Particle board and mdf........

At one time many of the adhesives used in these materials contained formaldehyde. I don't know if there are any laws prohibiting their use now since "sick building syndrome" came to light. I don't know what happens to those chemicals when they are incinerated.

Spartan said:

Does anyone have any direct experience with burning either of these items? I literally have access to an infinite supply of it (measured in tons per week) and I know it burn like pine because the moisture content is 5-6%. Twenty years ago, I use to burn some of it in my fireplace stove and as long as I added it in a hot fire, it burned very well and cleanly, but I could never start up with it because the gases stunk up the neighborhood.

So yes, it burns, but I don't know what a steady diet of in in an EKO or Biomass would do to the boiler.

Anyone experienced with it?

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Is this a serious question? You already exposed your neighborhood and family to the noxious gases produced so you know what to expect but your real concern is if you will damage the boiler?

It's not a good idea.

But would a gasifier burn those gasses?

I did a little research and in some places they do allow burning it in incinerators.

If I remember correctly, NoFo had some good chemistry on the burning of such gasses in a gasser and the theoretical exhaust. My guess is that if tuned for it, you could burn it cleanly w/o any ill effect on the boiler. Pretty much as long as you avoid condensation and really abrasive stuff around the nozzle (which is a consumable anyway) you'll be without issue.

I'd experiment a little and adjust pri/sec air accordingly, see what the exhaust looks and smells like.

TS

I hate particles boards with a passion, therefore, I do not burn it. I only burn things that I love….

For what it's worth.....

I am a control room operator at a trash to energy power plant. Our boilers are updraft gassification, primary air comes in under the grates, secondary air is injected above the fuel bed. The fuel bed runs about 1800 - 2300 deg F. The flue gasses exiting the combustion area of the boiler are 1000 - 1300 deg F. Design paramaters of 1800 in the fuel bed equates to 840 furnace gas exit temp.

We inject Urea for Nox control, lime slurry for SO2 control, activated carbon for mercury & heavy metals control. Flue gas is monitored for Nox, SO2, CO, CO2, O2, H2O, Opacity. All fly ash is scrubbed from the exhaust via filter bags. Annually we must pass our emissions testing of the above compounds along with dioxins / furnans.

In theory, a properly running lambda gassifier may be able to burn that stuff safely. But I think the binding agents (glues) and other chemicals it contains are too much of an unknown to burn it safely without having some form of emissions monitoring & controls on the exhaust.

That's awfully close to the melting point of steel. It would be burning red hot and creeping. The material to burn trash to energy must be of a high refractory material.

I don't know if peeing into the secondary will work out so good....

Isn't it a bid odd to base a decision to burn based on whether you can smell anything in the exhaust gases? I suppose that is how mercury was detected in power plant emissions. Or carbon monoxide from the gas furnace, if those who tried the smell test lived to describe the odors.

I burned a bit of mdf. It burned very hot and completely. I did not have to make any adjustments. I do not have the same unlimited supply, however.

jebatty said:

Isn't it a bid odd to base a decision to burn based on whether you can smell anything in the exhaust gases? I suppose that is how mercury was detected in power plant emissions. Or carbon monoxide from the gas furnace, if those who tried the smell test lived to describe the odors.

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Well Jim, I know this was directed at my response.

All I was getting at was some basic combustion, we have already noted that both PB and MDF do not contain heavy metals....................

I'm sure we both can agree that oil/gas both exhibit a distinct odor when not combusted properly.

TS

TS: not really directed at you, just at what I also do sometimes, that is, make a statement that has little if any basis in fact. For some things, however, passing the "smell test" is right on.