Biggest rocket built?

Has anyone tried scaling up rocket technology for fun or for some use case? How did that go, what did you use it for? Is it possible to reach a scale where it is worth it to slap a turbine inside or a sterling engine on top?

Among the biggest batchrockets there's one in the German city of Münster. It's an open version in an art sculpture, a pretty high and hollow cylinder, round firebox, with steps around it. Weight of the one-piece cylinder around 6 metric tons (6.61 US tons). It worked right out of the (obviously very large) box.



Another one is the Siamese twins heater done during a workshop conducted by Alex Groe in Argentina. It consists of two risers both with two barrels around it while sharing the same firebox. As such, it's a double sidewinder batchrocket. Both risers are balanced by a spacious box behind the firebox so both barrel towers are about the same temperature, made visable by the FLIR picture below.



It was meant to heat a large communal space within a short time frame so there's not an awful lot of mass in there. But it works, built from soft brick, clay/sand mortar and 4 barrels.



There's a couple of Facebook videos, here's one: https://www.facebook.com/alejandro.groenenberg.3/videos/10157330609787927

Both of these big cannons are 25 cm (10") systems, which is awfully large for a batchrocket, when one keep in mind what power one of those could generate.

As a certified Level II Thermographer the FLIR image means nothing without knowing the temperature span. Its a pretty picture, myself I shoot in gray scale, much more detail available to the eye.

Peter, and this one, you know if it is running now?

https://donkey32.proboards.com/thread/1890/inch-batch-bell-rocket-heater?page=5

Satamax Antone wrote:Peter, and this one, you know if it is running now?
https://donkey32.proboards.com/thread/1890/inch-batch-bell-rocket-heater?page=5

Not the faintest idea, it's a very technical build incorporating lots of bells and whistles, even brass balls on. I seem to remember it isn't a mass heater as well...

Peter van den Berg wrote:

Satamax Antone wrote:Peter, and this one, you know if it is running now?
https://donkey32.proboards.com/thread/1890/inch-batch-bell-rocket-heater?page=5

Not the faintest idea, it's a very technical build incorporating lots of bells and whistles, even brass balls on. I seem to remember it isn't a mass heater as well...

Well, it's a metal mass i would say. His "barrel" is huge, and 3/4 thick or so. IIRC.

Did you do another ten incher batch, than the munster one; or know another one?

Satamax Antone wrote:Did you do another ten incher batch, than the munster one; or know another one?

Münster is the only 10 incher I participated in. I know of one 9" BBR in Canada, it's a twin bell system on top of each other. Say, Max, your workshop heater is larger than 8" as well, isn't it?

And I know of a 12 incher, built in Argentina a couple of years ago, placed into a very large shed meant for drying clay bricks before they are moved into the kiln. The whole thing consisted nearly entirely of barrels and stove pipes, the heat extraction part appeared to be flawed. In my humble opinion of course since I haven't been in Argentina to see it in person. Don't know whether or not it's in use at present.

Looking at it, I would regard a one foot double riser system as a very exiting build! Any takers?

Peter, mine is 220mm. So, 8.66 inch.  And i'm in love with it. It needs a bypass thought. And first floor mass.

Satamax Antone wrote: It needs a bypass thought.

Why does it need a by-pass?

Joe Danielek wrote:

Satamax Antone wrote: It needs a bypass thought.

Why does it need a by-pass?

It is a big rocket. In spring or early autumn, sometimes the temps outside are the  same as the mass, but it still needs a little fire to take the chill away inside. And it doesn't cooperate.

Big or small I've read about by-passes on both, safe to assume a common issue: no Delta T between ambient outside and RMH = equalized T... Couldn't you install a ring around your final verticle exhaust flue that forms a liquid tight cup to put a couple of tablespoons of rubbing alcohol in to light that heats the flue that establishes the initial draft. I've drilled a 5/8" hole in the exit flue on test stoves to stick a propane soldering torch in to establish 'the draft/draw/pull.'

Joe Danielek wrote:Big or small I've read about by-passes on both, safe to assume a common issue: no Delta T between ambient outside and RMH = equalized T... Couldn't you install a ring around your final verticle exhaust flue that forms a liquid tight cup to put a couple of tablespoons of rubbing alcohol in to light that heats the flue that establishes the initial draft. I've drilled a 5/8" hole in the exit flue on test stoves to stick a propane soldering torch in to establish 'the draft/draw/pull.'

To get my rocket moving when it doesn't want, i would need more than a few tablespoons. More likely half a liter!