BHM - Biomass combustion Health and Environment

BHM has been a three-year research programme (2001-2003) initiated and supported by the Swedish Energy Agency. BHM has covered over 30 different research projects grouped in to three bigger clusters: 1) biofuel/emissions, 2) environment, and 3) health effects. In addition, there has been a synthesis group who has been in charge of the co-ordination, leadership, communication, and dissemination of the results.

The aim of the programme has been to further support the use of biofuel-based energy in Sweden, and to investigate the emissions from biofuel combustion, and their effects on the environment and health in detail. Much work has been devoted to establish reliable emission factors from different sources, and to build-up detailed databases on the use of wood-based fuel in Sweden and on the existing combustion units.

The main goals for the environment cluster have been:

-to establish emission databases for pilot localities (Växjo and Lycksele and to perform local and national estimations.

-to test/apply dispersion modelling as a planning tool.

-to test/develop chemical methods for observing the emission concentrations and for judging the relative strengths of different emission sources.

The field measurements involved measurements of both fine (below 1um) and coarse particles and included analysis of the particle phase mass, number concentration, size distribution, and chemical composition. Chemical composition of fine and coarse mode particles is different and can have important differences from health effect point of view.

Dispersion modelling was performed by SMHI using two local Gaussian models, and by computational fluid dynamic modelling. Modelling results were also tested against experimental data. The results showed that for planning purposes it was possible to calculate accurately enough particle and gas concentrations. Particle concentrations were especially high under stable weather conditions during the wintertime (low surface inversion layer).

Duration: 2001-2003

Funded by: STEM, Swedish Energy Administration

Responsible at SMHI: Joakim Langner

Web site: www.itm.su.se/bhm

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