{"id":30033,"date":"2024-12-06T10:20:08","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T08:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/?p=30033"},"modified":"2024-12-06T10:20:08","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T08:20:08","slug":"wildfire-emission-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/06\/wildfire-emission-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildfire emission research"},"content":{"rendered":"

For atmospheric scientist Dr. Wade Permar, it\u2019s a very exciting day.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s late fall in Montana, and thick plumes of smoke rise from a forest fire whilst students and staff from the University of Montana FireCenter stand with rakes and water hoses. He and his team are collecting emissions data from a 30-meter controlled fire (or ‘prescribed burn’) line using a state-of-the-art mobile air quality research lab.<\/p>\n

\"\"

<\/div><\/a> Dr. Wade Permar<\/p><\/div>\n

Drawing in fumes from the site, the Mobile Lab measures ozone, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides, along with more than 160 volatile organic compounds; it analyses aerosol optical properties, and records meteorological conditions.<\/p>\n

Particulate matter – visible as smoke – degrades air quality. Because many of the particles are so small they get buried deep into your lungs from where they can cross into your bloodstream, increasing the risk of disease to the lungs and heart. Ozone, high in the atmosphere, protects us from much of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation – but when it’s present at ground level it damages plants and cells. These two components are just a small part of the complex mixture that is smoke, with many of the other gasses emitted by fires being responsible for their formation.

\"\"<\/div><\/a><\/p>\n

The question Dr. Permar and his team are trying to answer is whether the smoke from a prescribed fire differs from a typical wildfire …and is it less harmful to breathe? “One of the best strategies we have to mitigate the impact of severe forest fires in summer months is to conduct more controlled or \u2018prescribed\u2019 fires during the fall and spring when conditions are more favorable for burning<\/em>.\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

While air quality has improved in most parts of the US, it\u2019s actually decreasing in the Western United States – as a direct result of increasing wildfires.<\/p>\n

“Until now, it\u2019s been very expensive and logistically challenging to collect this type of data. In the past, we mostly studied air quality using research aircraft; putting a bunch of scientific instruments on a plane, and then flying transects through smoke plumes<\/em>.\u201d

\"\"<\/div><\/a><\/p>\n

Some of the van’s scientific equipment was previously carried in a C130.<\/p>\n

The Van is a laboratory on wheels. The equipment it contains hasn’t been downsized – it’s big and consumes a lot of power.<\/p>\n

Here’s Dr. Permar again: For the most part, power and weight are not considerations when the instruments are built, and most are meant to run continuously. That was one important component of the build, a few of the instruments do not like being turned on\/off at all, and so need a constant power supply. <\/em><\/p>\n

Another big perk of how the van was fitted out is that we can switch from shore\/generator\/alternator power without any power drop (we have the most sensitive equipment on UPS). Our mass spectrometer has been running non-stop in the van for the past month.

\"\"<\/div><\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n

In addition to the instruments themselves, we also have quite a few heaters and pumps that draw a significant amount of power.<\/em><\/p>\n

The van has a power bank to run lab equipment at the same time as allowing other groups to charge drones for scanning fire fronts. They use a WiFi network to help teams stay connected in the field.<\/p>\n

Ken Smith of Adventure Van Systems<\/a> was responsible for turning the Ford Sprinter van into a laboratory packed with more power than most off-grid homes.

\"\"<\/div><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

He designed a Victron Energy-based power system centered around a large Pylontech battery bank that could supply power without relying on a generator or solar input. The lab equipment generates a lot of heat, necessitating two roof-mounted air conditioners. \u201cThe dual AC units on the roof, a fan and other roof penetrations for capturing air samples, didn’t leave enough space to mount solar panels,\u201d <\/em>explains Ken. There’s also an air sampling \u201cstinger\u201d which extends toward the front of the van to capture clean air samples – free from exhaust fumes and road dust, whilst on the move. An onboard generator was considered, but rejected because it would reduce the ground clearance or take up too much space inside the van – not to mention the noise and added air pollution it would create.<\/em>\u201d

\"\"<\/div><\/a><\/p>\n

For these reasons, a battery and inverter system made the most sense. The van\u2019s electrical system includes:<\/p>\n