Has anyone built one? More importantly has anyone built a small one?
rocket stoves
- Thread starter Phil Pascoe
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It's on my todo list - I have a lot of scrap timber from storm damaged lean-to and rickety shed and wanted a more eco-friendly way to burn the stuff.
There's loads of info out there but I've found it pretty difficult to get precise details of builds aside from some rules of thumb regarding orifice dimensions, however one thing I have gleaned is this - the burn chamber and 1st flue get very hot, especially if you are planning to re-introduce pre-heated air into this to increase the burn efficiency such that even steel plate won't last long. It appears vermiculite sheets are the way to go to handle the temperatures and from what I've seen you can pick up this stuff in various sizes on the 'bay and other online retailers
There's loads of info out there but I've found it pretty difficult to get precise details of builds aside from some rules of thumb regarding orifice dimensions, however one thing I have gleaned is this - the burn chamber and 1st flue get very hot, especially if you are planning to re-introduce pre-heated air into this to increase the burn efficiency such that even steel plate won't last long. It appears vermiculite sheets are the way to go to handle the temperatures and from what I've seen you can pick up this stuff in various sizes on the 'bay and other online retailers
Jacob
New Luddism. Wake up and resist.
There are small camping kettle versions. They work - have seen one in action. rocket stove kettle - Google Search
But basically any stove can be a "rocket" stove if it is charged with loose dry small stuff with vents open and a good flue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_stove
But basically any stove can be a "rocket" stove if it is charged with loose dry small stuff with vents open and a good flue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_stove
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I appreciate the principles are the same but I was thinking more along the lines of home built ones with horizontal thermal stores and exhausts.
Jacob
New Luddism. Wake up and resist.
What is "horizontal thermal stores and exhausts" about?
I'm interested in this sort of thing and new ideas keep cropping up such as "sand batteries" etc.
It's not new. There have been threads in the past. The "chimney" is horizontal, clad often in concrete so it holds heat while the stove is burning then acts as a radiator.
I won't copy the picture as it may be ©, but google Rocket Stove Mass Heater - there's a good diagram there a few pictures down, although that chimney goes upwards.
I won't copy the picture as it may be ©, but google Rocket Stove Mass Heater - there's a good diagram there a few pictures down, although that chimney goes upwards.
Tris
What am I doing here?
Phil, have a dig around on the permaculture magazine website, they've featured quite a few over the years. I recall one based around paving slabs that looked to have potential
Jacob
New Luddism. Wake up and resist.
Ollie78
Established Member
I saw some great videos on this by a Canadian guy. They made a very long "chimney" that ran under a bench seat made of stone. Huge thermal mass.
Not sure if the legality of doing them here, I wonder if you could get it Hetas approved?
I suppose if it's tested for air tightness it might be OK.
They have similar strategies in Sweden where they clad the stoves in soapstone to add mass.
Ollie
Not sure if the legality of doing them here, I wonder if you could get it Hetas approved?
I suppose if it's tested for air tightness it might be OK.
They have similar strategies in Sweden where they clad the stoves in soapstone to add mass.
Ollie
I'm toying with building a very small one in a block built shed.
I haven't done it, but recall the very early ones that were cob made before the permaculture sites tried to get creative and make a bunch of types that would be easily assembled and disassembled.
Because draft is important if you're running a horizontal stove, I would maybe think about making one with the barrel type (for quick heat) and a horizontal run in cob/dirt if this is in a shop, or testing the run in loose dirt and then picking final length later.
we always burned wood for heat when I was a kid, and had several stoves in the house, some with horizontal runs to extract heat out of the pipe run and slow the speed of the gases leaving (of course, this does introduce creosote danger, but we never had a problem in those). I would bet that the most difficult part in setting things up is getting a draft to avoid smoking things up with a vertical feed.
The larger built in masonry stoves that I've seen here (not many) sometimes have an upper access point late in the run - presumably to burn something to start the draft.
Because draft is important if you're running a horizontal stove, I would maybe think about making one with the barrel type (for quick heat) and a horizontal run in cob/dirt if this is in a shop, or testing the run in loose dirt and then picking final length later.
we always burned wood for heat when I was a kid, and had several stoves in the house, some with horizontal runs to extract heat out of the pipe run and slow the speed of the gases leaving (of course, this does introduce creosote danger, but we never had a problem in those). I would bet that the most difficult part in setting things up is getting a draft to avoid smoking things up with a vertical feed.
The larger built in masonry stoves that I've seen here (not many) sometimes have an upper access point late in the run - presumably to burn something to start the draft.
The_Yellow_Ardvark
Established Member
I have built a few. From old fire extinguishers.
One in process of being assembled.
Not the best image. The brackets are arranged so any pot or pan that is placed on them is raised up to allow the stove to keep burning.
The first burn is not nice. It burns of the paint and the linning.
The stock hole is 3" diameter, the turbo holes(smaller ones) are 3/4". They do make a big differance.
On other stoves I made them adjustable.
The heat the produce from small amount of wood is fantastic.
One in process of being assembled.
Not the best image. The brackets are arranged so any pot or pan that is placed on them is raised up to allow the stove to keep burning.
The first burn is not nice. It burns of the paint and the linning.
The stock hole is 3" diameter, the turbo holes(smaller ones) are 3/4". They do make a big differance.
On other stoves I made them adjustable.
The heat the produce from small amount of wood is fantastic.
Jameshow
Established Member
houtslager
Established Member
Yep, I have built a few and the best was with a 60l drum as the secondary burn chamber. Most though are built with a 200l drum and sometimes with two, giving one a massive source of heat.
I'll try and root out photos for you over the weekend.
Basically, stove on the left of my conservatory with the outlet going through a cob bench 8ft long, passing out through a strawbale wall to the vertical chimney.
Here is where it went weird
I only had 5ft of single wall pipe, so in my impatience, I bunged a Chinese hat on and lit it up.
It was difficult to really get it to the " roaring " level of fire, but after tweaking the feed chamber
it got there.
But I was getting blow back, due to the shirt height of the vertical pipe.
To remedy this, I chucked a 3m length of PLASTIC DRAIN PIPE
, but due to the cob bench sucking most the heat out of the "smoke" the plastic pipe NEVER got above 20°c didn't soften over its lifetime of 3 years. Then I sold the house.
In my next project I intend to build another but using the 200l burnbarrel .
Huh, Karl
I'll try and root out photos for you over the weekend.
Basically, stove on the left of my conservatory with the outlet going through a cob bench 8ft long, passing out through a strawbale wall to the vertical chimney.
Here is where it went weird
I only had 5ft of single wall pipe, so in my impatience, I bunged a Chinese hat on and lit it up. It was difficult to really get it to the " roaring " level of fire, but after tweaking the feed chamber
it got there. But I was getting blow back, due to the shirt height of the vertical pipe.To remedy this, I chucked a 3m length of PLASTIC DRAIN PIPE
, but due to the cob bench sucking most the heat out of the "smoke" the plastic pipe NEVER got above 20°c didn't soften over its lifetime of 3 years. Then I sold the house. In my next project I intend to build another but using the 200l burnbarrel .
Huh, Karl
The_Yellow_Ardvark
Established Member
At least you can put it out if it gets out of control!!
Hi,
I built one at work from stainless steel pipe and it worked well. If you research on the net you can find the design principles. Originally designed by an American scientist as a means of avoiding choking to death in third world kitchens. Used extensively in Africa I believe.
Regards, Dave
