Wood stove material configurations for increased thermal comfort

Abstract

In this work, a numerical model of the heat transfer through composite wood stove walls has been used to study the effect of material configurations on the heat storage and the heat release profile to the room, to arrive at improved thermal comfort performance. Cast iron and soapstone have been compared, showing that soapstone is a good material from a thermal comfort point of view, while cast iron (for the typical stove weights of today) exhibits a comparably higher peak and faster heat release. Applying a Phase Change Material (PCM) for such a cast iron stove changes this picture. It makes it possible to reduce peak heat release and achieve a more stable as well as an extended heat release period. 53% reduction in peak and 43% reduction in average heat release was demonstrated during the combustion cycle using Erythritol as PCM. However, the selection and use of a PCM must be optimized. Its capacity should be utilized to a maximum extent without overheating the material as it will cause irreversible damage to most PCM.