CO is an indirect greenhouse gas – CO reduction with Blue Fire catalysts

CO is an indirect greenhouse gas - CO reduction with Blue Fire catalysts

Carbon monoxide, or CO in chemical notation, is produced every time fossil fuels are burned. CO is an intermediate product of a combustion process on the way to the formation of ultimately CO2. It is easily detectable by measurement and it has a lethal effect on humans when inhaled. Carbon monoxide is a non-coloured and odourless toxic gas that is produced during the incomplete combustion of biomass materials, e.g. wood. It is the second most important gas released during the combustion of biomass material after CO2, with an emission factor of about 130 g/kg of burnt wood. Biomass combustion emits high amounts of CO when the fire smoulders. CO emissions from biomass burning account for about 32% of the total CO produced globally from all sources. It occupies an important place in the environment at local, regional and global levels. At the local and regional level, it affects air quality. High CO mixing ratios can particularly affect human health[1].

CO is not a direct greenhouse gas because its atmospheric radiation properties are insignificant compared to CH4 (methane) or CO2 (carbon dioxide). However, CO exerts a complex indirect effect in the atmosphere and thus has an influence on the greenhouse gases CH4 and CO2. Basically, the emission of CO lowers the oxidation capacity or oxidation rate of the atmosphere. This effect can increase the greenhouse gases CH4 and CO2.

CO reacts with the OH group in the atmosphere. The reaction CO+OH→CO2+H is responsible for up to 90% of CO degradation. However, since OH is also responsible for many other reactions that produce CO, there is a complex coupling between CO, reduced gases and OH.
The focus of our consideration is therefore on the OH group, which is urgently needed for the reduction of the greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide, but which reacts much more easily with CO. The OH group is thus the key to the atmospheric reduction of greenhouse gases.

In summary, it can be said that
Carbon monoxide (CO) affects atmospheric chemistry by contributing to ozone formation (O3) in the troposphere and by interfering with methane degradation (CH4) in the stratosphere.

Therefore, those who act responsibly and in a climate-conscious manner reduce and mitigate CO as it is produced. In the case of vehicles, this has been achieved to a large extent through the use of catalytic converters. The use of catalytic converters in all types of internal combustion engines is now a matter of course and is no longer a subject of discussion.

In Germany alone, 11 million single-room furnaces are in operation, emitting considerable amounts of CO into the ambient air and the atmosphere. The limit value according to the 1st BImSchV from 2010 is 1250 mg/norm m3 for CO. In older furnaces, the proportion of CO emissions is still significantly higher. Depending on the service life and the fuel quality, the CO quantities described earlier in the text are produced.

What has long been standard in cars must also find its way into biomass furnaces.
Catalytic converters for such furnaces have long been available on the market. The company Blue Fire GmbH from Ramsloh has dedicated itself entirely to the development of catalysts for biomass combustion. The company has been in existence since 2015 and is a joint venture of the companies ETE EmTechEngineering GmbH and Emission Partner GmbH & Co. KG.
Thanks to the knowledge and experience of the two parent companies, Blue Fire GmbH is a proven specialist in the development and application of catalysts for biomass combustion.

Blue Fire catalysts are oxidation catalysts. CO and OGC emissions can be reduced by oxidation. During oxidation, CO and OGC emissions are combined with oxygen so that CO reacts to CO2, OGC reacts to CO2 and shorter chains of CnHm. This oxidation using ambient oxygen only occurs at appropriately high temperatures, which are necessary for the reaction. In the combustion chamber in the post-combustion zone below the flame impingement plate, the emission-rich exhaust gases sweep over the flame tip. With the addition of secondary air, the emissions react to form the reaction products described above. As the flue gases continue their journey through the wood burner, they cool down quite quickly and no further reaction takes place between CO or OGC and oxygen.

This is where the Blue Fire catalyst comes in. Blue Fire catalysts reduce the activation energy of the CO and OGC emissions. By coming into contact with the catalytic surface of the Blue Fire catalyst, they are again able to combine with oxygen, even though the ambient temperature is already too low for such oxidation.

A catalyst makes this possible through its special catalytic coating.
The Blue Fire catalysts were developed for use in wood exhaust gases. The focus of the development was on a very high temperature stability of the catalytic coating. When wood fires are lit, there are always long flames that briefly penetrate into the exhaust pipe. Such long flames therefore also strike the catalytic converter and should not damage the catalytic coating.
This is made possible by a coating of mixed metal oxides developed for wood combustion applications. This base coating itself already achieves good conversion rates for CO and OGC reduction. However, this effect can be further supported by adding precious metals to the catalytic surface.  It is important, however, that the precious metals are distributed very evenly on the catalytic surface in a very small form - in nano size. The more evenly the precious metals are distributed on the surface, the easier it is for the exhaust gas flowing through the catalytic converter to come into contact with a precious metal cell embedded in the surface.
The brief contact between the exhaust gas and the catalytic surface results in a reduction of the activation energy and the CO or OGC emissions are again able to react with oxygen. The desired oxidation of CO to CO2 or of CnHm to CO2 and shorter CnHm chains occurs.
The selection of the precious metals and their mixing ratio are just as important as the very even distribution of the precious metals on the catalyst surface. There are precious metals that can be used particularly well for emission reduction of the CO and OGC emissions mentioned. However, there are also other precious metals that can be used for the accumulation of oxygen on the catalyst surface. Others are more suitable for use in petrol or diesel exhaust.

The experience of the catalyst manufacturer comes into play when selecting the precious metals and the mixing ratios. It is important to have research and a great deal of knowledge for the various applications. At Blue Fire, this is the case in the area of emissions from wood-fired systems. Blue Fire can draw on the expertise of its two parent companies, ETE EmTechEngineering GmbH and Emission Partner GmbH & Co. KG. The consortium has more than 20 years of coating experience. The companies are closely networked with respected German research institutions and actively pursue research projects with them to further develop catalyst technology for future applications.

For the design of the most suitable catalytic coating, knowledge of the exhaust gas temperature, flow velocity and composition is important. Of course, the legal requirements or limit values or possibly the company's own targets are extremely important as emission reduction goals.

In addition to the catalytic coating of the catalytic converter, the carrier of the catalytic converter is also of crucial importance. For emissions from wood firing, very good reduction results have been demonstrated with ceramic sponge supports. Ceramic sponge supports are particularly suitable for wood firing systems that are operated with natural chimney draught, as they present only a low resistance on the exhaust side. These ceramic sponge supports are available in different thicknesses and porosities, so that the choice of ceramic sponge support can take into account the pressure conditions in the flue gas system and the firing system. For systems in which only a very low pressure loss is to be tolerated, it is recommended to use ceramic sponge carriers with a low thickness of e.g. 18 mm and a porosity of 10 ppi (pores per inch). In systems that allow a higher pressure drop, smaller pores and greater material thicknesses can also be used. In any case, the catalysts must be tested for each individual application to ensure that they are ideally matched to the respective firing system.

Ceramic foam supports are characterised by the fact that the exhaust gases are deflected relatively strongly when flowing through the sponge structure. The flow still remains laminar in the catalytic converter with sponge support, but it is significantly deflected in the direction of flow to enable as much surface contact as possible with the ceramic sponge structure. The flow deflection in the sponge catalyst generates a pressure loss. This is 0.5 - 1 Pa for sponge catalysts.

Dust settles on the upstream side of the sponge catalytic converters. Due to the existing flow of the exhaust gas, flow channels form in the accumulated dust layer. The accumulation of dry dust does not lead to blockage of the sponge catalysts. Carbon-containing components in the deposited dust are converted to CO2 by contact with the catalytic surface with the help of oxygen from the combustion air. This effect reduces the weight of the deposited dust. The deposited dust must be removed from the incident flow surface of the sponge catalyst at intervals. This is done quite simply by vacuuming with a hoover and a brush attachment or alternatively with a brush or hand brush. Blue Fire sponge catalysts can also be rinsed with water due to their special coating.

Some well-known German and European manufacturers of stoves, fireplace inserts and heating inserts are aware of their responsibility and equip their latest developments with Blue Fire catalysts. Blue Fire catalytic converters can reduce CO emissions by at least 50%. If the installation and temperature conditions as well as the design of the bypass are carried out according to our specifications, CO reductions of more than 80% over the duration of an entire combustion are also possible.

It is up to you, the consumer. Ask your specialist dealer about wood fires with integrated Blue Fire catalysts and actively ensure that the greenhouse effect is reduced. With wood fires you heat in a CO2-neutral way. When biomass is burnt, only the CO2 that was absorbed from the environment during the plant's growth is released. However, by burning biomass you cause CO emissions and thus support the processes described above for the creation of the greenhouse gas effect.

The time is ripe, the technology of catalytic converters has been for a long time and that of wood firing is also on its way to becoming clean and future-proof.

The consumer is the relevant actuator for active climate protection. Each individual is responsible for his or her CO contribution to the ambient air and the atmosphere.

Feel free to contact us, we will help you on your way to CO reduction and thus to reducing the greenhouse effect.

[1] Ishwar C. Yadav, Ningombam L. Devi, in Encyclopedia of Environmental Health (Second Edition), 2019