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Author Topic: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project  (Read 16384 times)

TommeyLReed

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Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« on: November 01, 2014, 02:13:46 AM »
Hi All,

 It's almost that time for cold weather again, so I just finished a rocket mass heater design.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1btCpb4puM

Tom

MarkE

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2014, 05:18:48 AM »
That looks like nice metal work for ten hours work.  The burn looks like it is working well.  If you place the unit in a corner, I would place a heat shield / reflector between the unit and the walls.  You will get more heat out into the room and reduce the risk of pyrolizing the walls behind the unit.  I would be sure to put a CO monitor/alarm pretty close to that unit so that if for whatever reason the draft  reverses you don't get poisoned. 

I am also a bit concerned about those fumes coming from your paint.  There's pretty good potential there for some pretty toxic stuff.  Make sure that you use paint that won't out gas nasty things at the temperatures your metal work reaches.

TommeyLReed

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2014, 05:39:07 PM »

Hi All,

Thanks, Mark E.

Ok, this is the next part for the rocket mass heater, a water injected diaphragm steam engine.

How it works is using high temperature diaphragm with a linear piston and a stainless steel pot.

Step 1: Preheat surface of pot.
Step 2: As piston most downward to bottom of the pot, water is injected that converts into steam.
step 3: As the steam force the piston upward, it hits the release valve to allow extra steam to decrease pressure.
step 4: Piston is allow to move downward until is close the valve and the water to be injected again.

What do you all think?

Tom

TechStuf

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2014, 09:07:37 PM »
Tommy, great work man.  Interesting to see RMH without the M.  Been thinkin on that myself for awhile.  I use Reflectix for a wall and ceiling liner.  Works great, stays very cool.  Rocket Heaters are some of the simplest ways to get very clean burns.  I've seen people at outdoor fairs that put their face in the exhaust train, reporting very little odor and just a bit of warmth.  Ultra efficient.   Of course, modern EPA woodstoves with secondary burn are also very efficient, with people reporting going from burning 4 to 5 cords a season down to 2 or even less!  Another cheap way to get efficient burns is with a 30 or 55 gallon drum barrel and vogelzang barrel kit.  One can then install their own secondary burn tubes easily, as well as a Hilkoil or similar water heater loop.  I burn hot and clean in cycles, allowing my fires to burn out completely, and even in dead of winter, usually, can coast nearly all night without a burn.  Been using wood heat for most all my life.  About the only thing I'd consider trading up for is Hydrogen Catalysis. 

"Honey, pour another gallon of water in the furnace, it's down to 75 degrees in here!"


TS
« Last Edit: November 02, 2014, 01:20:51 AM by TechStuf »

MarkE

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2014, 10:13:26 PM »
Hi All,

Thanks, Mark E.

Ok, this is the next part for the rocket mass heater, a water injected diaphragm steam engine.

How it works is using high temperature diaphragm with a linear piston and a stainless steel pot.

Step 1: Preheat surface of pot.
Step 2: As piston most downward to bottom of the pot, water is injected that converts into steam.
step 3: As the steam force the piston upward, it hits the release valve to allow extra steam to decrease pressure.
step 4: Piston is allow to move downward until is close the valve and the water to be injected again.

What do you all think?

Tom
I think that it can work.  However, Strirling engines are by far the most efficient hot air engines.  If you want to build a rocket stove powered generator, I would look to a Stirling engine.

TommeyLReed

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2014, 10:48:43 PM »
Hi Mark,


 I disagree with a strirling engine efficiency due to the fact it's not a sealed piston ring setup.

This design is a sealed unit and water that will expand 1:1700 times makes a good design.

Tom..



MarkE

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2014, 11:01:33 PM »
Hi Mark,


 I disagree with a strirling engine efficiency due to the fact it's not a sealed piston ring setup.

This design is a sealed unit and water that will expand 1:1700 times makes a good design.

Tom..
Tommey the 1700:1 expansion is only a factor if the volume change actually allows for that.  A typical steam engine does not have either a high expansion ratio or temperature drop leading to a low efficiency.  Rudolph Diesel made his fortune because his engine has a decent power band like a steam engine but much higher efficiency.  The limitations of Stirling engines is that they have narrow operating ranges.  That can be fixed by outputting the power into an electrical power converter that performs maximum power tracking.

Rigel4

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2014, 03:41:15 AM »
This is to everyone if they have any answers!
What would be the effect if the stove was twice as tall and wide ? Would it be more or less efficient?
What is the largest size wood that would work for an unattended burn? Can you stuff a 8 foot long  6 in diameter tree like poplar in it and expect a clean burn for overnight?

Your next step seems to be putting something LIKE a boiler on it, I have not found if people convert these things so I wonder if converting an existing boiler is feasible, or if you have to break new ground.
My oil bill last winter was over 800 every 2-3 weeks I am just asking for a friend ;)

As always you build the most useful and practical stuff. Hats off to you sir.

MarkE

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2014, 04:26:45 AM »
What the rocket stoves do very well is use draft to get lots of oxygen while maintaining a high temperature in the combustion area.  This yields a very clean burn and low ash.  What the better rocket stoves do is to also exchange the heat effectively without sending most of it out the exhaust flue, yielding good efficiency.  The inverted tank design that Tommey has built which has similarities to the design that zero fossil fuel build do that pretty well.  My intuition tells me that if taken to the limit the best efficiency will require a condensing design, which means there will be water to dispose.  Condensing versus non-condensing may make up to about a 20% difference in fuel use.

Rigel4

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #9 on: November 03, 2014, 05:56:38 AM »
Thanks Mark, I am not sure what you mean about condensate on the existing unit. You mean from temperature differential? or his future design?
The existing ones I have seen use earth as a heat sink so moisture is not an issue. The one that Z has shown may not be legal or safe inside a house. I just don't know.
If Tommey can get a boiler or whatever he has in mind and a steam engine going, it would be interesting.

MarkE

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #10 on: November 03, 2014, 07:51:14 AM »
Thanks Mark, I am not sure what you mean about condensate on the existing unit. You mean from temperature differential? or his future design?
The existing ones I have seen use earth as a heat sink so moisture is not an issue. The one that Z has shown may not be legal or safe inside a house. I just don't know.
If Tommey can get a boiler or whatever he has in mind and a steam engine going, it would be interesting.
I mean that highly efficient heat exchangers end up condensing moisture out of the air, and that condensate then has to drain somewhere.

Carbon monoxide is an issue that needs careful attention with any combustion device.

Whether Tommey goes with his original steam engine concept or a Stirling as I have suggested, I am sure he will build something interesting.

minnie

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2014, 08:48:14 AM »



 I have two oil fired boilers. The older one ( not condensing ) cannot hold hand in flue gas
outlet for more than a few seconds. New condensing boiler flue gas barely warm on hand.
Got to be saying something,
              John.

TommeyLReed

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2014, 01:03:00 PM »
Hi All,

This is my update on the rocket mass heater.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6DvsGerBkw

Tom

ramset

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2014, 01:15:17 PM »
Techstuff
Quote
 I burn hot and clean in cycles, allowing my fires to burn out completely, and even in dead of winter, usually, can coast nearly all night without a burn.  Been using wood heat for most all my life.  About the only thing I'd consider trading up for is Hydrogen Catalysis.


Sir,
what is your opinion on burning Green wood in the Rocket stove?


does the high airflow carry the moisture out or act as an internal dryer ?


thx
Chet



TommeyLReed

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Re: Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project
« Reply #14 on: November 03, 2014, 02:30:45 PM »
Hi Chet,

I like the idea of controlling air flow, this baby will force enough air flow to turn a PC fan through a vacuum.

I could even produce enough power to light up some LED, I think would be interesting to show .

I believe these are the only types of heater that won't catch fire because of a complete burn, but I still added a cap on top of the feed tube just in case.

The real key is to get more heat out of the system before it goes outside, but over all it's a great way to heat your home.

I also know you use about 75% less wood, while the temperature stay constant burning only the tip of the wood like a match.

This also make me think of a solar heat flow generator, using the sun to heat a black surface to cause air to rise up into a turbine tube.


Tom