Keeping flames where they belong
Serious chimney fires can put buildings and their occupants at risk. Flue liners require an important update to resist the elevated temperatures of solid fuel stoves and highly corrosive flue gases produced by the combustion of solid fuels. The EU-funded project 'Intelligent combustion management of flue gases for solid fuel domestic heating systems' (INTELLI-FLUE) set out to solve the safety problem. Scientists developed a protective ceramic liner with a novel energy recovery system to meet home heating needs. Ceramics are widely used in applications requiring resistance to wear, impact, corrosion and high temperatures. The INTELLI-FLUE liner demonstrated enhanced durability. The heat-exchanger harnesses waste heat for domestic heating and limits flue gas temperatures. Given that the majority of European homeowners live in a dwelling with an operational chimney, the market is large and the danger real. The technology improves safety, efficiency and reliability. It has the potential to decrease heating, maintenance and insurance costs while protecting homes and their occupants.
Keywords
Fuel-burning stove, flue liner, heat-exchanger, flue fires, waste heat, chimney fires, solid fuel stoves, flue gases, combustion management, domestic heating, ceramic liner, energy recovery
