Analysis on the Heat Transfer Process of the Burning Cave - A Traditional Heating System in Rural Houses of Northern China

Nowadays, inhabitants living in rural areas of northern China still rely on traditional heating methods, such as kangs (bed-stoves), radiators heated by mini stoves, and burning caves in cold winter period. Burning caves are increasingly used due to free fuels from crop wastes, simple structures, and better heating effect than kangs and mini stoves. In this study, field measurements of indoor environment in several rural houses with burning caves located in northern China were carried out in 2010∼2011. The results show that indoor temperatures maintained at above 18°C, and it was felt more comfortable than houses heated by kangs and mini stoves. By comparing analysis on exergy efficiency, using burning cave and kang is the highest to 55%, and the thermal efficiency was up to 42%.