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Mitigating combustion particulate emissions

Integrating plasma air ionization into biomass boiler flues.

Unmet need

With the introduction of policy drivers such as the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), biomass fuel use may increase. This may lead to more particulate emissions from domestic heating appliances.

Combustion particulates are a significant health hazard. They contain harmful substances, such as:

  • polychlorinated dibenzop-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F)
  • polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
  • alkali salts such as potassium carbonate.

Smaller biomass boilers can produce high emissions of particulate matter (PM) smaller than 10 microns (PM10, PM2.5). This becomes an important source of inhalable particulate matter in the ambient air which can cause serious health problems e.g. higher morbidity, respiratory problems, shorter life expectancy.

Small scale particulate emission clean-up is too expensive to be viable.

The technology

We have developed a novel plasma air ionization (PAI) technology. It can mitigate biomass combustion particulate emissions.

Connected to a biomass boiler flue, PAI has several advantages over existing technologies:

  • low cost (capital, installation, running and maintenance
  • low maintenance
  • consistent efficiency
  • quick and easy installation or retrofit

Applications

The technology could mitigate particulate emissions from any combustion process. Particular application areas are:

  • Domestic boilers
  • Industrial bilers
  • Central gas clean system

There may be potential for the technology to support oil mist removal.

More information and contact

You can find out more about the academic behind this technology by viewing Professor Adam Harvey's online profile.

To discuss licensing this or similar technologies, please contact: