Grantee Research Project Results
Emission Suppression System for Outdoor Wood Boilers
EPA Contract Number: EPD11039Title: Emission Suppression System for Outdoor Wood Boilers
Investigators: Gosau, Jan-Michael
Small Business: Adherent Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011
Project Amount: $80,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2011) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Air and Climate
Description:
Outdoor wood-fired boilers (OWB) are gaining in popularity for heating homes. As energy prices have risen, sales of OWBs are doubling each year because they provide a lower cost solution and use renewable fuel. There is concern about their air emissions, however. OWBs typically emit 18 times the pollution of an EPA certified wood stove and there are currently no emission controls for OWBs. The proposed work is an effort to design and test a catalytic combustor system that can be retrofitted into existing OWBs to reduce their emissions. ATI has previously developed EPA-certified catalytic combustors for woodstoves and fireplaces based on our patented reticulated engineered ceramic supports and an oxidation catalyst(s). The system will provide a significant reduction of VOC and PM emissions, will be virtually maintenance free, and should be integrative to existing OWBs. Results will also impact the design of new OWBs to incorporate the catalytic combustors. The work plan is divided into three main areas: (1) data collection needed to develop the retrofit system; (2) design and selection of suitable components for the retrofit system, including the housing and the catalytic combustor; and (3) a prototype system will be fabricated and tested to act as a proof-of-concept to take the program to a Phase II for technology optimization. With 500,000 existing OWBs and many more being installed each year, there are large commercial markets for the proposed catalytic systems. Incorporating these catalytic systems into OWBs will create a large positive impact on air quality, particularly in the Northeast U.S., where the use of OWBs is most common.Progress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase II:
Catalytic Emissions Reduction System for Outdoor Wood Boilers | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.