Comprehensive Evaluation of Combustion Performance and Emissions from Commercial Pellets in Small-Scale Boilers

Rui Pinho and Amadeu D. S. Borges ()
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Rui Pinho: Laboratory of Thermal Sciences and Sustainability, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Amadeu D. S. Borges: Laboratory of Thermal Sciences and Sustainability, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-17

Abstract: The combustion of fossil fuels is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, drives climate change, and has intensified the search for cleaner energy alternatives such as biomass. Biomass derived from renewable organic materials, is considered a sustainable and carbon-neutral energy source. While biomass represents a renewable and clean energy source, its combustion, especially in pellet form, can produce various pollutants such as CO 2 , SO 2 , NO 2 , CO, and PM. This study focuses on analyzing the combustion of six different pellet brands and the emissions they produce. A dedicated experimental procedure was designed and implemented to evaluate the combustion performance. The temperature shows a gradual increase in ambient temperature around 2.5 °C across all tests, with a similar behavior, the temperature of flue gas shows a similar behavior between tests with temperatures peaking around 300 °C and 340 °C. In the tests conducted, all pellets complied with the legal emission limits defined by legislation. The efficiency calculated using the direct method was lower by around 55%, primarily due to the use of an older boiler (manufactured in 2004) and short duration of the test. The indirect method shows better efficiency, around 70%, influenced by lower moisture content of the pellets. The results indicate that B pellets had a superior performance compared to the others evaluated.

Keywords: wood pellets; combustion; emissions; burning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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