I have searched this site and have came up with some usefull info but have a few more questions I could not get answered thru the search.
I was looking to build my own stainless outside wood/coal furnce for heating my bussiness and home. I have looked at some plans, and truefully they look like slapped together junk. I was going to try to make this as effecent as possible so I had a few ideas.
1. Instead of having a (pot of water on top) I was thinking of making a core(burn chamber), then a shell and have the core surrounded by water (would this even be worth doing?).
2. Having the exhaust gasses exit low and out the back of the core split into many small exhaust ducts instead of one big pipe. Giving these many smaller exhaust tubing running thru the water also than converging at the top and going out through the top of the burn box. (Thinking many small pipes would have more surface area then one big one as long as I make them so they can still be cleaned out) Would this be a problem if it actually chilled the flue gases to much?
3. I would use a heat exchanger to steal off any heat that is left to be recycled thru the burn chamber(as someone on here suggested earlier in another thread)by forced induction (My specialty in another field)
4. The out side of the water chamber would be surrounded by a heavy frame and filled with sand. My water piping would run from the top of the tank straight through the sand and to the house and shop. The returning hose would zig zag thru the sand then exit into the bottom of the tank. I was going to use a seprate pump and coils for the house and shop.
I have all the nessary machines to take on this project, even a cnc plasma cutter that we can cut up to 1 inch stainless with. What do you guys think? Is it worth my while? should I make it out of totall stainless? What thickness should I use? seems like everyone was using 1/4 mild steel in their burn chambers, don't this seem thin?
The house is 1500 square feet upstairs and the same in the basement (if I figured correctly) the shop is only 750 square feet. Is there any formulas that would help me figure out how much water I should use in my chamber. and totall system? Is there a formula to figure out what size chamber would be the most effecent? Is this a major worry or am I just over thinking the project? If I use a proper antifreeze mix would mild steel be good enough being in contact with sand?
Thank you guys for any replies,
Brian Horne