Creosote accumulation as a function of moisture content, wood species, and fire intensity in an airtight stove, and chimney fire experiments

Technical Report · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5695219

Shelton, J W

Two basic aspects of creosote investigated were: creosote accumulation as a function of moisture content, wood species, and stove power output; and creosote combustion - that is, chimney fires. For the creosote accumulation studies, six identical stove systems were operated simultaneously for four months, during which power output, fuel species and fuel moisture content were systematically varied. Chimneys were weighed before and after each test series to determine creosote accumulation. For the simulated fireplace series, where the stove doors were left wide open, the conventional wisdom holds true - creosote accumulation increased with increasing moisture content. For closed combustion systems (airtight stoves), however, green wood produced less creosote than dry or medium wood under medium and high power conditions. Under low power conditions there was no significant effect of moisture content on creosote accumulation. How an appliance is operated can have a larger effect on creosote than either the fuel species or moisture content; up to 48 times more creosote was observed with a smoldering fire than a brightly burning fire. The chimney fires, induced in heavily creosoted chimneys in the laboratory, resulted in a maximum flue gas temperature of 1125/sup 0/C, as measured with unshielded thermocouples. The creosote fires typically lasted 3 to 15 minutes. Noncreosote chimney fires were also observed.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 5695219
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-00192-1; ON: DE82006018
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
APPLIANCES
BUILDUP
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
CREOSOTE
DATA
DRAFT CONTROL SYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUE GAS
FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MOISTURE
OPERATION
OXIDATION
POWER
STACK DISPOSAL
STACKS
STOVES
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES
WOOD FUELS