed in an open area of the laboratory for several processes of burning; such as igniting, flaming, and months. They were cut into pieces of 15 - 25 cm in smouldering (Simoneit, 2002); were observed length with diameter of 5 – 12 cm. The logs were through the window glass of the stove and recorded treated to obtain moisture contents that were as every 3 minutes to see the relationship between the homogeneous as possible throughout the samples processes and the particle size distribution, and that were also in the range of optimum concentration and emission factors.