Particulate Emission in Rocket Mass Heaters... Looking for Data!!!

The state I live in is considering an all out ban on all wood smoke. The main concern is particulate.

Does anyone have any data on particulate emissions in RMH's? Ernie & Erica, Peter, Matt???

I think a couple important differences are that RMH's require far less frequent burning and far less fuel but what about particulate?

This may be a great opportunity to share this technology on a public stage.

I was looking for scientific publications on anything closely relating a rocket mass heater just the other day. The closest thing I could find were journal publications on particulate emissions for masonry heaters. The studies were typically performed in Europe. When I lived in Germany my friend told me they were quite concerned about combustion particulates (diesel trucks and wood burning, typically).

How I found the articles (abstract only typically):

scholar.google.com
did a search on 'masonry heaters'

To my knowledge, I don't think anyone has done any particulate/aerosol studies on RMH. As a graduate student I worked in a aerosol laboratory and am familiar with the testing process, but don't have the tens of thousands of dollars to spend on the testing equipment to do a study.

A quick solution maybe an electrostatic precipitator. I can imagine something being built from stainless steel and charged/operated by solar.

Yet, in the greater picture forest fires are way more polluting/particulate generating than residential fireplaces.

Hi Jesse, long time no see. How's your big batch box doing?
As far as I am aware of, no official testing for particulates is done on RMH's, apart from the Wood Stove Challenge. I know of one guy in the Netherlands who is working on this, in particular a batch box equipped with a modified air intake. And Matt is doing preliminary testing based on the same type of idea, but there's no advanced data, sorry.

Brett Andrzejewski wrote:I was looking for scientific publications on anything closely relating a rocket mass heater just the other day. The closest thing I could find were journal publications on particulate emissions for masonry heaters. The studies were typically performed in Europe. When I lived in Germany my friend told me they were quite concerned about combustion particulates (diesel trucks and wood burning, typically).

How I found the articles (abstract only typically):

scholar.google.com
did a search on 'masonry heaters'

Thanks for the response Brett. Do you remember any numbers off the top of your head? It appears that numbers from masonry heaters is the closest thing currently available?

Jesse, you've heard my input already, so I won't repeat myself here, but here's a resource for you regarding masonry heaters in general.

http://heatkit.com/html/lop-arc.htm

Always good to hear from you Peter. The big batch box in Idaho is burning very well and getting upgrades as the owner can get to it. My own is currently on hold and I know of another 6" batch box being prototyped locally.

Do you happen to have any insight into this particulate business? Are you aware of what the masonry heater crowd has come up with in this space?

Also, is there a way for me to learn more about this modified air intake you speak of?

Matt Walker wrote:Jesse, you've heard my input already, so I won't repeat myself here, but here's a resource for you regarding masonry heaters in general.

http://heatkit.com/html/lop-arc.htm

Great! Thanks Matt.

Jesse Biggs wrote:
Also, is there a way for me to learn more about this modified air intake you speak of?

Here info on the air modifications Jesse:

Sjang's modification

My Pre-port tube modification

Jesse,

Here is a link to the abstract to one article on masonry heater combustion particles.

Here is a link to the other abstract.

Both articles are very similar in composition. It looks like an author or two modified the experiment ever so slightly to get another 'new' publication.