Warm winter

[gaz1]

I suspect this is stupid question, but can you burn MDF in a rocket stove?, I can get hold of significant amount of mdf from work, and it seems like a huge waste of energy going in the bin.

you can in an odd piece thrown in while your burning

same with the 4" chipboard blocks thats on pallets

as ive been known to do from time to time, would i substitute the chipboard blocks or mdf no its the wrong stuff to burn in any wood stove

it does change the smell on the exhaust size as theres normally no smell with them at all and its more of a softer exhaust heat

its also the same with the ash that does get in the chimney mines only really fine ash on stainless steel flue liner

you can incinerate at high temps with a rocket stove but you would need primary at very high temps and also secondary air at very high temps before you switched to incinerate mode

 

[fizzy]

I suspect this is stupid question, but can you burn MDF in a rocket stove?, I can get hold of significant amount of mdf from work, and it seems like a huge waste of energy going in the bin.

NO!
I can always tell when people are burning mdf from the awful stink. It makes me wheeze and cough. Not good for man or beast!

 

[nickk]

Someone criticised poplar,in our old house we burnt about 2.5 potato boxes,8’x5’x4’,per October-early may,it was free,but time consuming,however,the 5 radiators were all hot.

 

[fizzy]

Mdf uses a urea formaldehyde resin.
Found this about it.

"Health effects occur when UF-based materials and products release formaldehyde into the air. Generally, no health effects from formaldehyde are seen when air concentrations are below 1.0 ppm. The onset of respiratory irritation and other health effects, and even increased cancer risk, begin when air concentrations exceed 3.0–5.0 ppm. This triggers watery eyes, nose irritations, wheezing and coughing, fatigue, skin rash, severe allergic reactions, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans (usually > 1.0 ppm).[10][11]"

 

[julianf]

Mdf uses a urea formaldehyde resin.
Found this about it.

"Health effects occur when UF-based materials and products release formaldehyde into the air. Generally, no health effects from formaldehyde are seen when air concentrations are below 1.0 ppm. The onset of respiratory irritation and other health effects, and even increased cancer risk, begin when air concentrations exceed 3.0–5.0 ppm. This triggers watery eyes, nose irritations, wheezing and coughing, fatigue, skin rash, severe allergic reactions, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans (usually > 1.0 ppm).[10][11]"

A very very brief Google implies that the formaldehyde is release, and that's the irritant.

It is, however, highly flammable.
Hence my comments about dwell time.

Using a tenuous parallel, the matter antimatter flux on the horizon of a black hole. One part escapes and the other gets sucked in...

If there's something flammable being produced by thermal decay, then it can escape... But if the high temperature dwell time is better controlled then the issue is removed.

For example, if you have toxins in the smoke that have an autoignition temperature, of, say, 500c (random number), if you've got a bonfire going then plenty of them are going to escape. If you've got some setup where the smoke passes slowly through a chamber kept at 1000c, then they're not going to get out in the same way.

But that sort of thing takes space and weight. It's not what you would have sitting in the corner of your lounge.

 

[julianthegypsy]

A very very brief Google implies that the formaldehyde is release, and that's the irritant.

It is, however, highly flammable.
Hence my comments about dwell time.

Using a tenuous parallel, the matter antimatter flux on the horizon of a black hole. One part escapes and the other gets sucked in...

If there's something flammable being produced by thermal decay, then it can escape... But if the high temperature dwell time is better controlled then the issue is removed.

For example, if you have toxins in the smoke that have an autoignition temperature, of, say, 500c (random number), if you've got a bonfire going then plenty of them are going to escape. If you've got some setup where the smoke passes slowly through a chamber kept at 1000c, then they're not going to get out in the same way.

But that sort of thing takes space and weight. It's not what you would have sitting in the corner of your lounge.

There are some domestic stoves that would handle that but they are very expensive. As well as the heat, you need secondary and even tertiary preheated air supply otherwise after the initial burn there's not enough oxygen to keep it going. Clearview is one example of this, the window is spotless and all you see is flames dancing in mid air and a glowing log.

 

[armalites]

I suspect this is stupid question, but can you burn MDF in a rocket stove?, I can get hold of significant amount of mdf from work, and it seems like a huge waste of energy going in the bin.

One of my old colleagues had an extension built in rural property. He was tidying up stuff and stuck some offcuts of mdf and other processed board in the wood burner. When cam back to it he had to crawl along the floor with a towel on his head to get close enough to shut the vents it was burning that hot.

 

[armalites]

There are some domestic stoves that would handle that but they are very expensive. As well as the heat, you need secondary and even tertiary preheated air supply otherwise after the initial burn there's not enough oxygen to keep it going. Clearview is one example of this, the window is spotless and all you see is flames dancing in mid air and a glowing log.

I've got a Clearview and never get bored of the "Tales of the unexpected" flames

 

[James1979]

Poplar isn’t too bad but you can’t let it get too dry.

Willow is the same. My father used to get all the off cuts from someone who made cricket bats.

More than a year seasoning and they were worthless to burn.

Someone criticised poplar,in our old house we burnt about 2.5 potato boxes,8’x5’x4’,per October-early may,it was free,but time consuming,however,the 5 radiators were all hot.

 

[julianthegypsy]

I've got a Clearview and never get bored of the "Tales of the unexpected" flames

I swear that's why they make them like that. Nothing to do with efficiency, they figured out they could just mesmerize people into buying them!

 

[julianf]

We have a Woodwarm. Same sort of idea. I remember messing with it once and getting a single layer of flame some way above the fuel. The glass was like an underwater view port and the water surface was just a rippling layer of flame, with a good gap below it and then the fuel.

Who knows what goes on in the Rayburn. Cast iron door.

I did buy another door off eBay and thought about milling out a section and putting glass in, but didn't like the idea of the insurance conversation if it all went wrong.

 

[armalites]

We have a Woodwarm. Same sort of idea. I remember messing with it once and getting a single layer of flame some way above the fuel. The glass was like an underwater view port and the water surface was just a rippling layer of flame, with a good gap below it and then the fuel.

We had a few moments where we've had it ticking over and put an extra log on. The log sits there until the gases get to a high enough temperature and ignite. Scares the life out of you with the woosh it makes

 

[gaz1]

I swear that's why they make them like that. Nothing to do with efficiency, they figured out they could just mesmerize people into buying them!

wood stoves arnt efficient enough and definatly not the old type of woodstove

not even the xeoos twinfire looks loverly pumps out twice the heat with 40 percent less wood usage to a normal wood stove

but not as good as a rocket stove that uses much less

i also dont like the new electric wood stoves or the wood boilers as there not really energy efficent as they say as they are using electric power

 

[armalites]

wood stoves arnt efficient enough and definatly not the old type of woodstove

Which one of the Clearview stoves have you had? They are very good and don't use a much wood compared with many. In the winter ours often runs 24/7 and we probably empty the ash pan once a week sometime less.

 

[reb78]

We have a Woodwarm. Same sort of idea. I remember messing with it once and getting a single layer of flame some way above the fuel. The glass was like an underwater view port and the water surface was just a rippling layer of flame, with a good gap below it and then the fuel.

Who knows what goes on in the Rayburn. Cast iron door.

I did buy another door off eBay and thought about milling out a section and putting glass in, but didn't like the idea of the insurance conversation if it all went wrong.

Pretty sure there is a company that make glass door conversions for Rayburns. A friend has one. I'm considering it when we install in a month or so.

 

[julianf]

Pretty sure there is a company that make glass door conversions for Rayburns. A friend has one. I'm considering it when we install in a month or so.

Yep, i saw them years ago, i think. I think (from memory) theyre a company that buys up gas units and converts them to solid fuel, and then makes up a (welded) top door.

That would, i guess, be on their insurance then (or something) rather than me just having at it. And, if my memory is right, then the door kind of looked a bit wrong, being welded angle, rather than the original cast.


I guess the bottom line was that i wasnt "that" bothered to pursue the idea!

 

[julianf]

just googled.... this -

Barry Charman. He's been doing it for years and years now. The door below looks better than i remember them looking, but its for a conversion stove, not an original - i think that one would have started out as gas or oil.

 

[reb78]

No damper on the bottom door ^^^ - I would think that could run away on solid fuel? Unless I am missing an adjustment (so I think you are right, it looks like a conversion of something)

 

[reb78]

No riddling mechanism either. Cant see that being fun to run on solid fuel!

 

[reb78]

The door doesnt look awful but not that in keeping really I suppose!