Archive for category: Service & Acknowledgment

Our expectations on the “World of Fireplaces” were exceeded. Not only we, but also the associations, such as HKI and EFA, the other exhibitors and the visitors were positively surprised by the premiere of the World of Fireplace. The rush to the first major trade fair after the pandemic was so great that close physical contact on the 15,000 square meters plus outdoor area became unavoidable.

At the fair we shared a stand with our partner Mr Petersen from “ChimneyLab Europe ApS” in Denmark. We had a lot of fun not only with our stand partner, but also with all interested parties who exchanged technical information with us on topics such as the new EN 16510 standard, the “Blue Angel” eco-label or “Environmental Sustainability Information” and on business matters such as the certification of flue gas systems according to EN 1856-1/-2, new offers and our re-accreditation. Likewise, we were delighted to meet face-to-face the people with whom we had only written exchanges during the pandemic. Of course, we also talked to our stand visitors about the current trade fair and can say that this was consistently positive.

Particularly noteworthy was the well-attended “Fireplace Hub”, which offered visitors a varied programme of presentations from research and development as well as panel discussions. On Monday, we were represented by our Managing Director Dennis Droll on the topic of “How important is quality in stoves? Of course, not only was this topic discussed, but various questions were also answered.

From our point of view, the foundation has been laid for the goal set by Michael Rambach, Managing Director of Trendfairs, the organiser of the fair, to make the fair a permanently successful event for all participants. The “World of Fireplaces” own statistics show that a total of 8,135 trade fair visits were counted. The first two days were the ones with the greatest rush. As expected, most of the visitors came from Germany. But the fair also attracted people from all over Europe, also. Less well represented, but still representative, were the visitors from America, Asia, Australia and the Emirates who had travelled a long way. Rhe range of trade visitors was broad, from CEOs and fitters to decision-makers of the independent sales sector.

Our conclusion of the trade fair is clear: All in all, it was a very successful event, which inspired everyone involved and which we are happy to continue regularly.

We and everyone else involved are certain that the specialist event has a great future ahead of it. We look forward to seeing the World of Fireplace surpass the bar they have set for themselves in 2025.

Especially with environmental labels such as the “Blue Angel for stoves”, particulate matter precipitators and reduction devices are becoming more and more important. The RRF has been involved in this area for many years and has established itself as one of the leading laboratories. We are therefore a reliable partner at your side in this area as well. We can test your particulate matter precipitators according to DIN SPEC 33999 as well as the preliminary test program for particulate matter precipitators of the DIBt.

Based on our experience Mr. Dennis Droll has been appointed int to the ad-hoc group particulate matter precipitators and thus actively participates in the creation of future standards. In the ad-hoc group, the DIN SPEC 33999 is to be adapted in such a way that testing with particulate matter precipitators can be more appliable to small combustion systems. In addition to the ad-hoc group, we work with our technical head Mr. Sven Müller in the TC 166 for exhaust systems.

In the area of the Landesbauordnung (LBO) we have been your reliable partner as a testing, monitoring and certification body since the nineties and are also allowed to perform the corresponding tests, the monitoring and certification for particulate matter precipitators and reduction devices.

If you are interested in a test using one of the two test methods mentioned above, please do not hesitate to talk to us in person. We can offer you the right solution for your product.

Due to several inquiries, we would like to give you information about the currently valid version of the requirements of Flamme Verte.

We would like to inform you that the current version of the requirements can be found via the search function (“reglement 2019”) on the Flamme Verte website. The 2018 version is no longer valid with the issue of the newer version.

One reform is, for example, that the tolerance of the nominal heat output was included for the performance test.  

This year also the official round robin test of the Flamme Verte laboratories is scheduled. Here, the tolerances and the Flamme Verte regulations are to be tested. Of course, as an official Flamme Verte laboratory, the RRF also takes part in this.

The secretariat of the CEN/TC 295/WG 5 has issued new information on the new European method for particle matter (PM) measurement

Here you can find the content of the flyer:

„ Ecodesign and particulate matter
As of January 1, 2022, the European regulation on ecodesign requirements for solid fuel local space heaters will enter into force in all member states of the EU. From then on these appliances must comply with minimum requirements for efficiency and for the emission of CO, NOx, hydrocarbons (OGC) and particulate matter (PM).

The ecodesign regulation states three possible methods for the measurement of particulate matter. These methods are based on the current national methods as used in e.g. Germany, Austria, Norway, Denmark, UK, Belgium, Italy and France. The limit values for the PM emission as given for each method in the ecodesign regulation are not comparable with each other and to make matters more complicated, the description of the methods differs on critical details from the national methods.

So, there is the need for a uniform European measurement method: EN-PME!

What is the EN-PME method?

The EN-PME method is a method to measure the emission of particulate matter (dust) in the flue gases coming from residential appliances fired by solid fuel such as wood or pellets. It is based on sampling and measurement of particulate matter and hydrocarbons at the same temperature (180 °C).

In 2015, after 3 years of research, the method was presented by a consortium of 18 European research and test institutes.

The EN-PME method is adopted by the European standardization committee CEN/TC295 as the uniform European method provided that its validity is proven on all types of solid fuel local space heaters. Therefore, a validation project is launched by the working group WG 5 ‘Test methods’ of CEN/TC 295. Many notified test laboratories have since then acquired a sampling set specially designed for the EN-PME method.

The validation project

The EN-PME method will be tested by notified test laboratories on approximately 150 different appliances covering all types of solid fuel local space heaters. These tests will run simultaneously with the ‘normal’ particulate matter measurement as part of the initial type test of the appliance.

The goals of this project are varied:

1. To prove the validity of the method on all types of solid fuel local space heaters, i.e. is the method able to collect a representative sample of particulate matter under type test conditions.

2. To prove that the EN-PME method can replace the current three methods.

3. To create a database with EN-PME emission results from which a possible emission limit under ecodesign can be proposed.

Why is the EN-PME method needed?
to ensure that European manufacturers can sell their appliances in every country in the EU, without having to do additional national measurements. Also, the EN-PME method solves the current ambiguous description of the methods in the ecodesign regulation, consequently creating a level playing field for everyone involved.

How can I join the EN-PME validation project?

When you offer an appliance for an initial type test at a notified laboratory, ask them to do a test with the EN-PME method as well. Since this involves some extra work for the laboratory, they will ask you for a relatively modest financial contribution, the height of which is subject of an agreement between you and the laboratory.

The results of the tests will be made anonymous by your test laboratory and sent to CEN/TC 295/WG 5 for further evaluation. The duration of the validation project is approximately 18 months.”