Due to their high emission of particulate matter, wood fired furnaces have become a focal point of public discussion in Germany. Log-fired single room heaters can be identified as a main contributor to this matter. The particulate matter emitted by outdated as well as modern furnaces directly affects the pollution inside residential areas. This is demonstrated by a test campaign of a fibrous filter system developed by the Technology of Fuels Unit at RWTH Aachen University. The filter system captures the emitted particles and retains them inside a highly porous media. Particles from different households and combustion systems were collected over half a heating season. Afterwards, the chemical composition of the accumulated particulate matter was analysed. Based on the particle composition, the furnace operation can be evaluated and consequently improved. This method can be seen as an integral evaluation of the emitted particles of small scale furnaces under real-life operating conditions.
Keywords: Emission assessment; Particle separation; Particulate matter; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Residential wood furnaces.