Wood Burner Heat Shields?

[svk]

Have an idea here, not sure if it’s already been tried.

Let’s say you have a welded steel wood stove that is square in shape. If you were to put spacers on the side (such as threaded rod) and then a piece of flat metal, say two inches off the sides of the stove would that help convection heat flow up rather that reflect outwards?

 

[Marshy]

I dont believe there would be much difference in convextion. In fact, I believe it would make it seem like the performance went down because it would block some of the radiant heat.

 

[VirginiaIron]

IMO it would naturally convect the heat upwards. That trick is used many times on walls to reduce clearances. You could try two layers spaced apart if you want to reduce the radiant heat even more- IMO.

 

[VirginiaIron]

IMO it would naturally convect the heat upwards. That trick is used many times on walls to reduce clearances. You could try two layers spaced apart if you want to reduce the radiant heat even more- IMO.

 

[Del_]

Yes metal would stop the radiant emission. It doesn't take thick metal to do so. The metal shield will also heat up and emit radiant heat but it will be much cooler. If you are wanting hot air to rise up to heat the space above a heater then metal shielding would help.

You would get better answers if we knew more about your application. For instance if you don't really want to heat the room the wood stove is in a cold air return from upstairs could be designed that worked entirely on the thermosiphon principle needing no electricity or fans.

 

[lknchoppers]

It's already been done and works quite well. Look at an Ashley or Suburban Wood Chief cabinet stove. louvers along the sides, open underneath and louvers at the top. The air literally blows out the top without the use of a blower or fan. I have used mine for years. The nice thing too is the cabinet doesn't get hot like the traditional walls on a woodstove. it's a great design plus allows for a full ash pan and you can put enough wood in these old stoves to get a 12 hour burn. They also have a bimetallic spring thermostat attached to an air damper.

 

[Erik B]

The old Earth Stove insert I had and just replaced wi a Lopi Revere, had 62 square feet of radiant surface. Besides the firebox itself it had 2 pieces of steel wrapped around it and stood off a couple of inches. For a small stove, it kicked out a lot of heat.
Here is a pic of it.

 

[muddstopper]

I had a Ashley wood stove years ago. The metal cabinet would get hot, but not like the sides of a non sheilded stove. With mine, you could raise the top louvered cover and expose 4 spots for placing pots and pans on the actual stove . We used to cook many a pot full of backbones and ribs on that stove. When we were'nt cooking on the stove, we kept the top cover down and I had a large piece of aluminun foil stretched across the back and bent to where it hovered above the stove. The heat rising off that stove would make that foil wave like a flag.

 

[svk]

Thanks guys.

To add info, I’m thinking about using this in my sauna to reduce the necessary stove to wall clearance.

 

[NSMaple1]

Well, a shield on a wall will reduce clearances. I would have think ditto if the shield was on the stove? Or even standing on the floor?