Cob Self Aiming Air Scoops

[CHRIS@FOUR WINDS]

Greetings!  My husband and I are VERY NEW to all of this - just in the
gathering information stage - but would we both like the idea of COB
building - this email was send (below) about air tubes - what ARE you all
talking about - and what are these for?
-----Original Message-----
From: HandyM2 at aol.com <HandyM2 at aol.com>
To: essa at csf.colorado.edu <essa at csf.colorado.edu>; strawbale at crest.org
<strawbale at crest.org>; coblist at deatech.com <coblist at deatech.com>
Date: Monday, September 28, 1998 8:51 PM
Subject: Cob Self Aiming Air Scoops


>A RESEND as the first never got to essa at csf.colorado.edu  Not sure now
where
>the orginal request came from.  Sorry for the cross postings.  <G>
>
> Was Re: Cooling Tube Questions
>
> Ok, for Dave (of Renewpower at aol) and others that work there brains to mush
><G>
>
>I will try to draw the turnable Windscoops using my keyboard....
>
> BTW My Question(s) still stand unanswered, Janice.  Also how deep and how
>long is your earth tubes? Where do you live?  How long have you used your
>earth tubes? What are you using to get airflow thru your house??
>
>   As far as the turnable wind scoops the hard part is the rotating linkage
to
>   the tube, once that is overcome the addition of a large fin to the rear
of
>   your open scoop will do the rest.  I stole a idea from the rain sheild
for
>my
>   animals feed box.  Simply put a piviot point in the center of the tube
with
>   the scoop assembly fitting over the downward shaft.  Clear I hope?
>
> Not for us door knobs who have worked our brains to mush each day!  :-)
Dave
>
> Crude ASCII Drawing follows....
>
> P = Pivot in center of downward tube assembly
> S = Wind Scoop
> T = Tail Assembly to keep open end of windscoop into the wind
> O = Opening of Wind Scoop
> C = Counterballance to ballance weight of Tail Assembly
>
>                                       OSSSSTTTTTTTT
>                                        OSSSSTTTTTTTT
>                                       COSSSSTTTTTTTT
>                                          I  P  I
>                                          I      I
>                                 _____I      I________
>                                    Interior of home
>
> I have found a that keeping the tail assembly at the same level as the
rest
>of the scoop assembly reduces the leverage of the tourque on the pivot
point
>with in the down chute.  Pivot must allow free twisting action of the
>windscoop but not allow the  scoop to LIFT!!  Aerodynamics will tend to
lift
>the scoop off of the down ward chute.
> Pivot must also be low maintance.  A bummer to have to disassemble unit
for
>greasing.  Do not depend of the weight of the scoop assembly to keep the
scoop
>on the pivot under severe weather conditions.  It WILL LIFT and become a
>damaging flying object.  Windsheilds are expensive to replace....  >VSadG<
>
> Effectiveness varies according to the wind speed, stability of the
direction
>of the wind direction and size/general smoothness of the scoop/tube
assembly.
>
> Control issues are many.  In a RAIN Storm you are inviting ALL the wind
>driven rain into your house.  Some have choosen to add a drainage U much
like
>the U in your toilet plumbing with a drain to carry away water.  Some
reverse
>the scoop-tail assembly as to have the scoop facing downwind figering to
use
>the drag effect for ventilation.  Windblown Dust is also a Issue.  Both the
>upwind scoop and the downwind scoop work to some degree, but inperfectly.
>
> Works pretty well as Ventilation for your Barn.  Seems the animals donot
have
>the same level of confort requirements as we do.  Keeps the smells down at
>least when it is windy.  Ammonia from the animal manures as well as misc
>airborne dirt/hair is HARD on 12 Volt Fans.....
>
> My main complaint is when I WANT A Draft for fresh air or cooling it is
STILL
>(IE No Wind)  When it is windy I have TOO Much draft and need to shut down
the
>system
>
> Thus MY choice is to enjoy technology and install a few small 12 volt fans
>with a switch to turn on/off as I feel the need.  Some day I will get fancy
>with a Thermostat, Yeah Right after all the other projects get done.  <G>
I
>have found some success in installing a Solar Powered Fan as a replacement
for
>the one that burned out.  The hotter the sun the faster it runs.  Mayhaps a
>Circle type stove damper will be installed as the flow control.
>
> Thoughts?  Opinions?  Ideas others have done?  Help?  <G>
>
> Michael       >>
>