stoking

Stoking refers to the act of feeding a fire with fuel to maintain or increase its heat output. In everyday use, it involves adding fuel such as wood, coal, or pellets to a fireplace, stove, or furnace and adjusting air supply to regulate combustion.

In domestic settings, stoking is often a manual process using tools such as a poker, tongs, or a shovel to add fuel, reposition coals, and clear ash. Proper damper control and ventilation are important to ensure efficient burning and to minimize smoke and fumes. Care is required to avoid burns or accidental ignition of nearby materials.

In industrial contexts, stoking refers to supplying fuel to a furnace or boiler using a stokers or automatic feed system. Grate stokers move fuel along a grate (for example, chain grate or traveling grate) to keep the fire exposed to air and to promote complete combustion. Other designs include spreader stokers that distribute fuel over a wider bed. Stoker-fired boilers were common in older steam plants and remain in use in some power generation facilities and industrial processes.

Safety and maintenance: regular ash removal, cleaning of grates, and inspection of air supply controls are essential. Mismanagement can cause dangerous smoke, backdraft, or overheating. Modern systems may combine automated controls with manual stoking when needed.

Etymology and usage: the term stoke comes from historical terms related to supplying fuel to a fire; the noun and verb have long been used in both literal and metaphorical senses, with "stoking" sometimes referring to intensifying emotions or tensions in informal speech.