Davis Tyler

Matt McSpadden wrote:I see them now. I don't tend to click external links to stuff. If you attach them directly to the post, I'd love to see them. And either way, I'd love to hear how it works out.

I uploaded some photos - hopefully you can see them here: https://permies.com/t/266511/BTU-hour-tube#2865344

images attached

Davis Tyler wrote:

if someone can tell me how to embed images, I will do so

putting the URL in between [img] tags doesn't seem to work

Matt McSpadden wrote:Hi Davis,
Do you have any pictures to share?

yes, check out my last post in the thread above

can you see the Google Photos links?

project update - I got everything put together and tested it with some boiling water.
I was able to get the hot spot under the riser boiling, but the far ends of the pan only reach about 170F and lightly give off steam instead of a vigorous boil

You can see I moved the outlet to one corner and put in some steel baffles to make the hot gases linger under the pan but that didn't seem to work.

I'm measuring 1800F at the outlet of the riser, and the smoke from the chimney is clear, so I'm getting fairly complete combustion.

Any ideas to improve this design, or should I give up on the passive rocket stove idea, and put a forced air blower into the firebox to get the heat flux rate higher?


http://photos.app.goo.gl/51dVnXdy4bso2Ats7

http://photos.app.goo.gl/rUAea1V2uALWKH4e8

http://photos.app.goo.gl/Sq8SD9vf5SHVaAQ68

http://photos.app.goo.gl/y1F6H72b8fPw26w66

http://photos.app.goo.gl/P6HrKfdN9uWB9YMt9

I'm working on one for a 2'x4' pan.  Not totally satisfied with the design yet, but I'm getting 1800F at the outlet of the 8" riser so I'm close

https://permies.com/t/266511/BTU-hour-tube

yes, insulation (and air-sealing) should be priority #1

if you're burning 7 cords a year, you're likely eligible for NH Saves incentive program from the state utilities: https://nhsaves.com/residential/weatherization/

the stainless chimney liner is likely exactly what a stove installer would need to tie in a wood stove.  Have them come out and take a look.  I used Icon Unlimited out of Dunbarton 603-365-7746

the only people who seem to have success heating from the basement are the ones with a wood boiler and hydronic heat/forced hot water radiators to distribute the heat to the upper floors.  Relying on forced air to get the heat upstairs just doesn't work.

Do you have a fireplace on the first floor?  We heat our entire house with 3 cords of wood using a Blaze King woodstove that ties into the old fireplace chimney.  We reload it twice a day; three times when it's in the single digits or below.

It's not cheap, but will last for decades, it's insurable, installed to code, and the workers had it up and running in a single day.  Compared to a rocket stove, which as you said is a big DIY project.

yes the blower will have to be variable speed so I can adjust the burn rate

I plan to have K-type thermocouples at the top of the firebox/riser, and at the exhaust outlet to help me understand what fuel-air ratio gives me a reasonably clean burn at the max output rate