Cob: Re: Thermal mass and climate

[Darel Henman]

Comments interspersed below:

toswink wrote:
> 
> Ever wonder about the powder in the tiny sack in medications that absorb
> mositure.
>
Yes one good desiccant is clay, specifically "montmorillonite and
bentonite" CLAY.  They called these activated clays, but I don't know
the usage of "activated" here.

Clay is the least expensive and most widely used type of desiccant.

"The layered structure of activated clay attracts and adsorbs moisture
onto its surface and between its layers."

So cob walls even though not pure bentonite clay, it has enough clay in
it to perform inside humidity buffering.

> 
> Wonder if there could be a filter over vents that would capture mositure
> before it entered the home.

I have heard of good grade charcoal used for this purpose and for
preserving grains.  Problem with it in use in a house is it can burn. 

....... snipped

Re: solar chimney:
> Wonder if a thin layer of 1/8 inch of vermiculite or thicker could be
> constructed over incoming vents ? guess there could be cloth or something
> like a metal vent etc. wonder if moist air is heavier and would tend to
> cling more?
It is heavier, but it gets pushed up with suffienct draw.   See how some
of the solar food dehydrators work for more details.

> 
>  Before my step father died he took me to a local city down the exspressway.
> Even with the a/c it was real hot.
> But on the way back home he took me on a side road with trees on both side.
> IT WAS TEN degrees cooler.
> Trees do help.ha

Yes this heat is called the "Urban Island Effect"?.....

Darel