Volume: 4, 2025
4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: T001
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.T001
Published online: 9 April 2025
ICDSUPL, 4, T001 (2025)
Assessment of the possibility of using agricultural residues as fuel in low-power boilers
Jacek Gładysz1,2*, Grzegorz Zając1, Joanna Szyszlak-Bargłowicz1
1 Department of Power Engineering and Transportation, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Głęboka 28, 20-612 Lublin, Poland
2 ZPH Krzaczek Sp. z o. o., Klikawa, Leśna 5, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
* Corresponding author: jacek.gladysz@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
Pellet-fired automatic boilers are rapidly gaining popularity in single-family homes due to tightening emission standards. Additionally, the high availability of fuel and operational possibilities contribute to the growing demand. Pellet fuel has several advantages, including ease of storage and low susceptibility to contamination of rooms in which it is stored and burned. However, exhaust and dust emissions remain important problems. Pellet combustion is one of the cleanest solid fuels, but to ensure safe and efficient operation, the fuel must meet appropriate requirements. Unfortunately, these parameters are often omitted. For a person heating their own home, the most important criterion is the price of the fuel. The most common type of biomass replacing wood pellets is oats, because it has a calorific value similar to pellets and its price is two times lower. The research aimed to determine the possibility of using agricultural residues as fuel in low-power boilers and their impact on exhaust and dust emissions. The measuring station was equipped with an automatic boiler for pellet fuel SKG DELTA with a rated power of 12 kW and an automatic burner with a rotating combustion chamber. The following were used to carry out the tests: Testo exhaust gas analyzer, model 320-2 LL, was used to analyze exhaust emissions (CO, CO2, NOx). Testo dust emission analyzer model 380. The tests were conducted on two types of fuel. The first fuel was wood pellet class A1. The second fuel was a mixture of previously used wood pellets and oats in proportions of 1/2. In both tests, the boiler operated while maintaining the same operating parameters of the burner. A 12-fold increase in CO emissions, a 1.5-fold increase in NOx emissions, and almost a 4-fold increase in dust emissions, and the formation of caking during the combustion of a mixture of pellets and oats compared to the combustion of pellets were observed. Rotary combustion chamber burners are not suitable for burning biomass in the form of a mixture of oats and wood pellets due to the formation of caking and automatic shutdown of the burner. Pellet burners with a rotary combustion chamber fired with biomass in the form of a mixture of oats and wood pellets do not meet the currently applicable exhaust emission standards. A 12-fold increase in CO emissions, a 1.5-fold increase in NOx emissions, and almost a 4-fold increase in dust emissions were observed.
Keywords: biomass combustion, pellet burners, biomass exhaust emissions
How to cite
J. Gładysz, G. Zając, J. Szyszlak-Bargłowicz, 2025. Assessment of the possibility of using agricultural residues as fuel in low-power boilers. In: 4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.T001