Improving environmental performance of solid fuel heating systems

In the UK, solid fuel stoves have grown in popularity over the past few years, driven by increasing fuel costs, the perception that they are low-carbon as well as lifestyle trends. However, the rapid rise in particulate air pollution (PM2.5, PM1) from domestic wood burning is considered unequivocal both in the scientific and mainstream press. Solid fuel burning also produces several volatile organic compounds/semi volatile organic compounds (VOCs/SVOCs), some of which can be particularly damaging to human health. The UK Stove Industry Alliance has ramped up its campaign to inform the consumers on the benefits of Ecodesign compliant stoves since the regulation for solid fuel space heating appliances came into force in the UK in Jan 2022\. However, to date the sector's major attention has been on improving its carbon/energy efficiency.

Reportedly, DEFRA approved stoves increase indoor PM2.5 by 196% and PM1 by 228%, mainly attributed to PM flooding incidents during opening of stove door during refuelling, compared to non-use control environments (http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/atmos11121326). Our proposed study evaluates the feasibility of two improvement mechanisms, aspiring to resolve the unmet challenge of reducing PM and VOC emissions to indoor living space during opening of the stove door. This project is a collaboration between scientists (De Montfort University, University of Leicester) and industrial stove manufacturers (Carron, Ecco Stove) to ensure a technology- and practice-informed design of an innovative and efficient wood burning stove, with reduced emissions of harmful pollutants in the indoor space and wider atmosphere. Our proposed 3-month feasibility study for Phase 1 is going to be a combination of desk- and lab-based feasibility to test the initial principles of design innovations conceived by the project team.

This solution intertwines the UK government's clean air strategic priority with the needs for switching from fossil-free heating in the face of the gas crisis. Coupling of the two proposed interventions would improve heat recovery/distribution, overcome the issue of VOC formation in the combustion chamber and PM flooding via the stove door into the living space, thus contributing to a far more sustainable heating and air quality solution than currently available. Alongside, the project team will adopt a comprehensive approach over the product development (Phase 1) and its field evaluation (Phase 2) to accommodate for the influence of lateral developments in digital technologies to improve its operability. We consider it an effective solution to transform domestic solid fuel heating system while preserving the air quality.