Although it's unlikely that many people would think of wood-fired hot tubs as being "green" products overall, some of the things are certainly more eco-friendly than others. Such is the case with a new tub, that's already on sale in Europe.
Developed at Lithuania's Kaunas University of Technology, the tub heats the water by burning wood pellets, as opposed to the more commonly-used split logs. According to the university, these pellets are not only a less expensive way to go, but they also produce higher temperatures in less time, plus they emit less smoke, ash and carbon.
Additionally, the pellets are said to be easier to handle than logs. The tub's internal storage compartment is able to hold enough of them for several hot-tubbing sessions.
Utilizing an iOS/Android smartphone app, users start by indicating the water temperature that they desire. The tub responds by moving an appropriate amount of pellets from the storage compartment and into its combustion chamber. This means that users don't have to reach in and risk handling any flaming objects themselves.
As the pellets are subsequently burnt, built-in sensors measure the water temperature at both the top and bottom of the tub. Once the overall temperature has reached the target, the user is notified via the app. Pellets still continue to be gradually moved into the combustion chamber, in order to maintain the temperature.
Kaunas University's Dr. Albertas Klovas and Dr. Rūta Klovienė have commercialized the technology, through spinoff company TimberIN. The tub has been on the market for three months, and is currently available in Germany, Denmark, France, Norway, England and Ireland. Its heating system is now being modified for use in outdoor saunas.
Source: Kaunas University of Technology
