Ethanol fireplaces: Safety matters

•Decorative ethanol fireplaces in domestic appliances significantly increased in recent years.•There are different risk sources investigated by experimental and numerical approaches: flash phenomena, burn injuries.•The effect of such fireplaces on interior air quality was also investigated.•French standards and regulations related to this type of appliances are based on this work.

Over the past few years, the number of decorative ethanol fireplaces in domestic appliances has significantly increased. This kind of fireplace, meant for domestic purposes, has different risks. The present publication highlights different risk sources investigated by experimental and numerical approaches: flash phenomena, burn injuries. The effect of such fireplaces on interior air quality was also investigated. French standards and regulations related to this type of appliances are based on this work.Fuel used in such devices is not only ethanol; it also includes a lot of compounds such as denaturants and additives. All these substances, in addition with high temperature of flame, result in forming many different gases.Numerical and experimental results highlight two families of risks: heat injuries during use or refill and effect on air quality. The first family of risks could be limited by proper use instructions such as time between refills. To address the second family of risks, it would be necessary to develop more sophisticated fireplaces, including electronic sensors, to mitigate the risks.