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Post by woodman on Nov 22, 2009 14:12:49 GMT -8
I posted this to get some feed back on air intake and heat distribution. How to get maximum heat over a wide distribution in a given space. Sounds like a stuped government program...... OK here is the deal. In order to heat up rocks the traditional way for a sweat lodge takes way to much wood. A wile back I got an old compressor tank with the idea of heating the stones with far less wood. My question is how to distribute air ,to the burn, evenly, the full length of the tank? I was thinking of a pc. of 4''pipe entering from one end running along the bottom with holes drilled along the sides then capping the end. To create a draw insert a 6'' stack in the center on top.   ![]() [/img] |
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Post by swizzlenutz on Nov 23, 2009 9:46:46 GMT -8
I'm not sure about your pipe idea. Wait for the experts on that one. I do know to heat the stone you'll want gaps in between the stone. Sift out all the dirt and smaller stones. What size are you thinking of using? Fist sized stones should heat up fairly decent but may still take some time to heat the whole lot all the way through. You'll want space in between all of the stone so the heat can get around them. Maybe several smaller pipes running through different levels of your stone? Ok I'll shut up now. Swizzle
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Post by Donkey on Nov 23, 2009 19:29:50 GMT -8
Seems like the chimney right in the middle would be a bit inconvenient, seeing as how it would be sticking out of the door.
Maybe you could make it easy to take off, it wouldn't have to be very tall to draft well..
Might be good to just drill a bunch of holes all over the bottom half of what you've got. You could set up some kind of grate to keep everything off the floor and allow good airflow. The grate would have to be outta some pretty stout stuff, I'd think.
Swizz.. 'Round here, we kinda like double fist (or so) sized rocks.
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Post by canyon on Nov 23, 2009 21:08:38 GMT -8
I'm not quite sure of your plan. Do I understand right that you just want to heat up the rocks with minimal wood using the pictured tank? Are you thinking of an external rocket and piping the exhaust into the tank from one dome end and exiting out the other? That would make sense to me if you found or made some steel grate material (could even be out of rebar) to keep the stones up high in the tank and ran the exhaust and exit in the low portion with an elbow and stack for exit draw . Methinks it would act as a bell with "free gas movement"-that is the higher temp gasses would rise up and heat the rocks while the cooler ballast gasses would bee-line.  |
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Post by woodman on Nov 24, 2009 6:43:45 GMT -8
The volcanic stones in pic. start out prety good size then tend to crack over time. The lodge is 10' dia. so a lot of stones aren't necessary, just depends who is running it.
Usualy the stones are stacked on top of wood with more wood on top of the stones,and burned for about 3 hrs.
I thought the pipe would preeheat the air plus maby cause a rocket effect. I would need a grate, I'll try rebar being it is free.
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Post by Donkey on Nov 24, 2009 8:35:00 GMT -8
I've got a sweat lodge here on my place too.. Those rocks should be cherry red when they come into the lodge.
As good as rocket stoves and "free gas movement" are, I have my doubts as to weather they can do that job. (though if they can, I'll be VERY impressed and perhaps someone needs to prove me wrong) Those rocks kinda need to be right in the coals of the fire (IMHO). So, to me, this isn't really a rocket stove job... I'd build the thing like a big BBQ, provide ample air from all directions, a good draft to kick it all up and nestle the rocks down into the coals.
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Post by woodman on Nov 25, 2009 5:10:31 GMT -8
This tank is 20'' in dia. and 5' long. What about a series of 4'' dia. holes across the bottom say 5 of them. And then a series of holes across the back of the lid. Be interesting to get the right combo. to get it roaring inside.
I got to get the son-in-laws plasma cutter out and start whittling on this thing. I guess I could patch with sheet metal if I cut to much.
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Post by Donkey on Nov 26, 2009 13:48:37 GMT -8
Hmmm.... Seems to me that even a short stack will help a lot with draft.
How 'bout a removable shorty on top of the door?
Or two smaller stacks, one on either side of the door???
??
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Post by woodman on Nov 30, 2009 12:00:56 GMT -8
Well the other day I cut 12 - 1 1/2'' holes in the bottom and took the 6'' flange off a barrel I had. Haven't fired it up yet...   ![]() [/img] |
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