[Stoves] benefits from reduced indoor air pollution.

[Crispin Pemberton-Pigott]

Dear Andrew

I am concurring here.
>> ‎Prof Stuart Piketh said last night that the conversion of N2 to NOx is copious above 1850 C which is easily reached in a power station with only 5-6% excess air.

>...but wood is already partially oxidised so the adiabatic flame temperature is only around 1600C and I seldom see more than 1100C .

There is Oxygen in the fuel, but it is mostly used to burn the hydrogen, not the carbon. In biomass there is enough O to burn all the H, save a tiny bit, and leave 100% of the carbon (in theory).  That makes it possible to blow on the fuel and get a carbon fire well above the temperature "normally" seen.

>This of course is why charcoal was needed before iron could be smelted, even then it depended on the fact iron carbide formed a eutectic mixture that lowered the iron melting point.

Exactly.

Crispin