Jetstream Rollcall

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hobbyheater

Minister of Fire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetstream_furnace

The Jetstream boiler was built pre EPA regulations and still exceeds these requirements! It was one of the first commercially built gasification wood boilers and can likely match many of its modern counterparts in performance. Its production was very short lived. From 1981-1983 and only around 900 or so units were produced.

What I would like to find out is how many may still be in use? Do you still operate one, have a spare, know of one in use, sent yours to the scrap pile or have used one.
 

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That looks like a nice compact unit. What is the btu output?

Moving to the boiler room to get more coverage from boiler users.
 
Thats an interesting boiler, I wonder if they were just sold in Canada? Randy
 
Singed Eyebrows said:
Thats an interesting boiler, I wonder if they were just sold in Canada? Randy

That is interesting and possible , Tom in Maine would know.

Pictures a new refractory liner , and a complete base liner installed.
 

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It's great that you are keeping this baby in good condition. Where did you find a refractory liner?
 
hobbyheater said:
Singed Eyebrows said:
Thats an interesting boiler, I wonder if they were just sold in Canada? Randy

That is interesting and possible , Tom in Maine would know.

Pictures a new refractory liner , and a complete base liner installed.
I too am wondering if you bought or cast this liner yourself. Did this slip in the old ceramic outside or did you then pour the outside to the steel frame? It looks like there is a lot of expensive ceramic in this boiler, Randy
 
Jetstreams were sold in the US and Canada.
I called them about 15 years ago and asked if they were going to make them again (it was only a couple years after they had stopped).

At that time, they were not interested since they felt the unit cost too much to manufacture.

Allan, Nice job on the new base!!
 
BeGreen said:
It's great that you are keeping this baby in good condition. Where did you find a refractory liner?

The refractory liner was purchased from Kerr controls in Feb. 2011. Kerr at that time, said they had one more but were still making clean out plugs and tunnels. I have made molds to make my own refractory tunnels and clean out plugs .
The refractory base was what made the boiler so clean burning and efficient but its expense was likely its undoing.
Since joining Hearth.com a short while ago, I have learned that its modern counterparts work on a much different principal. The Jetstream was designed to burn clean through the entire burn cycle.
The modern down draft units appear more to cook the wood then burn the smoke as it passes through the coal bed into the refractory nozzle.
The Jetstream at about hour 3 of a burn, the base really starts to transfer heat into the heat exchanger above, almost like a kettle on top of a hot stove. An example of this heat transfer - after the fire is out, the circulator runs for another 3-4 hours taking the bottom of 1000 gallon storage from 165-170 F to 175- 180 F..

Picture is of the heat exchange showing the loading chamber and heat exchange tubes.
 

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Singed Eyebrows" date="1324870144[quote author="Singed Eyebrows said:
I too am wondering if you bought or cast this liner yourself. Did this slip in the old ceramic outside or did you then pour the outside to the steel frame? It looks like there is a lot of expensive ceramic in this boiler, Randy


The liner I bought from Kerr Controls. The fill between the liner and the metal frame is poured with vermiculite. I had considered making a mold and a new liner but the 800-900 lbs of refractory cement was going to be about $1500, so I purchased the new liner as it is a proven product.
Over the boiler, I have an overhead track so with the old liner and vermiculite removed, the new liner could have been lowered into place and the vermiculite replaced between the liner and box.
Pictured is the heat exchanger being moved back to the base following repair to the original liner.

The repair to the original liner I did in September of this year and so far, it has been a success with no cracks.
 

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Tom in Maine said:
Allan, Nice job on the new base!!

I would like to take credit for the job on the new base. This is the base to unit 0175, a Hampton Technologies Jetstream that I purchased in October off of eBay. The boiler was still on its original shipping pallet.
My oldest daughter and husband are home for Christmas and I was telling them of my plans to acquire a third dead Jetstream so I can play and install the new liner. Some language about me kicking the bucket and them getting these things out of the basement. But it would have been fun!
 
I'm not on here often anymore but I had 3 Jetstreams, now down to 2. One is a good one, the other is a neglected prototype Hampton with a huge fuel chamber for softwood. I sold my early Hampton Jetstream to a gentleman in Ontario a couple of years ago.
 
Very interesting Alan. Thank you for sharing the pictures and the story. I have seen you post some other very interesting pictures in other forums, if I remember correctly. Keep them coming. Like to see them.
 
Really too bad the Jetstream was discontinued - especially since I live less than a half hour from the (former) Kerr factory, and saying 'gassification' to anyone around here just gets you blank looks in return. And everywhere you look there's chimneys spitting smoke. Bad enough when technology gets stuck where it's at, but when it goes backwards?

Oy my bloodpressure....
 
I grew up about 20 min from where Hampton Industries built them in the early 80's. I remember going out to see them with my father. He was involved with the energy from waste system that is used to heat many of the public buildings in Charlottetown.
http://www.biomasscenter.org/resources/case-studies/communityde/241-charlottetown.html

The company he worked for was also invoved in what we called the rush to solar.
Gee I wonder if this had any long term impact on my chioces.

A Canadian built gassifier

heat%20for%202012-2013%20014_zps026da4a9.jpg


And Canadian built Solar panels

housereno008.jpg
 
Are those Thermodynamics on the roof - and a Newfoundland 'pop-can' one on the right? Solar also crosses my mind from time to time - and I also considered an Empyre.

I'm also 15 minutes from Benjamin & less than an hour from Newmac - all building wood boilers with old tech. Cue the frustration - they're missing out on catching the 'green wave'.
 
Are those Thermodynamics on the roof - and a Newfoundland 'pop-can' one on the right? Solar also crosses my mind from time to time - and I also considered an Empyre.

I'm also 15 minutes from Benjamin & less than an hour from Newmac - all building wood boilers with old tech. Cue the frustration - they're missing out on catching the 'green wave'.

Yep Thermodynamics system for DHW, and Cansolair for space heating
 
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