Re: Pellet Stove Principles... (also Junto?)

["Paul S. Anderson" <psanders@ilstu.edu>]

At 09:51 AM 1/31/02 -0500, Reedtb2@cs.com wrote:
> Dear Dean, Paul and
> All: 
>
> "Starting a fire above a fire" is certainly a good idea, but
> will require more air and more control, depending on the nature of the
> first fire.   

Tom,

I respond about "the nature of the first fire".

I light the gasification unit first, and it is in the lower
position.

It burns with a steady, moderate combustion that is altered in the
following ways:
      a.  I can cut back on the primary air
and thereby slow the pyrolyic gasification of the base fuel to try to
slow the flaming of the gasses at the top of the gasifier.
      b.  I currently do not attempt to
reduce the secondary air into the top of the gasifier.
      c.  The second fire (Rocket) above
will increase the drawing of air at all three levels:
                
1.  Primary air via air-pipe to gasifier fuel
                
2.  Secondary air to then burn those gasses in the upper part of the
gasifier
                
3.  All air (primary and secondary) into the Rocket area for
combustion of the fuel there.
      d.  The amount of air into the Rocket
area is not controlled (yet) by me, but could be controlled via:
               
1.  tighter fit between the gasifier and the Rocket.
               
2.  air entry via the side-load hole on the Rocket, that could be
partially closed with a door or other control.

But if too tight a fit, the draw via the secondary air of the gasifier
might increase too much, or even pull extra primary air via the air pipe,
which would accelerate the fire.

So Tom, what do I want to strive for?

Also, I have a hunch that well heated secondary air IS a good feature,
but heating of primary air is of little consequence.

Paul

Paul S. Anderson, Ph.D.,  Fulbright Prof. to Mozambique 8/99 - 7/00

Dept of Geography - Geology (Box 4400), Illinois State University

Normal, IL  61790-4400   Voice:  309-438-7360;  FAX:  309-438-5310

E-mail: psanders@ilstu.edu - Internet items:
www.ilstu.edu/~psanders