In the paper the influence of moisture content of wood on the heat losses and thermal efficiency of a boiler is analysed. The moisture content of wood has a negative effect, especially on flue gas loss. The mathematical dependence of the thermal efficiency of a boiler is presented for the following boundary conditions: the moisture content of wood 10–60%, range of temperatures of emitted flue gases from the boiler into the atmosphere 120–200 C, the emissions meeting the emission standards: carbon monoxide 250 mgm-3, fly ash 50 mgm-3and the heat power range 30–100%.

The paper analyzes the influence of humidity of combusted wood biomass on the flue gas losses. A mathematical relation between flue gas losses of the boiler on wood biomass humidity is presented as well as temperature of flue gas emitted from the boiler into the atmosphere. The limits of model application for the humidity of wood biomass falls into the interval 10–60% whereas the range of temperatures of flue gases emitted from the boiler to the atmosphere is 120–200°C. The influence of the humidity of wood biomass has an adverse effect on increasing the extent of the boiler flue gas losses and thus inefficiency of the heat production. The increase of the wood biomass humidity from the value of 10% to 60% with the outlet temperature of flue gases from the boiler 120°C causes an increase in flue gas loss of the boiler from the value 8.37% to 12.43%, similarly the increase of flue gas loss by 200°C from 15.19% to 22.55%, or the increase of the flue gas loss by 7.36%.