Emission Suppression System for Outdoor Wood Boilers

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 wood stoves 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 integratable into 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 US, where the use of OWBs is most common.