Not sure if there is any merit in this but maybe some of the RMH specialists can have a quick read.
I'm located off-grid in a remote area, no clay for cob and bringing anything else in for the thermal mass is a giant headache, even if I could get components down here my wife would have a hernia if I built it inside. What I do have a lot of is wood, water and space.
Would it be possible to build a RMH outside where the burn chamber, riser, barrel and exhaust pipe is submerged in an insulated low pressure water tank. The normal design of the RMH will remain unchanged in any way, only the thermal mass substituted. Pipes would then be used to thermo siphon the heated water under my living area direct from the tank. The intention is to dispense with any wetback copper tubing normally used for the siphon and keep the system as simple as possible. The cavity under the living space is insulated to the ground and sides so I'm hoping to have the heat rise through the un-insulated floor to heat the space above.
Will the RMH suspended in the tank surrounded by water run at overall lower temperatures as the heat is continuously conducted away, thinking about this being similar to boiling water in a plastic bottle on an open fire...
As I understand it, other than the intake and exhaust, the system should be relatively airtight and therefore also watertight so submerging the whole unit should not pose a problem ?
I only need to increase inside temperature by 20 degrees C, average outside ambient is around -1 to 5 for 6 months of the year, I have considered alternatives however none seem to be right for my situation.
What do you think, is this doable ?
