A Simplified Power Sizing Method for the Correct Building Integration of Wood Stoves

Abstract

Wood stoves are widely used in dwellings for space heating, however transient heat output and relatively large heat emission might cause problems with over-heating in new well-insulated buildings. This paper introduces a simplified power sizing method for the building integration of wood stoves which was compared to dynamic building performance simulations. The analysis showed that on average the simplified method predicted the temperature increase in the living room similarly to dynamic simulations. However, in some cases the difference was up to 60%, which is significant when carried forward to selecting the optimal stove heat capacity. Precise use of the simplified power sizing method requires accurate knowledge of the building structures and effective thermal capacity of the room with the wood stove. Typically, this kind of knowledge is unavailable when selecting a wood stove and the method needs to be developed further. These investigations confirmed that more knowledge of the occupant behaviour and preference on thermal comfort is needed.