Comparison of dust emissions from an individual wood-fired boiler and dust emissions in the production of the same amount of heat in a combined heat and power plant

Cracow University of Technology Faculty of Environmental Engineering ul. Warszawska 24, 31-155 Kraków, Poland

^* Corresponding author: lkulesza@wp.pl

Abstract

Comparison of dust emissions from an individual wood fired boiler (of various types) and of dust emissions during generation of the same amount of heat in a heat and power station were the aim of this work. For the purpose of the calculations the dust emissions from the heat and power station were assumed as the maximum permissible dust emissions, in line with the regulation of the Minister of Environment of 4 November 2014 on emission standards for certain types of installations, fuel combustion sources and waste incineration and co-incineration devices. The emissions of dusts for boilers were assumed based on available publications. For the purposes of the analysis, three boilers of 15 [kW] power were considered. Based on the obtained results it can be stated that the amounts of dust emitted by selected wood-fired boilers are not significantly different from the amount of dust emitted by a heat and power station for the same effect on the recipient’s side. Heating boilers of powers lower than 15 [kW] exist and for some of them the dust emissions are even smaller than for the boilers discussed herewith. The discussed boilers have heating efficiency of 86 %. If their efficiency were to be higher, the concentration of the dust would have been lower. The solid fuel (wood) fired boilers considered in this work are not the best ones on the market with respect the dust emissions. The ongoing development of the fuel combustion technology allows expecting even further reduction of emissions of dusts.