United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Industrial Environmental
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA-600/S7-83-060 Jan. 1984
Project Summary
Analysis of Residential
Coal Stove Emissions
Marcus Cooke, Warren E. Bresler, Robert B. Iden, Timothy L. Hayes, and
Sharron E. Rogers
The report provides combustion
conditions and compound-specific
organic analyses on residential coal
stoves burning both bituminous and
anthracite fuels. A Modified Method 5
collection system, evacuated glass
bulbs, and gravimetric fuel depletion
measurements were used to sample
effluents and gauge burn rates. One
stove tested was a residential appliance
primarily designed for wood
combustion then modified by the
manufacturer for coal use. The report
describes combustion parameters,
concentrations of volatile organic
constituents, and measured concentra-
tions of several polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Industrial Environmental
Research Laboratory. Research
Triangle Park, NC, to announce key
findings of the research project that is
fully documented in a separate report of
the same title (see Project Report order-
ing information at back).
Introduction
This study was a cooperative program
with the Vermont Agency of Environ-
mental Conservation. Some interest has
been shown in the Northeastern United
States about the effects of coal
combustion in residential appliances,
especially stoves designed to use wood
then retrofitted for coal. These stoves
may not contain the proper engineering
criteria for clean operation when burning
coal fuel, especially Eastern bituminous
coal. The State of Vermont has instituted
a detailed residential research program to
evaluate impacts of residential coal com-
bustion. Table 1 summarizes the tests
conducted.
Table 1. Stove Tests
Unit
Fuel
Converted Coal/
Wood Stove How
burn rate)
Residential Coal
Stove (high burn
rate)
Residential Coal
Stove (low burn
rate)
Bituminous Anthracite
Bituminous Anthracite
Bituminous Anthracite
A primary goal of this study was to
investigate the levels of air pollutants and
organic constituents found in small
residential coal-fired stoves when
operated in a manner characteristic of
home heating. The two stoves
investigated in this program operated
from 22,000 to 57,000 Btu/hr (23 to 60
MJ/hr) and are characteristic of small
hand-stoked stoves used in the United
States for residential space heating. One
stove, designed by the manufacturer for
coal combustion, was operated at a high
burn rate and in an air-starved mode
which generated a low burn rate. The
second stove, primarily designed for
wood combustion, had been modified by
the manufacturer to accomodate coal.
Each stove was tested with anthracite
and bituminous coal to evaluate the
effect of the two fuels on emissions.
Analyses included fixed combustion
gases, condensible organics, Method 5
particulates, principal volatile compound
screening by gas mass spectrometry
-------
(CMS), and polynuclear aromatic hydro-
carbon (PAH) analysis by high resolution
gas chromatography/mass spectrometi#
(GC/MS).
The stove operating data in Table 2
shows that burn rates varied between 0.6
Table 2. Stove and Sampling Parameters
and 1.6 kg/hr, and that typical gas
discharge volumes varied between 44
and 80 ma. Volatile ergariics analysis
revealed the presence of methane,
ethane, sulfur dioxide, carbonyl sulfide,
and nitrogen oxides in anthracite and
bituminous tests. PAH compounds were
measured by analysis of 18 indicator
compounds. Table 3 shows the results for
benzo(a)pyrene expressed in several
combustion related units.
High, Burn flate
Stove Parameter
Fuel per Test, kg lib)
Burn Rate, kg/hr (Ib/hr)*
Mean Stack Temperature, °C
(°F)"
Sampling Time, min
Stack Water, percent
Stack Oxygen, percent^
Stack Carbon Dioxide,
percent!
Stack Carbon Monoxide,
percent^
Method 5 Volume (dry).
SCM (SCF>
Total Stack Discharge, Q.
SCM (SCF)
Bituminous
Coal Stove
2.5 (5.6)
1.2 (2.6)
270 (520)
120
1.8
13
6
0.6
1.8 (64)
64 (2,300)
Anthracite
Coal Stove
2.8 (6.2)
1.9(3.1)
250 (480)
120
3.5
10
10
0.6
1.9 (68)
58 (2.050)
Bituminous
Coal Stove
1.7 (3.8)
0.8 (1.7)
220 (420)
150
1.8
17
4
0.2
2.0 (70)
72 (2,500)
Low Burn Rate
Anthracite
Coal Stove
1.3 (2.9)
0.7 (1.5)
140 (278)
155
1.6
17
3
0.0
2.4 (85)
80 (2,800)
Bituminous Modi-
fied Wood Stove
2.4 (5.4)
1.2 (2.6)
160 (315)
155
1.9
14
6
0.4
2.3(81)
67 (2.400)
Anthracite Modi-
fied Wood Stove
1.7(3.7)
0.9 (1.8)
140(280)
155
2.3
13
7
0.4
2.5 (87)
44 (1,600)
* Averaged over total test.
**At Method 5 probe.
t Approximate, values determined by ORSAT technique.
Table 3. Benzo(a)pyrene Concentrations in Vermont Coal Stove Study
High Burn Rate
Low Burn Rate
Emission
Gaseous Emission. ug/SCM
Fuel Based Emission,
ppb-dry-ash free
Thermal Based Emission. ng/J
Thermal Input to Furnace,
Btu/hr (MJ/hr)
Bituminous
Coal Stove
110
2800
8.1x10*
4.2x10* (44)
Anthracite
Coal Stove
0.1
3
7.3x10 5
4.7x10" (50)
Bituminous
Coal Stove
52
1700
5.0x10*
2.2x10" (23)
Anthracite
Coal Stove
0.08
5
1.5x10*
1 7x10* (18)
Bituminous Modi-
fied Wood Stove
120
3400
9.8x10-*
3.0x10* (32)
Anthracite Modi-
fied Wood Stove
0.17
4
1.2x10*
2.1x10* (22)
M. Cooke, W. E. Bresler, ft. B. Iden. and T. L. Hayes are with Battelle-Columbus
Laboratories, Columbus, OH 43201; C. R. Sanborn is with the State of Vermont,
Agency of Environmental Conservation, Montpelier, VT 05602.
Michael C. Osborne is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Analysis of Residential Coal Stove Emissions,"
(Order No. PB 84-130 442; Cost: $8.50, subject to change) will be available only
from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
•-US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1984-759-015/7284
-------
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
PS 0000329
U 8 ENVIR PROTECTION
REGION 5 LIBRARY
230 S DEARBORN STREET
CHICAGO It. 60604
------- |