The Finite Element analysis of a fireplace using ANSYS is presented in this document, along with the steps which have led up to its final design. The intention of this analysis is to determine the feasibility of moving from an experimentation oriented design process, where different prototypes in a fireplace's design stage are built, operated, and analyzed over the course of many months to determine an optimum design for the fireplace, to an analytical design process, where the majority of the design work is done using computer software. By making this move from experimental methods to analytical methods, a manufacturer can expect to save both time and money.

First, a brief introduction to the basics of heat transfer and fluid flow are presented to introduce the reader to some of the terminology that will be used in this document, along with some general information about the fireplace model being presented. The analysis and results are then presented starting from initial testing to determine the effects of varying thickness on a materials thermal response, continuing to initial simplified designs of the fireplace and determining boundary conditions, and ending with the full 2-dimensional transient analysis and solution of the fireplace with comparisons made to experimental data provided for this particular fireplace.