Let's see your combustion chambers!

I know there are a few picture threads out there already, but I wanted to start one specifically for people to post pics of their burn chambers. I'm curious to see different designs, how clean you guys keep it, and I just thought it'd be fun to have a pictures thread that's a little different than the usual. It's dark here right now (and my boiler is outdoors), but I'll post one of mine as soon as I can. If you have more than one boiler, or don't have posted in your signature what type of boiler you have, please let us know along with the picture! I'll leave it up to you guys whether you want to go empty, full, fire or no fire, or maybe more than one. If you do show a fire, let us know what you're burning!

This is called a Durf boiler, [sounded good for home made] an up draft boiler with 2 peep holes to look threw. one photo is bottom chamber other is top,flames are almost clear white hot, I think you can tell difference

Very nice! Sorry I haven't posted mine yet, but it blew the breaker the other day. Upon further investigation, I realized that it'd sprung a small leak, and the water level sensor was wet. Currently trying to figure out how to deal with this (the reservoir is spray-foamed on the Maxim, which makes everything 10x harder).

Sorry to hear that Danjayh. I ran into a guy this fall with one of those that he fought for 3 winters and finally gave up after welding it the second time. He has a stack of repair bills an inch deep for failed controls and other electronics. It's now sitting disconnected behind his shop. CB wouldn't do anything about it.

Turns out it was an easy fix, just a loose sensor allowing a small leak. Probably trauma from moving it (I got it second hand). The guy I got it from had been using it for 5 years with before he moved out of the house (and sold me the boiler); I think all he ever replaced was the burn pot and agitator paddle (CB upgraded those from steel to stainless, due to problems with burning pellets). I'll post my picture as soon as I have it!

Now that your all fixed up here's a picture. (Didn't want to rub it in) I know the back refractory is bad I have the replacement for it just not the time.

I'll finally stop being lazy and post mine. It's not as clean as some of you keep yours, but I hate cleaning it, and it's been idling periodically during the day with the weather swings we've been having... Usually there's more ash in the burn pot, but I had just poked it around with my stirring rod when I took this.

The picture below was taken looking down into the primary burn chamber of my heater based on the design of Professor Richard C. Hill.

The combustible gases created in this chamber are directed into a secondary chamber where they are burnt. However I have no way of photographing the burning in this chamber.

Glad to see that it's holding together for you. You must have really done your homework. Seldom is something as complicated as that assembled and successful on the first try. It could easily have been "works but fell apart" or "she doesn't heat that good but she's a thing of beauty."

Hi Fred61,

I am not Robinson Crusoe. This summer I am rebuilding the crumbling primary burn chamber paying more attention to following the manufacturer's instruction on curing the refractory. I am also going to make a number of modifications to the system to improve efficiency. One modification is to restrict the flow of water to the heat exchanger when starting from cold so that the temperature of the fire is maintained at a high level. As the water temperature increases a valve will meter water from the storage tank into the heat exchanger so that the temperature is maintained at a predetermined level.

My heater is a hobby and I'm no threat to the established manufacturers.

hello, they have a new type of material which they clam will hold up[c-cast] http://www.rsifibre.com/products/c-cast.php and also why would the temp of water make a difference in how it heats? Just wonder the reson behind this?

Hi Aussie88

To answer your query about why the temperature of the water can effect the efficiency of a wood fired boiler I will quote from an online article about gasifiers.

• • Dual combustion chambers. Many of the wood gasification models imported from Europe employ this technique. These units are designed to operate properly when they burn a load of wood in one continuous burn and transfer the resulting heat to a water storage container (usually 400 gallons or greater) where it is stored until the heat is needed.

• In these systems, the gases flow down through the fire into a secondary chamber where firebrick (or a ceramic material) creates the superheated environment necessary to complete the efficient combustion process. Keeping this secondary chamber at high temperatures is key to the performance of the overall system, hence the need for one continuous burn so that this chamber does not cool and lower the boiler efficiency.

The heat exchanger is close to the secondary chamber and if the temperature of the water is relatively cold (Below 110 F) it will rob too much heat from the secondary chamber and thus effect the secondary burning process.

Burning white ash.

Good idea!

I've attached photos of the primary and secondary chambers on my Effecta Lambda 35kW (both new and after a few thousand hours of operation).

Notice the primary chamber has tapered walls (wider at bottom than top) to prevent bridging of wood and smoke evacuation port above the door opening.

Notice the stainless steel burner (for incoming air) inside of the ceramics and the stainless steel afterburner and fully water jacketed secondary chamber (no refractory cement in floor) for maximum heat transfer of 2000F to water!

Look forward to seeing other primary and secondary chambers!

Here are some photos of my Effecta Lambda 35kW with almost 3,000 hours on it!