A review of regulatory standard test methods for residential wood heaters and recommendations for their advancement

Abstract

In many regions, residential wood heaters are a leading source of harmful air pollution but only satisfy a small portion of local heating demands. In response, many countries have implemented standardized laboratory tests to characterize and limit wood heater emissions. While these test standards are a key tool for advancing both wood heater technology and environmental regulations, many of the experimental methods are outdated and provide few actionable insights for improving heater performance. Furthermore, these test standards vary widely around the world and may not adequately capture the performance of wood heaters operating in residences. In this study, we present a comprehensive review of wood heater testing standards to identify fundamental experimental objectives and regulated performance metrics. Using the results of this review, we provide recommendations to make existing test methods more accessible and representative of residential use, while providing actionable performance data to motivate heater design improvements. Overall, this study elucidates the current state of laboratory testing standards, and the advancements needed to better develop clean wood heater technologies and policies.