The report gives results of operating a wood stove, incorporating a catalytic combustor, while burning air-dried oak at low burning rates. Gas composition was measured continuously both at the entrance of the catalyst (after the gases had left the burning wood) and at the exit of the stove (after the gases had traversed the catalyst). These continuous monitors showed a reduction of about 3:1 in volatile hydrocarbons measured by a flame ionization detector, and a comparable reduction in carbon monoxide. These monitors showed no significant corresponding reduction when the active catalyst was replaced with an identical ceramic element, but without the noble metal coating. Grab samples collected from the flue gas early during the wood burning cycle, analyzed by direct gas-phase MS and GC, confirmed the lower concentrations of volatile combustible species when the active catalyst was used. Integrated samples of flue gas collected throughout the test burn were analyzed for less volatile organic species and PAH species. These analyses indicated that the catalyst was less effective in reducing these species, including particulate collected on a hot filter and high molecular weight species such as BaP.

"EPA 600/7-84-046".