My log burner's lovely window

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My log burner's lovely window

Postby Monsanto » Mon Mar 16, 2015 10:49 pm

I really like looking at the fire through the 45 x 22cm glass in the door to my log burner. So the question is; can the batch feed box be tapered ie. wider at the door end to accommodate a bigger viewing area? If anyone has tried this (unsuccessfully) or there is good evidence not to do same, I would be pleased (well maybe not too pleased) to hear.
Have seen the idea of using a side window, but think this raises as many issues as it solves.
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Re: My log burner's lovely window

Postby matt walker » Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:11 am

I haven't heard of anyone changing the dimensions that way, but I think it might still work ok. It will probably be much more prone to smoking out the door when loading and such, but with a good door and proper air inlets I think it would function ok. I doubt the fire show would be much to see from that end of the fuel, but I do like having a window there myself, so.... yeah. Interesting idea.
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Re: My log burner's lovely window

Postby Monsanto » Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:14 am

Matt, thanks for your reply. It's encouraging to know that it might work. I have been following your thread (Donkey's experiments,Pre-port tube secondary air arrangement). If I understood that correctly the fire in the feed chamber is more "lazy", which I thought might be more aesthetically pleasing when viewed from the door end.
On that thread there was a comment to angle the sides of the port if using a square section vertical tube, rotated through 45 deg. Is there any reason not to make the end of the batch box, nearest the riser, angled on the vertical faces like a funnel?
Lastly, there is a pine and eucalyptus forest behind our land that affords an unlimited supply of cones. I rather like the idea of having some sort of semi automatic sloping feed tube to drop these into the box without having to open the door. What do you think?
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Re: My log burner's lovely window

Postby matt walker » Tue Mar 17, 2015 3:14 pm

I think the subtle shape changes aren't worth messing with unless you have instruments and are trying to fine tune very small improvements, otherwise you will never know if you are making things better or worse, and the fiddly details will be a pain for no real benefit. That's my opinion, but messing with new designs is really fun so I would be right there with you if you ignore what I wrote above and do some crazy shapes!

The cones will be awesome fuel for a rocket, the hopper will be tough but not insurmountable. I don't have any experience with trying though, so don't have much to add, other than I know you probably realize the intention of these things is to burn super hot for a short time and charge up a mass. If I were you I would operate under that theory and see how the cones do without a long burn cycle. I imagine in practice you may not want a hopper at all once you get going. I would guess that if you end up desiring a long burn, you might find it's better to just switch to a different fuel format when you want the slower burn. Just some thoughts.
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