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Effects of fuel moisture content on pollutant emissions from a rocket-elbow cookstove

dc.contributor.authorvan Zyl, Lizette, author
dc.contributor.authorVolckens, John, advisor
dc.contributor.authorJathar, Shantanu, committee member
dc.contributor.authorAnderson, Georgiana Brooke, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2018-06-12T16:14:30Z
dc.date.available2019-06-07T16:14:30Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractCookstoves have been studied in recent decades for their health- and environment-relevant emissions. Many pollutants, stoves, and burning parameters have been investigated across these studies, including fuel moisture content, which is believed to have substantial impact on stove emissions. Yet, the effects of fuel moisture content on emissions remain poorly characterized. To address this gap in knowledge, this study characterized particle and gas-phase pollutant emissions during a laboratory experiment exploring three levels of fuel moisture from a single tree sample. Moisture levels tested here varied from 5% to 30% water content, by weight. A novel technique for re-moisturizing the fuel samples was developed and employed to expedite the experimental duration and to ensure consistency across tests. Results from the study demonstrate strong trends in emissions related to changes in moisture content. Results also suggest there are benefits to drying wood to below 10% moisture content as compared to burning wood that is slightly above the 20% level recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. When wood was dried to 5% instead of 25%, modified combustion efficiency improved and average mass-based emissions factors decreased for all pollutant species (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m+p-xylenes, o-xylenes, PM2.5, methane, carbon monoxide, and organic carbon) save black carbon. Dry fuel generated less smoke and higher temperatures than wet fuel. Wet fuel was also difficult to keep lit and burned much slower than dry fuel. Efficiency, burn rate, and stove temperature all affect the way people use their stoves for heating or cooking. Since moisture content impacted efficiency, burn rate, and temperature during this study, as well as multiple gas and particle-phase pollutants, moisture content should be accounted for in future stoves studies, both in the lab and in the field.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifiervanZyl_colostate_0053N_14821.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/189433
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.relation.referencesvan Zyl, L., Tryner, J., Bilsback, K., Good, N., Hecobian, A., Sullivan, A. P., Zhou, Y., Peel, J., & Volckens, J. (2019). Dataset associated with "Effects of fuel moisure content on emmissions from a rocket-elbow cookstove." Colorado State University. Libraries. https://dx.doi.org/10.25675/10217/194289
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectemission
dc.subjectmoisture
dc.subjectcookstove
dc.subjectpollutant
dc.subjectfuel
dc.titleEffects of fuel moisture content on pollutant emissions from a rocket-elbow cookstove
dc.typeText
dcterms.embargo.expires2019-06-07
dcterms.embargo.terms2019-06-07
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineMechanical Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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