Let's say some idiot was building a stove.

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Danno77

Danno77

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Oct 27, 2008
5,008
Hamilton, IL
So, let's say some idiot (me, of course) was making plans to build a stove. Please, do not let your NFPA knowledge or better senses overwhelm your scientific curiosities as you respond.

Are there a set of intake and exhaust equations as they relate to firebox sizes or fuel capacities and burn rates? I'm stuck in the chimney stages (don't be constricted by your standard chimney sizes here) and need to make sure that my chimney is large enough (or small enough, in this case actually) to provide adequate draft to the small firebox. I also need to make sure that my intake (airtight with wash) is large enough.

pics will be forthcoming as the build progresses, but I can't start the build on this until I know the chimney and intake for fabrication purposes.
 
Unless I am trying a redesign or something totally new, I usually revert to what has already been proven to work. If you are gonna make a 3 cuft burner - look at how they are designed, specs, etc? If you are gonna build a splitter - why not look at the timberwolf or similar machine to which you are trying to reproduce. 3 billion Chinese can't be wrong.;lol
 
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Jags said:
Unless I am trying a redesign or something totally new, I usually revert to what has already been proven to work. If you are gonna make a 3 cuft burner - look at how they are designed, specs, etc? If you are gonna build a splitter - why not look at the timberwolf or similar machine to which you are trying to reproduce. 3 billion Chinese can't be wrong.;lol
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But, Jagsy. I'm a freaking Pioneer. it's never been built before. not even close.
 
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Good question. Why do the Englander the Englander VL-17 and NC-30 both operate on 6 inch flues, but the Equinox (not much bigger than the Englander) operates on an 8 inch flue. The NC-30 is 3 times bigger than the VL-17. Intake to Exhaust ratios?
 
Danno77 said:
But, Jagsy. I'm a freaking Pioneer. it's never been built before. not even close.
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I am all for it. I fly by the seat of my pants on much of the "gonna build me one of those" projects. BUT - while figuring out the "whutthis" and the "howcomes" I am probably not gonna spend the grey matter time to do the calcs. The current lot of stoves out there had people with a bunch of equipment figuring out the best combo of intake and exhaust sizes. I would probably build to similar specs.

EPA build or smoke dragon?
 
Is there anyone out there that offers EPA approved designed specs for a wood burning stove to be sold to the independent fabricator/home-owner/do-it-yourselfer???????

Huge liability of course.............but just asking!!!
 
dorkweed said:
Is there anyone out there that offers EPA approved designed specs for a wood burning stove to be sold to the independent fabricator/home-owner/do-it-yourselfer???????

Huge liability of course.............but just asking!!!
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Selling EPA approved designs? Not that I'm aware of. You can build a stove and get it EPA approved, but even that takes some major $$.
 
May I suggest you make a catalytic stove. A conventional stove is going to take a good design to burn cleanly and well. you may be remaking it or modifying it a few times. With a cat stove. You can build a box, have a primary air intake that's adjustable and then a second air intake that is also adjustable providing oxygen to the cat. That way you can fine tune it as it burns and get it right the first time. You could probably make an adjustable air intake for the secondary on the conventional stove, but I think you may still run into problems. You have to get the draft right, that added oxygen right, etc. With a cat. If the cat's hot, there's oxygen available to the cat, then anything going through it is going to burn.
 
just so you know...there is a Woodstove Design Challenge gong on right now...registrations open until October. Ribbons, fame, the admiration of the Hearth.com community are among the prizes offered, though you may end up competeing against.....me, and some other teams too. Whatever you do, do not make a better stove, I'm doing that one.:)
 
i think also that most flue to intake sizes are calculated using mass, not volume. You need X lbs of air to burn X lbs of wood....or at least to get the target emissions.
 
Delta-T said:
i think also that most flue to intake sizes are calculated using mass, not volume. You need X lbs of air to burn X lbs of wood....or at least to get the target emissions.
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Yep, I wondered the same, that's why I said firebox size or fuel capacity, which I equate to "actual amount of fuel I can fit in there."
 
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