How Pellet Stoves Work (and Why They’re Perfect for Sauna)
At Tova, we love fire — but not the hassle.
That’s why we’re building a sauna stove powered by wood pellets. It’s still real flame, still real heat — just smarter. But what is a pellet stove, exactly? And how does it work?
Let’s break it down.
🌾 What Are Wood Pellets?
Pellets are small, compressed cylinders made from sawdust and wood scraps — often from lumber mills. They're:
Dried and compacted for high energy density
Uniform in size, shape, and moisture content
A renewable, low-waste fuel source
That consistency is what makes pellet systems so clean and controllable.
🔥 Step-by-Step: How a Pellet Stove Works
Here’s how a pellet stove creates steady, radiant heat:
1. The Hopper
You load pellets into the hopper — a storage bin that feeds the system. One fill can last for hours, depending on your burn rate.
2. The Auger
An auger (a slow-turning screw) pulls pellets from the hopper into the burn pot. This is where the magic begins.
3. The Burn Pot
Pellets drop into a small chamber where they ignite and burn. With high temperatures and efficient airflow, they create a steady, hot flame — not just a smolder.
4. Air Intake & Combustion
Air is drawn in through intake vents or fans (depending on the design), ensuring complete combustion. The flame burns hotter and cleaner because the airflow is regulated.
5. Heat Exchange
The heat from combustion is transferred to the surrounding metal surfaces or stone basket. That radiant energy warms the sauna — slowly and deeply.
6. Ash Collection
After burning, a small amount of ash drops into a pan for easy cleanup. Because pellets are dry and efficient, the ash output is minimal.
🔌 Do Pellet Stoves Need Electricity?
It depends.
Basic pellet stoves can run passively (with gravity-fed systems and manual ignition).
Modern stoves (like Tova) use 110V power to enable:
Automatic ignition
Precision temperature control
Safety shutdown features
This light touch of power brings a lot of convenience — and you can still go off-grid if needed.
🧖 Why Pellet Stoves Are Ideal for Sauna
Saunas demand:
Steady, high heat
Clean combustion
Deep thermal mass
Minimal fuss
Pellet stoves deliver all of that:
The heat is consistent — no sudden spikes or fades.
You get real flame for true löyly.
You can automate the start-up and stay focused on the experience.
They burn cleaner, produce less ash, and leave a smaller footprint.
🔧 The Tova Difference
Most pellet stoves were designed for heating homes. We designed Tova for heating bodies and souls. Our system:
Reaches the temps needed for excellent löyly
Feeds pellets gradually for a long, even burn
Lets you light up with a button — or by hand
Looks and feels like a sauna stove should
Because the goal isn’t to replace fire, it’s to modernize it — without losing the magic.
Source:
https://www.energysage.com/clean-heating-cooling/pellet-stoves/