Research finds likely solution for pellet-derived carbon monoxide
September 9, 2016
BY Erin Krueger
Clarkson University researchers believe they have figured out the cause of wood pellet-derived carbon monoxide (CO), and a potential solution.
Research performed by Philip Hopke, director of the Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science at Clarkson University, and coauthor Mohammad Arifur Rahman, found that hydroxyl radicals, neutral forms of the hydroxide ion that are highly reactive, are formed as a byproduct of the autoxidation of unsaturated compounds in the wood pellet’s fiber—fatty acids and terpenes (organic compounds produced by plants). When these radicals react with hemicellulose, the research found, it results in CO generation at potentially dangerous levels when pellets are stored in confined spaces.
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The research concluded that if autoxidation initiation can be eliminated, CO offgassing from pellets would be substantially reduced. According to the paper, “destruction of the reactive compounds with ozone led to a suppression of CO formation, suggesting an approach to process the wood fiber that would result in low or no CO emission wood pellets.”
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