Tommey Reed Rocket Mass Heater Project

[TommeyLReed]

Hi All,

It's almost that time for cold weather again, so I just finished a rocket mass heater design.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1btCpb4puM

Tom

[MarkE]

That looks like nice metal work for ten hours work.  The burn looks like it is working well.  If you place the unit in a corner, I would place a heat shield / reflector between the unit and the walls.  You will get more heat out into the room and reduce the risk of pyrolizing the walls behind the unit.  I would be sure to put a CO monitor/alarm pretty close to that unit so that if for whatever reason the draft  reverses you don't get poisoned. 

I am also a bit concerned about those fumes coming from your paint.  There's pretty good potential there for some pretty toxic stuff.  Make sure that you use paint that won't out gas nasty things at the temperatures your metal work reaches.

[TommeyLReed]

Hi All,

Thanks, Mark E.

Ok, this is the next part for the rocket mass heater, a water injected diaphragm steam engine.

How it works is using high temperature diaphragm with a linear piston and a stainless steel pot.

Step 1: Preheat surface of pot.
Step 2: As piston most downward to bottom of the pot, water is injected that converts into steam.
step 3: As the steam force the piston upward, it hits the release valve to allow extra steam to decrease pressure.
step 4: Piston is allow to move downward until is close the valve and the water to be injected again.

What do you all think?

Tom

[TechStuf]

Tommy, great work man.  Interesting to see RMH without the M.  Been thinkin on that myself for awhile.  I use Reflectix for a wall and ceiling liner.  Works great, stays very cool.  Rocket Heaters are some of the simplest ways to get very clean burns.  I've seen people at outdoor fairs that put their face in the exhaust train, reporting very little odor and just a bit of warmth.  Ultra efficient.   Of course, modern EPA woodstoves with secondary burn are also very efficient, with people reporting going from burning 4 to 5 cords a season down to 2 or even less!  Another cheap way to get efficient burns is with a 30 or 55 gallon drum barrel and vogelzang barrel kit.  One can then install their own secondary burn tubes easily, as well as a Hilkoil or similar water heater loop.  I burn hot and clean in cycles, allowing my fires to burn out completely, and even in dead of winter, usually, can coast nearly all night without a burn.  Been using wood heat for most all my life.  About the only thing I'd consider trading up for is Hydrogen Catalysis. 

"Honey, pour another gallon of water in the furnace, it's down to 75 degrees in here!"


TS

[MarkE]

Hi All,

Thanks, Mark E.

Ok, this is the next part for the rocket mass heater, a water injected diaphragm steam engine.

How it works is using high temperature diaphragm with a linear piston and a stainless steel pot.

Step 1: Preheat surface of pot.
Step 2: As piston most downward to bottom of the pot, water is injected that converts into steam.
step 3: As the steam force the piston upward, it hits the release valve to allow extra steam to decrease pressure.
step 4: Piston is allow to move downward until is close the valve and the water to be injected again.

What do you all think?

Tom

I think that it can work.  However, Strirling engines are by far the most efficient hot air engines.  If you want to build a rocket stove powered generator, I would look to a Stirling engine.