Abstract |
The report discusses the development of an accelerated laboratory test to simulate in-home woodstove aging and degradation. Known as a stress test, the protocol determines the long-term durability of woodstove models in a 1- to 2-week time frame. Two avenues of research have been taken in developing the stress test. First, the performance of woodstoves in actual in-home use has been observed during two heating seasons in three communities: Medford and Klamath Falls, OR, and Glens Falls, NY. Eight models of stoves in 13 homes were studied. The field studies permitted records of woodstove operating temperatures, particulate emission levels, and (in some cases) physical degradation to be followed in a real-world setting. The second line of research was the laboratory 'stressing' of various woodstove models under high temperature operation. This laboratory research has been conducted on six stoves (five models) and, as with the in-home research, changes in particulate emission rates were measured and physical degradation documented. Both catalytic and noncatalytic stove models, including EPA Phase 2 certified stoves, were represented in the tests. |