Comparison of pollutant emission rates from unvented kerosene and gas space heaters

Conference · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5256378

Apte, M G; Traynor, G W

In this paper the pollutant emission rates of all five types of unvented space heaters are compared. Pollutant emission rates for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/), formaldehyde, and submicron suspended particles were measured. Special emphasis is placed on CO and NO/sub 2/ emissions. Pollutant measurements were made in a 27-m/sup 3/ environmental chamber and emission rates were calculated using a mass-balance model. Emission rates for propane and natural gas space heaters were similar. Emissions from the various types of heaters fall into three distinct groups. The groups are better characterized by burner design than by the type of fuel used. Radiant kerosene heaters and infrared UVGSHs constitute one group; convective kerosene heaters and convective UVGSHs the second, and two-stage kerosene heaters the third group. When groups are compared, emission rates vary by an order of magnitude for carbon monoxide and for nitrogen dioxide. The two-stage kerosene heaters emitted the least CO and also the least NO/sub 2/ per unit of fuel energy consumed. The radiant/infrared heaters emitted the most CO, and the convective heaters emitted the most NO/sub 2/. The effects of various operation parameters such as the wick height for kerosene heaters and the air shutter adjustment for gas heaters are discussed. Convective UVGSHs operating at half input were found to have lower emission rates on average than when operating at full input. Some maltuned convective UVGSHs were capable of emitting very high amounts of CO. Kerosene heaters were found to emit more CO and NO/sub 2/ on average when they were operated with lowered wicks.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 5256378
• Report Number(s): LBL-21571; CONF-860446-1; ON: DE86015133
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALDEHYDES
ALKANES
APPLIANCES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
EMISSION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FORMALDEHYDE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HEATERS
HYDROCARBONS
KEROSENE
LIQUID FUELS
NATURAL GAS
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTANTS
POLLUTION SOURCES
PROPANE
SPACE HEATERS
STATIONARY POLLUTANT SOURCES
VENTILATION