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[Cob] rocket stove(s)

Shannon C. Dealy dealy at deatech.com
Mon Apr 4 14:29:36 CDT 2005


On Sun, 3 Apr 2005, Copper Harding wrote:

[snip]
> I understand the basics of using mass as the heat
> storage device.  I also understand how cold northern
> MN can get.  I am wondering if it would be easier or
> if it would give me a steadier temperature to have TWO
> six inch systems instead of one eight inch system.
>
> House is 300+ square feet (est.) plus loft.  Nasty
[snip]
> I'm not sure how two different systems would work - IF
> they would even work.
[snip]

The two six inch systems and the eight inch system should (assuming
adequate bench/heat exchangers for each) both put out roughly the same
amount of heat.  You will get something of a hot spot around the main
barrel where the heat riser is located, which is good for fast warming of
the air in the room, however, this area will be larger and hotter for the
8" system, where you will have two separate ones for the six inch systems.
Basically here are some of the trade offs:

  - Your quick heat of the air from the exposed barrels will be more
    uniform with two systems.

  - It may be easier to get maximum heat extraction from two systems
    (depending on your design and available bench space).

  - Building two systems will be a fair bit more work.

  - Lighting and stoking two systems will be a bit more work and may be
    messier if the wood feed on the two systems are not located together.

  - With two systems, if something goes wrong with one (critter gets in
    and builds a nest, part of the interior eventually burns out and falls
    in blocking the system, etc.), at least you have a spare one to heat
    with.

  - Two systems will eat more of your interior space.

Basically, there is no right answer to your question, there shouldn't be
any problems with having two systems in the house (I'm not sure what your
concern was with this, maybe I'm just mis-reading your message), but only
you can weight the trade offs.  Personally, I would probably go with one
larger system, and if I decided it was inadequate, add the second system
at a later date.

Shannon C. Dealy      |               DeaTech Research Inc.
dealy at deatech.com     |          - Custom Software Development -
                      |    Embedded Systems, Real-time, Device Drivers
Phone: (800) 467-5820 | Networking, Scientific & Engineering Applications
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