rocket heater/mass heat storage

[dave jersey]

Before erecting the greenhouse I'd prefer to have the support systems thought out and installed if they take up so much room i need to install them before the greenhouse goes up.  Been looking at rocket stove and rocket mass systems - efficient, don't take up that much room, and the mass can be used to hold things like tanks up with the added bonus of holding heat when the stove goes out.

Has anyone tried this yet, what are the pros/cons - or are we on new territory (doubt this muchly)?

We are looking at about a 20x30 greenhouse.  This may be the wrong forum to ask about recommended sizing, but does anyone here know where I could find rough efficiency and sizing calculations?

I'm the nuts'n bolts guy, my wife Kim Lewis is the stuff that grows part of our team.

Crossposting to the greenhouse forum as well.

Dave Jersey

[Rob Torcellini]

My system uses a RMH.  check out this playlist on the history of it.  (you probably could skip the first video)  http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtIuZ9K-UzcNnCmoKicRLzYQndplS...

[Leo White Bear]

I've been doing research on the RMH for some time now as I want to install one in a GH also.  Below are three links pertaining to the RMH.  Hope this helps.

 

http://ebooksfreedownload.org/2011/07/rocket-mass-heaters-supereffi...

http://pdfsb.com/rocket+mass+heaters

http://www.richsoil.com/rocket-stove-mass-heater.jsp 

[dave jersey]

Thanks Rob.  I really like the idea of using it to heat water for fish as well.  like the design, thinking after watching the saga and failure that a super efficient stove probably needs stouter pipe...

Rob Torcellini said:

My system uses a RMH.  check out this playlist on the history of it.  (you probably could skip the first video)  http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtIuZ9K-UzcNnCmoKicRLzYQndplS...

[Rob Torcellini]

I've updated it with fire brick and stainless.  It works much better now.  I have some other changes I'm going to do over the summer and will video that for next winter.  ;-)

[dave jersey]

What about using ceramic pipe for the internal chimney?

[Rob Torcellini]

A lot of people usually make up cob heat risers.  Usually the problem with using ceramic or clay liners is that they crack from the thermal stress.  There are a few people that have been recently experimenting with different ceramics.  If you haven't seen it, check out the forms on permies.com.

[Kimberly Irene Lewis]

Thank goodness for you two. I can take care of fish and plants but building rocket heaters for thermal mass heat storage and stuff like that.whew. I could do it if I had to but I'm so glad that Dave is into that aspect and I can concentrate on live things.