Ken Carmin : O.K. let me try again,. I am more worried about any use of cinder blocks within that part of the
Rocket Mass Heater R.M.H., that exists prior to the Thermal Mass
Bench, all use of cinderblocks are certainly likely to fail there, any cinder block within th first 6 feet of the horizontal piping in your thermal bench is also likely to suffer from the
high temperatures experienced! This could all be made of just Cob, but, this is in no way an endorsement of the use of cinderblocks Do to their rough , jagged internal walls they
will rapidly slow the flow of gases through your horizontal pipe, I tried to send you to "
Rocket Mass Heaters in Greenhouses - - - " where this subject has been considered,
It is possible, but I know of no working model with cinderblocks!
Both barrels will HAVE TO radiate exactly the same amount of heat, the Smaller barrel must by the laws of Thermo-dynamics 'release' or radiate the same amount of heat as the
larger barrel, and is constrained by its lesser surface area to do it at a HIGHER Temperature !
This is why when your 3-year old wants to climb up in your lap they are such a great snuggle, their Surface Area to Weight, or Total Skin Area to Mass means that they have to
radiate this heat out at a higher Temperature !
Again, everything else being equal, A larger mass will radiate just as much heat energy as the smaller mass, doing so at a lower temperature, if the horizontal piping is buried
deep inside the Thermal Mass, and the Thermal Mass is much larger, the increase in surface area will mean that you will radiate exactly the same amount of heat energy to warm
the surrounding area as a smaller bench, but at a lower. safer temperature, and do it much latter at night/ in the morning as compared to a smaller bench !
With a larger/higher Thermal Bench you will be bending over not as far and the back that you save will be your own !
Many years ago in the building trades we used to say " A good coat of paint is like a whores blanket, it covers a multiple of sins !" Think of the vertical chimney as assuming the
same purpose, ( adding suction where needed !) 15 feet of vertical pipe will correct for 10 horizontal feet of bad/ inadequate piping ! Consider each elbow or 'T' as being equal
to 5 feet of straight smooth walled pipe ! Again if any part of this is not clear come back often your fellow members will try to help ! For the good of the Crafts !
Think like Fire, flow like a gas, Don't be the Marshmallow ! As always, your comments and questions are solicited and Welcome ! Big Al ! PYRO - Magically Big AL !