Things are looking about the same around here.
There ain't no jobs worth what they are paying.
All the big construction jobs are filled by out of
state workers. I'm in survival mode already.
We had some spaghetti last night from the larder
and it were good. I tried out the new rocket stove
with a new thermal mass. Had some good results
there.
Rocket Stove Basics.
The devil is in the details.
The secret to the Rocket "L" stove is in the dimensional details. The
air intake is 2/3-3/4 of the vertical bore dimension. A 30-40 degree ramp at
the base of the L and you are on your way. Good insulation around the
combustion chamber is key to the rocket effect. But only needed to
about several inches above the combustion area.
In my latest version I added a secondary warm air to the pyrolysis
layer of the stove. (after burner?) Resulting in secondary combustion
and higher fuel
to heat conversion ratio. It also results in a cleaner burning stove
in a smaller package. Think wood burning jet engine and you are
getting close. I have copy lefted the entire thing as fits my style.
These stoves are fuel sippers and I feel that they are the technology
for the PAW world.
I'm guesstimating at a bare minimum, an 10 fold increase in heat to
fuel consumed. How many cords of wood do you burn?
These stoves are truly multi-fuel capable. I've experimented with them
using all sorts of bio-mass fuel and even SVO (Straight Veggie Oil)
and WMO ( waste motor oil). Commercial wood pellets work well also.
The oil burners are dangerous unless you have some experience with them.
Thermal Mass.
As I wanted the mass to be as portable as possible, I went with volcanic rock.
Its light weight with great thermal characteristics. Look inside a gas grill if you don't believe me. The thermal mass is held by a container heated by the rocket.
It releases an even heat over time. The thermal mass is where I installed my TEGs (Thermal Electric Generators) to power a fan or two to help disseminate the heat. They could also be charging batteries for a low voltage power system.
One advantage of the volcanic rock besides weight is a quick cool down time
making it safe to move or pack in a few minutes.
The size vs heat ratio of a unit as described makes it perfect for Cabins, Campers, Yurts, and Tents.
***Warning*** use an appropriate chimney with these type of stoves as the combustion process is so complete that they make a lot of carbon monoxide. ***
Never use an unvented stove in a tent, yurt, cabin, or camper.
Afterword.
"A rocket stove achieves efficient combustion of the fuel at a high temperature by ensuring that there is a good air draft into the fire, controlled use of fuel, complete combustion of volatiles, and efficient use of the resultant heat. It has been used for cooking purposes in many third-world locales as well as for space and water heating." Wikipedia.
Flexibility lies in the fact that anything combustible can be used as a fuel source. A big plus in my book is that it takes a minimal sized fuel.
I know I haven't published all my secrets here, But then again I'm not being paid to.
While my design takes full advantage of the rocket "L" effect, It applies a whopping lot of my experience with wood gasification. I apply the fuel in a slightly different manner to achieve my claimed results. I am totally unimpressed by the Cob versions of rocket mass heaters. I'm unimpressed by Cob. My version takes up about the space displaced by a 30 gallon drum and
is portable and fueled by twigs vs larger fuel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_stove
Institutional version
Someones selling them.
My mark 1 stove
picture.
There's a tin can design
here. They have a very short lifespan.
They tend to rust out in a year following the first use of the stove.
But, they are easy to make / remake.
**** No warranty is implied here. The information is provided free of charge.
You as always are responsible for your own safety when applying the information.
This page protected by the creative commons except where the work is owned by others
Posts
