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There are over 7 million gas-fired fireplaces currently installed in US households. On an annual basis, these use substantial energy. However, the details of the fireplace energy use and the factors that influence it are currently not well understood. Fireplaces are a type of hearth product,which is a product category that primarily consists of fireplaces, stoves, and gas log sets. For the purpose of this study, the fuels used in hearth products are primarily natural gas, propane, or electricity. They may be vented or unvented. This study reports the results of a web survey of2,100 respondents in the United States performed in February 2016. The responses were cleaned and weighted using the raking method to form a nationally representative population. The reported data include hearth product characteristics, usage information, and repair andmaintenance practices. The hearth product characteristics include the hearth product type, fuel type, ignition system type, features, venting, and installation details. The usage information includes seasonal usage of the main burner and standing pilot (if present), daily usage, and the primary utility (whether decorative or for heating). These raw data are further processed and combined with values from the literature to estimate the annual operating hours and energy use and to assess how these are impacted by the hearth product type, features, age, and the mainheating appliance, if present. Based on the survey responses, the estimated average annual hours of usage was 234 for the main burner, and 4,593 for the standing pilot. The results presented provide the most comprehensive data regarding hearth products in the United States published to date. These new data allow for an improved understanding of hearth products’ energy use, which in turn may facilitate the development of more informed analyses, and ultimately more efficient hearth products and reduced energy use. These new data also provide insight into topics not previously studied, such as the effect of hearth product features on energy use.

The article is devoted to cases of mound robbery recorded during the excavations of the Popov Yar-2 mound group (Donetsk region). The scarce material has made it possible to attribute robbery attempts to the end of the 19th -beginning of the 20th centuries. A special role in planning and organizing the predatory excavations was played by the presence of a stone statue on one of the burial mounds.

The paper presents the results of studies on ashes produced from burning wood biomass in closed wood-fired furnaces, in individual household furnaces (Silesian Province, Poland). Dry sieve analysis and detailed granulometric analysis were performed with the Analysette 22 Micro Tec plus analyser. Content of the basic elements (Al, Si, P, Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe) and potentially toxic elements (As, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Hg) was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Relative enrichment factors (REFs) were calculated for the elements (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, As, Hg, and Cr), and the emissions (E) of Pb, Cd, Hg, and As to the environment were estimated. The carbon content (40.2%–45.8%), H (3.7%–6.1%), O (46.2%–50.2%), N (0.12%–0.32%), and S (0.11%–0.96%) in wood biomass varies and depends on the wood species and drying period. The content of volatile parts in wood biomass ranges between 69.3 and 81%. Ash content varies between 2.6 and 18.3%. The wood calorific value ranges from 13.6 MJ/kg to 17.4 MJ/kg. Moisture content in the wood biomass ranges from 13.7% (briquette) to 46.7% (fresh birch). Identification of mineral composition and phases yields a high share of calcite, monetite, fairchildite, and quartz in the examined ashes. The combustion of wood biomass in fireplaces results in increased emissions of Pb and Cd to the atmosphere and may be the cause of introducing pollutants to waters and soils during ash storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are over 7 million gas-fired fireplaces currently installed in US households. On an annual basis, these use substantial energy. However, the details of the fireplace energy use and the factors that influence it are currently not well understood. Fireplaces are a type of hearth product,which is a product category that primarily consists of fireplaces, stoves, and gas log sets. For the purpose of this study, the fuels used in hearth products are primarily natural gas, propane, or electricity. They may be vented or unvented. This study reports the results of a web survey of2,100 respondents in the United States performed in February 2016. The responses were cleaned and weighted using the raking method to form a nationally representative population. The reported data include hearth product characteristics, usage information, and repair andmaintenance practices. The hearth product characteristics include the hearth product type, fuel type, ignition system type, features, venting, and installation details. The usage information includes seasonal usage of the main burner and standing pilot (if present), daily usage, and the primary utility (whether decorative or for heating). These raw data are further processed and combined with values from the literature to estimate the annual operating hours and energy use and to assess how these are impacted by the hearth product type, features, age, and the mainheating appliance, if present. Based on the survey responses, the estimated average annual hours of usage was 234 for the main burner, and 4,593 for the standing pilot. The results presented provide the most comprehensive data regarding hearth products in the United States published to date. These new data allow for an improved understanding of hearth products’ energy use, which in turn may facilitate the development of more informed analyses, and ultimately more efficient hearth products and reduced energy use. These new data also provide insight into topics not previously studied, such as the effect of hearth product features on energy use.

This article analyses the construction techniques of the kitchen hearths (fireplaces) and chimneys in the kitchens of traditional Diyarbakır (Turkey) houses. The first part of the study examines the historical development of kitchens. The second part investigates the architectural features of the kitchens of traditional Diyarbakır houses and the construction techniques and smoke evacuation methods of the hearths and chimneys in these kitchens. For this purpose, the hearths and chimneys of traditional kitchens, which are still used in their original form, and those of the demolished houses have been examined. They all have been documented by drawings and photographs. This study aims to contribute to the documentation and sustainability of cultural heritage and traditional construction techniques, and to guide the restoration practices that will be carried out in Suriçi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates fireplaces in the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük in Anatolia, Turkey (levels South L–S and 4040 G–H, 6700–6100 BC). Taking a holistic view with a contextual, multi-scalar approach, I consider spatial and temporal dimensions: Large-scale landscape resources and small-scale material assemblages associated with food processing provide the context for the fireplaces, and I observe the changes over the long-term, the 600 years of my study, and the short-term impact of daily practice. Firstly, I determine the criteria for identifying different types of fireplaces, their practical function and uses. I then look at the construction of ovens and hearths in Çatalhöyük and their internal and external locations. I find individual variations between households and alterations over time and challenge interpretations that emphasise uniformity and seek trends and a grand narrative of symbolic meaning in the fireplaces. I find the abandonment of fireplaces is mainly guided by practical considerations, while the few symbolic deposits suggest the importance given to food preparation. I argue that not only natural resources and culture, but also daily practice impacts on landscape, architectural features and artefacts. I conclude that fire installations enabled households to be self-sufficient and therefore ovens and hearths had special significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is literary in nature: the example of the furnace shows the difference between the logos and the archetype, as well as the principles of modifying the logos into an archetype. The aim of the work is to systematize a wide range of values of the archetypal symbol of the furnace, finding the sacred logos to which they ascend. The article is written on the material of ancient mythology and literature of the New Time: the archetypical images, related to the archetype of the furnace, such as the affected heel, fire, serpent, are analyzed - their relevance to world culture and literature, related to their repeatability and stability, is proved. So it is concluded that there is a close relationship between all the elements of the semiotic system: as a result of the disappearance of one of the furnaces, the archetype of the furnace, from everyday culture, the attitude and principles of human behavior changed, which radically affected the course of history.

For the last twenty years, various interdisciplinary research programs have been studying human presence in high mountain environments and how the different activities carried out there have impacted on the landscape and transformed it since the Early Holocene. Grazing, hunting, mining, and charcoal-making are the most significant outdoor productive activities that have been detected. At the same time, on a day-to-day basis, there was a daily household firewood management, studied here, which was related to fires for cooking, heat and light, as basic needs to be satisfied in the caves and rock-shelters occupied in this high-mountain territory since Prehistory. This paper presents the anthracological results from three sites located in the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park (PNAESM) in the Central Pyrenees occupied between the 9th and the 1st millennia cal BCE. In the PNAESM, different types of occupations have been identified in a basic spatial distribution by a hearth and some artefacts associated with past daily life. In the limit between the upper montane and the subalpine zones, at 1790 m a.s.l., Sardo Cave contains a sequence of seasonal occupations (4600-2500 cal BCE) that used local wood selected according to their needs. In the limit between the subalpine and alpine zones, firewood-gathering would have taken place in the surroundings of the sites from what was available at any moment. However the occupations identified in the rock-shelters of Estany de la Coveta I (7001-3028 cal BCE) at 2430 m a.s.l. and Obagues de Ratera (8182-540 cal BCE) at 2323 m a.s.l. seem to be short-term. In the context of the Central and Eastern Pyrenees, this appears to be the general pattern that will be better defined as more anthracological analyses are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern Bohemian sandstone region brings an exceptionally rich record of Mesolithic settlement, particularly in the form of fireplaces as key structures to be studied when addressing cooking and consumption practices. A large number of different fireplace structures – including kettle-shaped pits and surface or sunken fireplaces, some lined with stones – can be interpreted in terms of performing roasting, boiling, steaming or smoking procedures. The organic remains directly associated with them reveal which resources were exploited and almost certainly consumed, although in many cases they seem to have been discarded into the fire after processing. A Mesolithic inland settlement of northern Bohemia was undoubtedly economically based on the exploitation of plant and animal resources occurring in varied local forest and river environments. According to the evidence, hazelnuts were a staple component of the plant diet, probably processed using roasting hearths. Some fireplaces also yielded carbonised remains of other edible plants, such as raspberry (Rubus idaeus , Rubus sp.), elderberry (Sambucus nigra), red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) and fat hen (Chenopodium album). The faunal vertebrate assemblages suggest a broad-spectrum economy, exploiting terrestrial mammals, birds, amphibians and fish. The molluscan record suggests the exploitation of edible land snails as well as thick-shelled river mussels. Rather than assuming a simple connection between fireplace type and the resources identified, a complex set of biases is considered and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Finnish soapstone industry has found through practical experience that the surface of the magnesite soapstone used in fire chambers and funnels hardens over time. We have studied a magnesite soapstone used in a fireplace continuously for 60 years. The mineralogical changes, that took place during heating and subsequent cooling of the fireplace have been investigated with electron probe microanalyzer and X-ray diffractometer to find an explanation, what kind of reactions caused the hardening. We found that ferromagnesite has been altered to pseudomorphic aggregates composed of ferropericlase and magnesioferrite in the nearest ~30 mm from the surface exposed to fire. Iron has been mobilized in the uppermost 3 mm, enriched in the rims, and depleted from the cores of the ferropericlase aggregates. Magnesioferrite occurs preferably in the fire chamber side of the aggregates in the uppermost 0.20 mm. Talc rims are altered to forsterite and/or enstatite in the reaction with ferromagnesite or its alteration products in the uppermost ~1 mm. In addition, wood combustion gases caused considerable enrichment of zinc and potassium in the chamber surface rock to the depth on 0.20 mm and 3 mm, respectively. The enrichment occurred by crystallization of Zn bearing ferropericlase and magnesioferrite and by crystallization of K bearing sheet silicates.

The shift to the early Holocene in northern Europe is strongly associated with major environmental and climatic changes that influenced hunter-gatherers’ activities and occupation during the Mesolithic period. The ancient lake Duvensee (10,000–6500 cal. BCE) has been studied for almost a century, providing archaeological sites consisting of bark mats and hazelnut-roasting hearths situated on small sand banks deposited by the glacier. No method is yet available to locate these features before excavation. Therefore, a key method for understanding the living conditions of hunter-gatherer groups is to reconstruct the paleoenvironment with a focus on the identification of areas that could possibly host Mesolithic camps and well-preserved archaeological artefacts. We performed a 16-channel MALÅ Imaging Radar Array (MIRA) system survey aimed at understanding the landscape surrounding the find spot Duvensee WP10, located in a hitherto uninvestigated part of the bog. Using an integrated approach of high-resolution ground radar mapping and targeted excavations enabled us to derive a 3D spatio-temporal landscape reconstruction of the investigated sector, including paleo-bathymetry, stratigraphy, and shorelines around the Mesolithic camps. Additionally, we detected previously unknown islands as potential areas for yet unknown dwelling sites. We found that the growth rates of the islands were in the order of approximately 0.3 m2/yr to 0.7 m2/yr between the late Preboreal and the Subboreal stages. The ground-penetrating radar surveying performed excellently in all aspects of near-surface landscape reconstruction as well as in identifying potential dwellings; however, the direct identification of small-scale artefacts, such as fireplaces, was not successful because of their similarity to natural structures.

Environmental sustainability has recently shifted towards biodiversity protection via governmental and intergovernmental initiatives (e.g., the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, MA). The life cycle assessment, the widespread method for assessing environmental sustainability, was not created to evaluate impacts on biodiversity. However, several authors recognize its ability to estimate biodiversity loss drivers (impact indices on land use change and ecosystem). The study aims to apply LCA to the forest sector, precisely to the wood–energy chain of Hophornbeam, to cover suggestions of the MA for the biodiversity impact assessment. Six different scenarios for stove (3) and fireplace (3) wood production were analyzed, evaluating two baselines and four alternative scenarios, including sensitivity analyses related to transport distances for the raw materials. The functional unit is 1 MJ of energy. The fireplace combustion scenarios are relatively more sustainable than the stove ones are (2.95–3.21% less). The global warming potential (around 3 g CO2 eq/MJ) is consistent with current European directives on the sustainability of biofuels and scientific literature. The scenarios showed similarities regarding the impact of the categories related to MA drivers. Although biodiversity is protected by limiting forest management, some authors argue that for some species (e.g., Hophornbeam), a rational tree felling could produce biofuels, increasing biodiversity.

Wood-fuelled systems are commonly used all over the world for residential heating, and recently wood pellets have been replacing traditional firewood. This article presents an environmental life cycle assessment of five wood-based combustion systems for residential heating: i) a pellet stove using maritime pine pellets; a wood stove using ii) eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) and iii) maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) split logs; and a fireplace using iv) eucalyptus and v) maritime pine split logs. The functional unit is 1 MJ of thermal energy for residential heating. System boundaries include four stages: (1) forest management; (2) pellet and wood split log production; (3) distribution; and (4) thermal energy generation. Environmental impacts were calculated for seven impact categories from the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint method, and a sensitivity analysis was performed using the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) life cycle impact assessment method and modifying the distances travelled. Of the five heating systems analysed, the fireplace presents the worst performance for all the impact categories with the exception of freshwater eutrophication and marine eutrophication, when maritime pine split logs are burned in the fireplace. Comparing the pellet stove with the wood stove, neither system is better for all the impact categories analysed. Regarding sensitivity analysis, the use of an alternative characterisation method leads to similar trends in the results in comparison with those obtained from the ReCiPe method, while changes in transport distances do not affect the total impacts to a large extent. Unlabelled Image • Five wood-based combustion systems for residential heating are assessed. • Fireplaces present the worst environmental performance for almost all the impact categories considered. • Pellet stove presents lower impacts than wood stoves for global warming and ozone formation. • Pellet stove presents higher impacts than wood stoves for the remaining impact categories. • A 50% decrease in the distances travelled by feedstocks leads to a very small reduction in impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of University of Cumhuriyet, Faculty of Sciences & Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigates the effect of the presence of fireplaces at the household level independent of the function of ambiance and indoor air quality. The focus of this study is on the winter heating energy use of homes with and without fireplaces to promote energy conservation. Three years of winter energy usage (2011–2013) of 365,190 single-family homes are analyzed and compared. The data is further segmented by fuel type, all-electric versus dual-fuel homes as well as by size and vintage. On average, homes with fireplaces used 23,650 kBtu, source energy, for heating purposes during the winter months versus 18,055 kBtu (p≤0.0001) during the same time period, January, February, and December. There is a significant 31% increase in energy use in homes with fireplaces. In conclusion, policy prescriptions and retrofits are recommended during new home construction permits, renovations, and utility rebate outreach programs to encourage more efficient and cleaner fireplace technology applications.

Celery fraction research (Apium graveolens L.) was carried out to determine the ability of the sedation effect of celery fraction compared to celery extracts which have been known to have the ability to effect the previous sedation. This study aims to find out which fraction has the best sedation effect. This study was an experimental study with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of 5 treatments and 5 replications. Test animals divided into 5 treatment groups namely negative control group (CMC Na 1%), celery extract group 200mg /kg and 3 treatment groups n-hexane fraction, ethyl acetate, and methanol water fraction with a dose of 200 mg /kg . The sedation effect test was carried out using the Traction Test and Fireplace Testmethods. Quantitative data observed were the length of time the mice fell and the length of time the mice went out of the heated tube/glass. The results of the analysis showed that the celery fraction had a better sedation effect than the extract, and the methanol water fraction 200 mg/kg was the most effective fraction in causing sedation effects.

The Finnish soapstone industry has found through practical experience that the surface of the magnesite soapstone used in fire chambers and funnels hardens over time. We have studied a magnesite soapstone used in a fireplace continuously for 60 years. The mineralogical changes, that took place during heating and subsequent cooling of the fireplace have been investigated with electron probe microanalyzer and X-ray diffractometer to find an explanation, what kind of reactions caused the hardening. We found that ferromagnesite has been altered to pseudomorphic aggregates composed of ferropericlase and magnesioferrite in the nearest ~30 mm from the surface exposed to fire. Iron has been mobilized in the uppermost 3 mm, enriched in the rims, and depleted from the cores of the ferropericlase aggregates. Magnesioferrite occurs preferably in the fire chamber side of the aggregates in the uppermost 0.20 mm. Talc rims are altered to forsterite and/or enstatite in the reaction with ferromagnesite or its alteration products in the uppermost ~1 mm. In addition, wood combustion gases caused considerable enrichment of zinc and potassium in the chamber surface rock to the depth on 0.20 mm and 3 mm, respectively. The enrichment occurred by crystallization of Zn bearing ferropericlase and magnesioferrite and by crystallization of K bearing sheet silicates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An awareness of increasing climate and health problems has driven the development of new functional and affordable soot-oxidation catalysts for stationary sources, such as fireplaces. In this study, Al(OH)3, water glass and acidic aluminium phosphate binder materials were mixed with soot-oxidation catalysts. The effect of the binder on the performance of the Ag/La-Al2O3 catalyst was examined, while the Pt/La-Al2O3 catalyst bound with Al(OH)3 was used as a reference. Soot was oxidised above 340 °C on the Ag/La-Al2O3 catalyst, but at 310 °C with same catalyst bound with Al(OH)3. The addition of water glass decreased the catalytic performance because large silver crystals and agglomeration resulted in a blockage of the support material’s pores. Pt/La-Al2O3 bound with Al(OH)3 was ineffective in a fireplace environment. We believe that AgOx is the active form of silver in the catalyst. Hence, Ag/La-Al2O3 was shown to be compatible with the Al(OH)3 binder as an effective catalyst for fireplace soot oxidation.

Presented contribution deals with the verification of conditions for use of combustion products‘ heat, generated by combustion of wood in a fireplace used in a household. It is necessary to know the temperature behaviour of the fireplace to determine the adequacy of the technical solution for using combustion products‘ heat. The combustion products‘ temperature at the upper part of the chimney is 80-120 °C. The dew point value was established to be below 51 °C. The average observed value of combustion product velocity is 1.6 m s-1. The volume flow rate of combustion products is 12 m3 h-1. Measured values allow for effective solution of the use of combustion products‘ heat.

The theme of this article is the research of the artistic design of the heating system of K. Rozumovskyi’s palace in Baturyn. The object of the research of this theme is thorough study of the production and application of Baturyn tiles in the heating system of the last Ukrainian hetman’s palace. The method of the research of this theme is study of the written sources: the archival documents, the reports of the archaeological expeditions, popular scientific literature, the periodical press and study of the explored material (tiles), made the visual comparative analysis, visiting the museums of local lore. The results of the research can be used in the study of the tiles production and their application in the artistic design of the stove system heating in the 2nd half of the ХVІІІ –beginning ХІХ cent.Purchase on Elibrary.ru > Buy now

Solid fuel-burning fireplaces and wood stoves are popular because they provide heat and aesthetically pleasing environments. They also provide backup heat to gas, electric, and oil building heating systems. However, if they are not properly installed and maintained, they pose a risk of structure fires. This paper describes the basics of conducting a forensic engineering investigation of a building fire involving a suspected fireplace or wood stove. The paper examines the types of appliances available, the types of chimney systems, and related design standards and building codes. Case studies (highlighting common failure modes) are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of fire is a well-established human practice, at least from the Late Pleistocene. The variability in fuel type highlights complex practices regarding fire technology throughout this period. This contribution provides the organic signatures from fireplaces and is based on a set of experimental studies using different types of fuel, notably bone and/or wood. Soil layers affected by fire operation were compared with soils unaffected by heating and soils impregnated with unburned bone fat. The carbon content and lipid and bulk organic matter (OM) composition were determined through organic carbon measurement, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), as well as TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide)-assisted pyrolysis (py) coupled to GC–MS. With the exception of the wood-fueled fireplace, an increase in organic carbon content was caused by fireplace operation. The products of triacylglycerol degradation (diacids, oxo-acids and glycerol derivatives) reflected the contribution from animal fat affected by the oxidation process with or without thermal alteration. The branched unsaturated C 9:0 and C 10:0 acids were detected only in py(TMAH)–GC–MS of soil impregnated with bone fat that was not thermally altered. The branched diacids, ketones and lactones detected in lipid extracts, and short chain acids and n- alkane/ n- alkene doublets detected with py(TMAH–GC–MS), were produced by thermal alteration of animal fat. Finally, in the fireplace fueled with wood only, phenolic compounds, benzoic acids and benzene derivatives were detected and reflected the contribution of charred and uncharred plant OM. The results extend the organic signatures obtained from an experimental reference dataset, specifically for the identification of fuel type used in fireplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Safety & Fire Technology / Bezpieczeństwo i Technika Pożarnicza is the property of Centrum Naukowo-Badawcze Ochrony Przeciwpozarowej and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)