Merch store here: https://suburbanbiology.creator-spring.comTHE BOOK I USED: "The Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide: Complete Step-by-Step Construction, Mai...
You talking about the metal drum? Seems like that’s necessary. He explains why in the video, tldw: it radiates heat which cools the exhaust, causing it to sink, and this starts pulling air through the combustion chamber. He calls it an air siphon at one point. Yeah you lose some heat from this, but without that siphon it won’t create the jet furnace in the firebox. Maybe there’s a way to engineer that without metal, I have no idea.
The heat is all being dumped into the living space either way, so you aren’t losing anything from the metal. It takes away from how much heat will be available in the earthen part after the stove is turned off, but it still warms the room. Plus I imagine it’s nice to have some heat immediately instead of having to start the fire hours before you actually want it.
You could adjust the design if you wanted to change the ratio of fast heat and slow heat, but you would always need to have some part with a high thermal conductivity.
You talking about the metal drum? Seems like that’s necessary. He explains why in the video, tldw: it radiates heat which cools the exhaust, causing it to sink, and this starts pulling air through the combustion chamber. He calls it an air siphon at one point. Yeah you lose some heat from this, but without that siphon it won’t create the jet furnace in the firebox. Maybe there’s a way to engineer that without metal, I have no idea.
The heat is all being dumped into the living space either way, so you aren’t losing anything from the metal. It takes away from how much heat will be available in the earthen part after the stove is turned off, but it still warms the room. Plus I imagine it’s nice to have some heat immediately instead of having to start the fire hours before you actually want it.
You could adjust the design if you wanted to change the ratio of fast heat and slow heat, but you would always need to have some part with a high thermal conductivity.
Good point!