Help identifying missing fireplace heat exchanger components

[letinsh]

Howdy! First post here - thanks for your help, in advance.

My fireplace was originally an open-fire wood burning fireplace. It was built with an integral heat exchanger in the masonry. Somewhere along the line, someone put gas logs in and removed parts of the heat exchanger. Now that I own the house, I've removed the gas logs with the intention of burning wood again.

I can find nothing online that remotely resembles what I have, so I am unable to reconstruct the exchanger without help. Please see attached pictures.

The blower is located under the house in the crawlspace and blows air, I believe, into the center tube (yellow arrow). There is a knob to the side of the fireplace that controls it. I believe the tubes on either side (red arrows) are connected to the vents in the hearth (red arrows). The tubes in either side wall (blue arrows) go directly outside and provide fresh air (?). They have dampers in them controlled by the t-handles on the front of the fireplace.

Clearly I'm missing the portion that sits in the fireplace itself, but I have no idea what it should look like or how it should be routed. Any insight would be appreciated!

 

[bholler]

Are you going to try to heat with the fireplace or is it just for ambiance?

 

[letinsh]

Good question. Not mainly for heat but this room, compared to the rest of the house, tends to be closer to the outside temp (hot in summer, cold in winter), so when we're in there, we will gladly take the additional heat. I burned $600ish in propane last winter with the gas logs,hence the switch back to wood. I'll use whatever heat I produce.

 

[bholler]

Good question. Not mainly for heat but this room, compared to the rest of the house, tends to be closer to the outside temp (hot in summer, cold in winter), so when we're in there, we will gladly take the additional heat. I burned $600ish in propane last winter with the gas logs,hence the switch back to wood. I'll use whatever heat I produce.

Chances are you will loose heat with an open fireplace. If you are ok with that and still want an open fireplace i would fill any holes that are not for fresh air supply with firebrick. That contraption was probably very ineffective or it would still be there.

 

[xman23]

Interesting, It looks like a home brew heat exchanger. I guessing it was a tube system with air forced through them. Maybe some one here has seen this before. So gas or wood burning will be the same, heat going up the chimney and not much in the room. If your thinking of heating the house you need a insert or stove.

 

[jetsam]

Imagine cutting a 10x10 hole in the wall for the winter.

Now imagine forcing air out through the hole very rapidly using a tall stack and a fire to create a strong draft.

That's why we invented woodstoves in the 1500s. A fireplace is good at warming up a person sitting by the fireplace, but not at all good at heating a structure due to the huge volume of freezing cold outside air being constantly drawn in.

 

[letinsh]

I'm aware of the thermodynamics of the situation. As I mentioned, it is primarily for ambiance. The reference to propane was strictly to give an idea as to how often we used the fireplace. I can buy over 6 cords of wood for that price, so it is more economical to burn wood (plus I love the smell and process of building and maintaining a fire).
As there was originally an exchanger in there, I was strictly wondering if there was any insight into how it was plumbed. With the air inlet under the house with the blower, I'm confused as to the function of the tubes on the sides of the fireplace (blue arrows). Were they connected to the system or do they serve another purpose? If they were, how was the plumbing routed?

 

[MAD MARK]

Looking at that I would have guessed that the blower feeds the blue arrows to supply "outside" air to try to counteract the whole "thermodynamics situation"

But if you are sure that the blower feeds the yellow arrow, no clue.

 

[letinsh]

Looking at that I would have guessed that the blower feeds the blue arrows to supply "outside" air to try to counteract the whole "thermodynamics situation"

But if you are sure that the blower feeds the yellow arrow, no clue.

Thank you. I snaked all the lines and the blower does indeed feed the yellow arrow. The blue arrows exit the ack of the chimney. See attached. Those two squares with mesh over them.

*edit-looks like I can't upload the picture right now. Sorry