I'm just trying to prepare for burning...still roadblocks to my stove burning, but we're getting there!
I want to be sure I have this sorted out in the little bit of working gray matter that I have. Here's the scenario...
After building the last fire for the night in my F3CB with good seasoned wood, letting the wood get charred good, secondaries kicking in, and gradually cutting back the primary air control handle all the way (which still allows about 25% air supply) I go to bed.
In the morning the fire has burned down to ash and coal (if things work out really well I might have some live coals left).
I'm curious about the time period when the fire/coals are beginning to use up the existing fuel and the stove temp and flue temp are beginning to fall. My curiosity here is concerning creating creosote in the flue/stove.
My thought is that the volatile gases and oils from the wood are burned off during the initial flaming period of the fire, secondary combustion, and early coaling stages. Is it safe to say that once the flames have diminished and the burn goes into the coaling(?) stage and sufficient air is still present then this is a clean burn and creosote formation is happening no more than when the fire was actively flaming? And that as the fire dies down and eventually dies out due to lack of fuel (not oxygen) that it is/was a clean burn?
In my newbie mind I can understand a smoldering fire (wet wood, low oxygen, etc.) as being an incomplete combustion of fuel/gases. Also, in my newbie mind, I want to think that a fire that is dieing from lack of fuel but with sufficient oxygen is a clean fire. In other words, a good burning but dieing fire is a clean burning fire...not smoldering.
I'm just trying to get things sorted in my mind. So...am I half way in the ballpark with my thinking? ...should the guys in the white jackets come get me (again)?
Well, I've probably got everyone scratching there heads over another bumbling, rambling Intheswamp post but hopefully I haven't expressed too much brain-damaged (one cell at a time) thinking. :red:
Ed
I want to be sure I have this sorted out in the little bit of working gray matter that I have. Here's the scenario...
After building the last fire for the night in my F3CB with good seasoned wood, letting the wood get charred good, secondaries kicking in, and gradually cutting back the primary air control handle all the way (which still allows about 25% air supply) I go to bed.
In the morning the fire has burned down to ash and coal (if things work out really well I might have some live coals left).
I'm curious about the time period when the fire/coals are beginning to use up the existing fuel and the stove temp and flue temp are beginning to fall. My curiosity here is concerning creating creosote in the flue/stove.
My thought is that the volatile gases and oils from the wood are burned off during the initial flaming period of the fire, secondary combustion, and early coaling stages. Is it safe to say that once the flames have diminished and the burn goes into the coaling(?) stage and sufficient air is still present then this is a clean burn and creosote formation is happening no more than when the fire was actively flaming? And that as the fire dies down and eventually dies out due to lack of fuel (not oxygen) that it is/was a clean burn?
In my newbie mind I can understand a smoldering fire (wet wood, low oxygen, etc.) as being an incomplete combustion of fuel/gases. Also, in my newbie mind, I want to think that a fire that is dieing from lack of fuel but with sufficient oxygen is a clean fire. In other words, a good burning but dieing fire is a clean burning fire...not smoldering.
I'm just trying to get things sorted in my mind. So...am I half way in the ballpark with my thinking? ...should the guys in the white jackets come get me (again)?
Well, I've probably got everyone scratching there heads over another bumbling, rambling Intheswamp post but hopefully I haven't expressed too much brain-damaged (one cell at a time) thinking. :red:
Ed