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The burning of wood contributes to air pollution,
inside our homes and out, and at best, the fireplace is one of the least
efficient sources of heat. If you are heating with wood during the
winter, make your decision to do so a little more responsibly by reading
this quick and informative wood burning primer. There is information on
retrofitting your existing fireplace with a catalytic converter or a
convection tube, both of which can increase the efficiency of your
heating by as much as 30%. We highly recommend this quick and easy
read.
In easy-to-understand language, this website explains
how a catalytic wood-burning appliance works. In the process, such
factors as total energy used or burned, wood diameter (since smaller
wood has increased surface area and therefore increased wood gas
release, which can overwhelm catalytic converters), oxygen quantity
present, fuel oxygen mix, flow rate through the converter, and
temperature are discussed. Temperature must reach a certain threshold
(1,200° to 1,600° F.), at which point the reaction becomes
self-sustaining.
A pitfall of retrofitted catalytic converters is that
they can create variable stove temperatures. Rising and falling
temperatures apparently short-circuit catalytic reactions and allow soot
to build up, potentially fouling the system.
Parts of the article pertain more to the technical
workings of converters, and may not interest you. Regardless, the
section “ideal conditions for a catalytic combustor in a wood-burning
appliance” is excellent. | |
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