Heat Reflector Impact on Bell Sizing

I've read quite a few articles and posts, but have not found what I'm looking to learn yet.  So I was wondering if anyone had researched the impact of using heat reflector on the back wall of the bell (bench) on optimal sizing.

The idea is to use a bench bell.  Since the back side of that bench would be "wasted surface area" to heat (only the top and front of the bench will really radiate heat directly into the room), ideally we'd want to concentrate the heat on the top and front of the bench.  However, all bench sizing information I've read uses front, back, top and end dimensions to calculate the optimal size.  So, the question is whether the top, front and end dimensions of the bench can be increased by installing heat reflector along the back wall of the bench bell?

Anyone ever tried it or have an educated guess?

I've seen where this concept has been implemented in the past for radiators and other applications.

Along the same lines, I suppose the bell could be shaped as a right triangle with its hypotenuse running from the floor to the back of the benchtop, again using heat reflector.

Thoughts?

Hi Ed;   Welcome to Permies!
If I read your post correctly. You are concerned about the side of your bell that is against the wall ? That its heat would be lost ?
As long as it is insulated from the ground and the outside you don't lose the heat.

My bench is against a wall . I have  4" of perlite between the cob and the stone wall.   That heat is merely stored and released thru the top. I'm also insulated from the earth on the bottom, allowing the heat to rise.

Are you thinking of a half barrel type bench ? Or a piped bench ? There are limits on how many half barrels you can use and there is a limit on the length of pipe used.

There is no limit on Mass.    

Ed Carter wrote:So, the question is whether the top, front and end dimensions of the bench can be increased by installing heat reflector along the back wall of the bench bell?

Yes, that has been done before although not in the shape of reflection but insulation instead. Personally I implemented this in what is now called the Brussels build, the back wall is a neighboring building and insulated so the volume of the bell is much larger. It worked right out of the box so to speak.

Ed Carter wrote:Along the same lines, I suppose the bell could be shaped as a right triangle with its hypotenuse running from the floor to the back of the benchtop, again using heat reflector.

Bells could be virtually any shape, as long as the volume is large enough to slow the gas velocity down sufficiently thereby allowing the forces of gravity do its thing. See bell theory.