Operating an EPA woodstove is confusing, maybe too complex, for some users. Automation should be invented to simplify the control of wood fuel through the burn cycle. The technology and components have been around for decades. A clothes dryer, automatic coffee maker and water softener are technologically more advanced than most woodstoves.
A cheap microprocessor, running the automated stove's program, would control the 4 phases of burning wood. This "brain" with temperature inputs (probes - thermocouples or varistors) will control all air intakes with positional servo motors to
eliminate guesswork and get an efficient & clean burn. Algorithms will detect the charcoal stage and either signal the human for reload or detect (drop in firebox temp.) a new cycle. The program knows just when to close the damper (and closes it) for cat stoves and when to taper off the primary air (and does it) for non-cats. Having gathered historical temperature data over time, the program deduces flue throughput, fuel quality and load. It uses this data for optimum burn per the season's demand (shoulder season? mid-winter? all-nighter?).
This system would need to have MODES for different users. For example- EXPERT mode (most PPL on this forum) may want to totally control the air and/or damper manually just like today. Or they may want to switch the brain into AUTO so they can fill the firebox and go to work or sleep. Some stoves need 'tweaking' through the cycle - the brain would do that using temperature sensor info. For example - no more wood outgassing, all coals = the intake is opened to burn away some coals, then at 300 f.(or whatever you want) it signals for more wood. This controller would have a display and USB port (ever wonder how hot that stove got with nobody around?). Historical temperature data gathered by the program can tell how many BTU's were provided last winter or last week. Given a way to contact you (alarm or an I.P. address or dialer for your cell phone), it could signal for a reload or complain of damp wood. It could know when gaskets are leaky or the flue isn't pulling well. For safety, the default position of intakes controlled by this brain is "closed".
BK owners need not apply.
Thoughts?
A cheap microprocessor, running the automated stove's program, would control the 4 phases of burning wood. This "brain" with temperature inputs (probes - thermocouples or varistors) will control all air intakes with positional servo motors to
eliminate guesswork and get an efficient & clean burn. Algorithms will detect the charcoal stage and either signal the human for reload or detect (drop in firebox temp.) a new cycle. The program knows just when to close the damper (and closes it) for cat stoves and when to taper off the primary air (and does it) for non-cats. Having gathered historical temperature data over time, the program deduces flue throughput, fuel quality and load. It uses this data for optimum burn per the season's demand (shoulder season? mid-winter? all-nighter?).
This system would need to have MODES for different users. For example- EXPERT mode (most PPL on this forum) may want to totally control the air and/or damper manually just like today. Or they may want to switch the brain into AUTO so they can fill the firebox and go to work or sleep. Some stoves need 'tweaking' through the cycle - the brain would do that using temperature sensor info. For example - no more wood outgassing, all coals = the intake is opened to burn away some coals, then at 300 f.(or whatever you want) it signals for more wood. This controller would have a display and USB port (ever wonder how hot that stove got with nobody around?). Historical temperature data gathered by the program can tell how many BTU's were provided last winter or last week. Given a way to contact you (alarm or an I.P. address or dialer for your cell phone), it could signal for a reload or complain of damp wood. It could know when gaskets are leaky or the flue isn't pulling well. For safety, the default position of intakes controlled by this brain is "closed".
BK owners need not apply.
Thoughts?