[Greenbuilding] My version of a masonry stove

[Doug Kalmer]

  I found Frank's comments on the mass of the firebox interesting, as I used 1/4" steel plate for my firebox sides and top, bottom is masonry. This makes for a faster warm up. I incorporated about 12 tons of local stone, but built in an air space between the firebox and the stone surround. This thermosyphons cool air from the floor thru some low openings, and warmed air up and out to the house thru a larger opening up high. It also heats water for us. We have been using it for 25 years as our only backup heat behind direct gain passive solar. We still have not needed to clean the chimney yet. I built it for under $100, not counting the two pieces of stainless vent pipe.  Doug

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/BioFuel/DougMasonryStove.htm 


On-Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:58:14 -0500
Frank Tettemer <frank at livingsol.com>
wrote-
 "A masonry heater has it's claim to fame by forcing the stoking person to attempt hot flash fires, which is the right attitude for ALL wood stoves, in my humble opinion, in order to achieve clean combustion.  However, the masonry stove does not burn cleanly, (with low emissions), UNTIL the firebox liner, (High temperature ceramics), have absorbed enough heat from the warm-up initial burn(S), to contribute to keeping the combustion chamber hot enough to fully burn the wood gas.  Since masonry heaters aim at having lots of mass, (for all the good reason of high BTU absorption and release to the house), that same mass is a big help over-night in the home, but somewhat of a detriment to emission-free burning for the first half hour (to one and a half hours) of the morning's initial firing.  The heater is not burning all that clean initially. (Just like any other initial firing of any other wood stove)."

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20101231/343abeab/attachment.html>