Efficiency of the furnace and heat exchanger - which design to prefer

Here you will learn:

• Eight ways to increase efficiency
• Integrated approach and technical solutions

Traditional potbelly stoves are not characterized by the highest efficiency. Up to 30-40% of the heat they generate flies into the chimney. Simple technical devices will allow you to increase the efficiency of a potbelly stove. In this review, we'll look at eight ways to increase the efficiency of these furnaces. They differ in level of complexity, but all work is done with your own hands using auxiliary tools. Let's go through these methods in more detail.

Improving the furnace, increasing efficiency: what is needed

To modernize the furnace, you will need steel wire of round or rectangular cross-section.
The size will depend on the traction force and the size of the oven itself. But if we take the average value, then a section of 6-8 mm will be quite sufficient. This wire must be twisted into a spiral. The length of the spiral should be equal to the height of the boiling water container located on the chimney pipe. PHOTO: YouTube.com A regular spiral can significantly increase the efficiency of a wood-burning stove

How and where to place the wire spiral

A spiral made of wire rod must be placed inside the chimney exactly at the level of the boiling water tank. But in order to secure it, you will have to use your imagination. There are several options here. Some people advise grabbing the end of the spiral from below, on the exhaust from the firebox. However, such fasteners may fall apart over time, so it is best to be on the safe side.

In addition to such a tack, you can use steel wire passing through the entire chimney to the very top. Moreover, if you don’t use welding at all, you can even clean the chimney from time to time, simply pulling the spiral out through the top, and then lowering it back.

PHOTO: YouTube.com This is how the spiral should be positioned in the chimney

How to increase the heat output of a furnace

So, how to increase the efficiency of such a stove? There are several simple ways. The most basic one is to put a brick screen around the stove. The bricks don’t even need to be held together with clay; just lay them on top of each other. You can fold such a screen near the side walls, or you can fold it at both side and rear walls. The brick will heat up while the fire is burning, and when it becomes small or goes out, it will give off heat. You won't have to add fuel often. One of the features of a potbelly stove is that the stove is light and mobile. With such a screen, it will not lose its mobility, because the bricks can be disassembled at any time, the stove can be rearranged and the screen can be folded in a new place.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SNKEQmQMxl4

There is another method with a screen, which also increases heat transfer. In this case, a sheet metal screen is mounted at some distance from the side and/or rear wall of the stove. The sheets can be secured using long bolts. In this case, the effect of convection is added.

There is another simple way to increase heat transfer. This time the stove's chimney is being modernized. Typically, such stoves have a straight chimney. It is removed through the roof of the room in which the stove is installed. If you add several bends to the pipe, then the heat transfer will increase, although not by much. In this case, the pipe will resemble the letter S.

If you want it to be much warmer, then you need to take 2 tanks from old-style washing machines. The tanks are welded together, and a chimney is passed through them. Thus, above the potbelly stove, which is heated with wood, there is also a stove of the same size, heated by hot smoke. Heat transfer almost doubles.

Another method is to weld additional ribs onto the stove and chimney, for example, from metal angles. In this case, the chimney must be made of thick metal. Such fins significantly increase the heated surface area. An increase in area leads to faster heating of the surrounding air. The room becomes warmer. In addition, thick metal retains heat even when the fire in the firebox is no longer burning.

But still, it will not be possible to endlessly increase the efficiency of this heating device. And if you want to have a full-fledged stove in the room, you will have to build it out of brick according to all the rules, so that the stove retains heat for a long time, for example, all night. For example, there is no need to increase the efficiency of a Russian stove; it already retains heat for a very long time. True, in order to fold it correctly, you will have to call a stove specialist.

Types of metal furnaces

But let's not immediately write off this model, which faithfully served the baths for many years. Today, modern Kulibins offer an improved potbelly stove, which is classified as a long-burning stove.

What has changed inside the structure itself?

• Firstly, its combustion chamber was divided into two parts by a horizontal partition. Firewood is burned in the lower one, and flue gases are burned in the upper one. They pass through a channel left on the side in the form of a gap between the partition and the vertical wall of the device.
• Secondly, the firewood is stacked tightly together so that it burns with less oxygen.
• Thirdly, special channels are installed through which fresh air enters the second combustion chamber.

And yet these metal stoves are not the most economical. And their efficiency is not very high. That's why we offer other types of products.

However, there are two very important warnings:

• A metal sauna stove must be made of sheet iron with a minimum thickness of 4 mm. You can also make it from a pipe.
• It must be covered with bricks. This will increase the safety of the structure and create conditions for uniform heat distribution throughout the room.

Attention! One of the biggest advantages of homemade metal stoves is that there is no need to build a large and durable base. There are many base options

For example, a concrete screed lined with ceramic tiles, fire-resistant brick or a piece of metal sheet.

Types of structures

Metal stove for a bath

How are they different from each other? In the first case, this is a simple model, the body of which is lined with refractory bricks on the outside and inside. Of course, this is an expensive option, so many people use ordinary red brick for cladding. By the way, the bricks are attached to the walls of the unit and to each other with a special wire. A grate is installed inside the middle of the oven, on which stones are placed.

The second option is simpler. To do this, the stove is trimmed around the entire perimeter with a metal grate so that there is a fairly impressive gap between the walls of the appliance and the grate. Stones are poured into it.

Fuel types

There are only three groups of products in this category:

• Electric ovens. They are supplied with a metal casing and heating element. The requirement is good insulation of terminals and connection points.
• Gas. In addition to the body, they contain a burner that supplies fuel to the firebox. Experts recommend installing a security unit in the form of a simple automatic control system. For example, a thermostat, a temperature sensor and a flame sensor. The latter is especially important - it will control the gas supply. When the flame dies out, it will give a command to the valve, which will shut off the gas pipe line.
• Wood-burning. These are the simplest designs that do not use energy supply networks. By the way, these include potbelly stoves.

Why is there bad draft in the furnace?

Poor or weak traction most often causes reverse traction as a consequence. The reasons may be completely different from each other. As for the main one, these are the mistakes that people made when designing the heating system. In this case, there is a possibility of improper use of building materials. Let us also consider in more detail the possible sources of the problem and what to do in such cases:

The defect may be hidden in the chimney design. The proportions between height and firebox are sometimes calculated incorrectly. And because of a low pipe, for example, the pulling often happens worse. However, if the parameter for this component was greater, then reverse thrust would not have formed.

REFERENCE

That’s why it’s so important to consider the universal size – about five meters

• Don't forget about the diameter ratio. A narrow value makes it difficult to remove combustion products.
• In addition, if the product is square in shape, then most likely the movement of smoke will not be as free as it would be with rounded corners.
• Natural conditions also significantly influence the presence of weak traction. In rainy climates, high humidity or strong winds, the level tends to decrease.
• If there are various damages or scratches or irregularities on the pipe, then there is a high probability of obstacles to attraction with a good coefficient.
• Stove care. There are often cases when the user forgets about cleaning, thereby accumulating dirt - collapsed building materials.
• The reason is very similar to the previous one. Only this time the clog is soot.
• The ventilation process has been disrupted. Because of this, there is a shortage or no supply of air mass at all.

Factory production

It must be said that it is not for nothing that individual heating boilers and long-burning stoves are called mini-boiler houses - they really represent an entire heating system that can provide precious heat in winter to rooms with a fairly large area. The most common today are autonomous stoves using combined solid fuels (wood, coal, pellets - fuel granules), which are not without reason considered the most inexpensive and convenient type of heating for domestic use. An alternative to them is the so-called electric heating - compact and fully automated electric boilers for individual heating. If gas and electricity seem to you an unprofitable way to heat your own home, then in this case, as an alternative, heating equipment manufacturers will offer a wide selection of liquid and solid fuel, as well as long-burning condensing boilers. Combined heating systems for the home, which can operate on different types of fuel, are also very popular.

All individual heating sources can be divided into single-circuit and double-circuit. The difference between them is that the first type of heating equipment is intended exclusively for heating residential and non-residential premises, while the second - double-circuit boilers - are also used for hot water supply (this is the most popular type of heating device among owners of country houses, which allows solve two problems at once).

Buy or build?

Only metal stoves with a water circuit are available for sale. A foundation and destruction of the house are not needed to install a metal stove, but it does not have the useful qualities of a brick stove. In an energy-efficient house (see below), only a metal stove can be installed. These are produced by many stove companies, incl. foreign ABX (Czech Republic), MBS (Serbia), EdilKamin (Italy). Here, firstly, there is a nuance: do not confuse it with a sauna stove equipped with a hot water heater; Sauna stoves are not suitable for heating. Differences, if the specification does not indicate that the stove is heating - a sauna stove always has a heater. Secondly, the same stove, but with a water circuit, is often sold as a boiler. How to distinguish it from a real boiler? By the presence of a cooking surface and a combustion door with a viewing glass. The boiler is not intended for gatherings by the fire. Third, EdilKamin are built using a water jacket and are not intended for use as main heating devices; this is actually a fireplace stove with a water circuit, see below. And finally, Russian stoves with a Breneran water jacket (the sign is “Aqua” in the name) should be installed in a non-residential building or in a separate boiler room, but for Breneran’s dacha it’s the best: it’s Breneran Aquaten that costs up to 20,000 rubles. (without delivery). For other domestic furnaces with a water circuit, see video reviews:

Video: reviews of furnaces with a water circuit

In addition, if you intend to buy a furnace for water heating, consider:

1. For factory furnaces with a water circuit, all of the following operating limitations apply;
2. If a heating boiler is often sold with a full set of standard piping, then a stove is always sold without it. Selection and installation of piping is a particularly difficult topic, and its cost can cover the difference in the price of a stove or boiler;
3. Fireplace inserts with a water circuit are also available for sale. These are by no means the main heating devices, no matter what they promise in advertising! A fireplace insert with a water jacket (like the EdilKamin stove) is included in the existing local (house) heating system with a boiler to save standard fuel or in the heating system of an energy-efficient house, see below.

Video: about the dangers of a fireplace with a water circuit

In general, if your house has a basement, the first thing you need to consider is purchasing and installing a boiler. The basement will always provide an elevation of the registers above the heating device, necessary for the construction of a simple, inexpensive and non-volatile gravitational CO (see below). The heat from a stove (fireplace) without a water circuit for cooking and/or admiring the fire with cognac and caviar will not be wasted: the boiler automation “senses” it and saves standard fuel.

Frame made of wooden blocks

You can make such a screen yourself.
Wooden frames that cover, for example, a battery under a window, look great in any interior. They look especially harmonious in a room furnished with wooden furniture. The advantages of wooden decorations are that they can be used as shelves for household utensils or souvenirs, as stands, tables, low structures are used as benches. An additional option for using the frame depends on its height and horizontal surface area. The appearance of such decoration depends entirely on the imagination of the owner and the level of his skill.

The work algorithm consists of performing the following actions:

• It is necessary to take measurements carefully.
• Then you need to cut the bars to size.
• Assemble the frame from thin timber (remember that the frame must be strong).
• Then you need to braid the base with cotton tape or slats.
• The finished structure is varnished.

Increasing heat capacity

The heat capacity of a potbelly stove can be increased both by increasing its weight and dimensions and by using additional heated materials. In any case, it is necessary to make design changes to the heating system. One option may be to use smoke circulation inside the oven. This can be done by installing sheets of heat-resistant metal in the firebox, thereby providing additional paths for the movement of gases. At the same time, they are burned, heating the furnace to a higher temperature. But at the same time, the temperature of the exiting smoke also increases. With a short chimney, the heat is simply released into the atmosphere.

To use this heat, a heat-storing container is installed on the exhaust pipe of the potbelly stove, which can be made either from an old gas cylinder or from a large-diameter pipe. The container is filled with large stones that retain heat well. At the same time, it is loaded to approximately 2/3 of the volume. The stones are placed on the grate. Hot gases flowing through the battery heat them up and, giving off heat, go outside.

The stones are heated to a temperature of about 400 °C. After the fuel burns out in the stove, the damper on the chimney is closed and the room is heated using the heat accumulated by the stones. In this case, the stove is in a cold state. Using such a battery allows you not only to save fuel, but also to receive heat after the stove stops working.

The battery, which increases the efficiency of the furnace, can be made of brick and installed on metal supports above its surface. But such a design cannot be used with a round stove.

The calorie content of fuel depends on its type and quality. Replacing fuel with a higher-calorie fuel is expensive and requires additional storage space. As a rule, garages are heated with waste material that is easy to find. Now, knowing how to increase the efficiency of a potbelly stove, you can begin work. It should be noted that the best results are obtained with the integrated use of methods that increase the heating efficiency of the furnace.

Advice on increasing the efficiency of a wood-burning stove from the Hot Master

Video magazine "Hot Master" presents. The film uses a schematic model of the Hot Master 4. This is a very powerful and popular stove, which you were told about in one of the videos. It’s called Hot Master 4 on the Hot Master channel. By opening and watching this video, you will be able to design this oven yourself, observing all the ratios, and make it. This stove is for fairly large steam rooms, designed for 5-6 people. Good performance in terms of heat and heating of the heater.

Stainless steel chimneys are very easy to buy and assemble, but this will prevent you from increasing efficiency. The advice applies mainly to the chimney, which is made from a single piece of steel pipe that extends to the edge of the chimney itself through the entire attic. This is an ordinary pipe that has been fixed. Let's remove the stones now to take a closer look.

Any stove is a box in which a fire burns, and all the walls of this box must be evenly heated. How all the walls shimmer! They are heated, and this allows them to give off the heat for which it was installed. But do not forget that the chimney also heats up, and very strongly. As the rules show, the stove does not give off heat well. You see - the heat transfer fins are blinking. And we are discussing one of the most popular Hot Master models. These ribs ensure that the air, when warmed up, flows along the ribs and warms the entire room

Please note that heat transfer fins are installed on top of the stove - they flicker. This ingenious solution allows you to heat up the stones lying on top and the heater itself even more strongly.

For many people, the condition of the heater is the most important. How hot the stones are - many people evaluate the bathhouse in which they are present - how hot the heater is, how steam is coming out.

Let's discuss: if our stove heats up well and gets hot, then the chimney gets very hot. The heater from above absorbs heat into itself, and these stainless steel chimneys, both single-layer and double-layer (which are now flickering), they absolutely do not contribute to the transfer of heat into the room. The heat remains, is carried outside and lost.

If we take an ordinary chimney made of a steel pipe, it is very hot, and we can take measures to remove it. Let's just weld the heat transfer fins to this pipe. as you can see, there will be such a story when 2-3-4 plates are welded to the pipe, they give off heat very efficiently. We have photos of people welding these fins to the chimney and the efficiency increased greatly. Those. the stove takes the same amount of wood and burns the same way, but it generates more heat due to the fact that the ribs are welded. Continued from 4 minutes

How to increase the heat output of a furnace

So, how to increase the efficiency of such a stove?
There are several simple ways. The most basic one is to put a brick screen around the stove. The bricks don’t even need to be held together with clay; just lay them on top of each other. You can fold such a screen near the side walls, or you can fold it at both side and rear walls. The brick will heat up while the fire is burning, and when it becomes small or goes out, it will give off heat. You won't have to add fuel often. One of the features of a potbelly stove is that the stove is light and mobile. With such a screen, it will not lose its mobility, because the bricks can be disassembled at any time, the stove can be rearranged and the screen can be folded in a new place. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SNKEQmQMxl4

There is another method with a screen, which also increases heat transfer. In this case, a sheet metal screen is mounted at some distance from the side and/or rear wall of the stove. The sheets can be secured using long bolts. In this case, the effect of convection is added.

There is another simple way to increase heat transfer. This time the stove's chimney is being modernized. Typically, such stoves have a straight chimney. It is removed through the roof of the room in which the stove is installed. If you add several bends to the pipe, then the heat transfer will increase, although not by much. In this case, the pipe will resemble the letter S.

If you want it to be much warmer, then you need to take 2 tanks from old-style washing machines. The tanks are welded together, and a chimney is passed through them. Thus, above the potbelly stove, which is heated with wood, there is also a stove of the same size, heated by hot smoke. Heat transfer almost doubles.

Another method is to weld additional ribs onto the stove and chimney, for example, from metal angles. In this case, the chimney must be made of thick metal. Such fins significantly increase the heated surface area. An increase in area leads to faster heating of the surrounding air. The room becomes warmer. In addition, thick metal retains heat even when the fire in the firebox is no longer burning.

But still, it will not be possible to endlessly increase the efficiency of this heating device. And if you want to have a full-fledged stove in the room, you will have to build it out of brick according to all the rules, so that the stove retains heat for a long time, for example, all night. For example, there is no need to increase the efficiency of a Russian stove; it already retains heat for a very long time. True, in order to fold it correctly, you will have to call a stove specialist.

A few highlights

The screen can be harmoniously combined with the interior

First, you need to choose the most effective cladding method, which hides all the pipes and taps as much as possible, matches the style of the interior of the room and has a neat appearance. In order for the structure to last for a long time, the following points should be taken into account:

• reliability, strength and durability of the heating system (if there is any doubt at this point, it is better to construct a collapsible casing);
• the meter, faucet, machine and other heat or pressure regulators must be freely accessible;
• The architecture and geometry of the system will affect the shape of camouflage shields and screens; it may be necessary to design a box.

Additional factors for improving heating in the house

You can improve the heating of your home not only by improving the firebox and heat removal. By reducing the heat loss of a building, more significant results can be achieved. Installing high-quality windows, insulating floors and walls, installing an air recirculation and recovery system is sometimes cheaper than redoing the heating system.

When improving heating, you should use only proven methods for improving fuel combustion. In this case, it is better to calculate the savings and funds spent on refurbishment.

We assemble and install equipment

There are two options for creating this heating system:

• The coil is installed in the stove during the construction stage of the latter.
• The heat exchanger is built into an already erected furnace structure.

Using a radiator as a heat exchanger

The latter method is more labor-intensive because it involves dismantling the brickwork of the stove. In addition, the fuel part will be reduced after installing the coil.

Complete the heating circuit. The highest point of the line must be equipped with a storage tank, it is mandatory to install a safety and air valve, as well as a safety unit with a pressure gauge. Where the radiators enter and exit the furnace, connect the valves.

To prevent the water in the coil from boiling, its thickness must be at least 40 millimeters. The walls of the heat exchanger must be at least 5 millimeters. If the stove is heated with coal, then this figure increases. Otherwise, the walls of the coil may burn out. The exchanger should not fit tightly to the wall of the fuel part of the stove. There should be a space of at least 2 centimeters between them. This is necessary due to thermal expansion of the heat exchanger

Pay great attention to the fire safety of the system. If the stove has wooden partitions, then there must be an air space between them, because if the wooden structures overheat, a fire may occur

This is why wood is not the best facing material for a stove. To do this, it is better to choose materials with fire-resistant qualities.

Pipe coils

Coil option for heating and cooking stoves

The photo above shows a diagram of one of the coil options. This is what stoves designed for both heating and cooking are equipped with, because it is easy to build a cooking surface over it.

A profile pipe used instead of the upper and lower U-shaped pipes in such a coil will greatly simplify the process of creating it. Rectangular profiles can replace vertical pipes if necessary.

To make a steel heat exchanger, the thickness of the steel must be at least 5 millimeters. The use of a 6x4 centimeter profile and 5 centimeter pipes is necessary for the inlet and outlet of liquid. Depending on the length of the fuel part of your stove, the size of the heat exchanger is selected.

If you are going to insert a steel heat exchanger into a stove that is equipped with a hob, then experts advise making the design so that the gas flows around the top shelf of the coil. This gas then escaped into the smoke circuit, which is located in front of the coil.

Sheet steel heat exchanger

Using sheet steel, you can build an exchanger in the form of a book.

To do this, the walls of the heat exchanger are connected using pipes or a profile. Here in the register there is no top shelf. To improve circulation, connecting pipes are added at the top of the register. The inlet and outlet are made at the back or side of the heat exchanger. The hob is installed above the register.

Installation process

Installation of the water circuit

The exchanger is installed in the same way as any other heating system. There is only one nuance - this is the location of the “return”. It is located above.

In the first case, the pipes are installed with the maximum possible slope.

Natural circulation

Where the pipes exit the stove, a “acceleration manifold” is installed. To make it, direct the pipe in a vertical direction to a height of 100–150 centimeters, and then down to the radiators at an angle.

Forced circulation

It forms the pressure of the coil. True, experts do not recommend using only this type of circulation. If there are power outages or the pump breaks down, the water will stop circulating and the coolant may boil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0WSmS_Tc5c

The latter type combines the first two, i.e. it is equipped with both sloped pipes and a pump, where the latter is connected to the system via a parallel line. This is beneficial because the circulation will be carried out using a pump, and if the power goes out or the pump breaks down, the water begins to circulate naturally.

The main stages of making a potbelly stove

1. All the details are marked on a sheet of metal: 6 steel rectangles for the walls of the oven, 1 rectangle for creating a smoke reflector, plates for the grate and latch for the door. 2. Cut

sheet metal can be found at any metal depot. The guillotine, unlike the grinder, allows you to cut (chop) it more accurately. In this case, there will be no need to do straightening (alignment of sheets).3. The furnace body is made in the form of a rectangle. Their sides are joined together at an angle of 90° and welded together.

4. To avoid mistakes, the furnace box is first only tacked by welding in several places, and only then, after checking its horizontal and vertical positions, its seams are welded.

Important! All connections in the body are thoroughly welded; To check the seams for leaks, you can coat the joints with chalk or kerosene. 5

Welding seams are cleaned with a wire brush.6. The internal space of the potbelly stove is divided into three parts: the firebox, the smoke circulation chamber and the ash pan. To separate the firebox from the ash pan, a grate is laid between them, on which the fuel will be placed. To do this, at a height of 10-15 cm from the bottom of the stove, 5x5 cm corners are welded on the sides and on the back of the box. On which the grill will be located

5. Welding seams are cleaned with a wire brush.6. The internal space of the potbelly stove is divided into three parts: the firebox, the smoke circulation chamber and the ash pan. To separate the firebox from the ash pan, a grate is laid between them, on which the fuel will be placed. To do this, at a height of 10-15 cm from the bottom of the stove, 5x5 cm corners

. on which the grille will be located.

Advice.

It is better to make the grate from 2-3 detachable parts. Otherwise, when replacing a burnt grate, it will be difficult to remove it from the firebox.

7. The grate is welded from thick steel rods or strips 30 mm wide. They are attached to 2 stiffeners - rods with a diameter of 20 mm. Since the grates burn out over time, it is better to make such a grate removable.

Manufacturing of grate

8. At a distance of 15 cm from the top of the box, two strong rods are welded, on which one or two removable reflectors

– thick-walled sheets of metal that will delay the flow of hot gases and send them for afterburning. However, they should not completely block the oven. To allow hot smoke to enter the chimney, an indent of about 8 cm is made from the front (for the first sheet) and back of the stove.

Diagram of the passage of gases in a simple potbelly stove and stove with an installed reflector

9. Next, the upper part of the box is welded, and then a hole for the pipe

.

Pipe hole

10. The front part of the stove with holes cut in it for the firebox doors and ash pan is welded last. 11. The size of the firebox door must be sufficient to allow fuel to be added and grates to be changed without effort. The hole for the ash pan is made a little smaller. 12. The hinges are welded first to the door, and then to the body of the potbelly stove. They can be bought ready-made or welded from two tubes of different diameters. Door handles can be made from a strip of metal or rod.

Important! When attaching the doors, you should fit them to the body as tightly as possible; To do this, they are straightened (leveled) and cleaned with an emery wheel. Wedge latches closing the doors are adjusted to the body as tightly as possible

13. You can cook food or heat water on such a stove. To do this, a hole of the required diameter is cut in the upper part of the box. Stove burner

.
which will be inserted into this hole can be purchased at any hardware store.14. For ease of use, the structure is installed on legs
or a welded stand made of pipes.15.
The chimney pipe is connected to the stove using a sleeve
.
16. For inserting a gate valve
. to regulate the smoke output, two holes are drilled in the pipe. A metal rod is inserted into the holes and bent at 90°. A metal “penny” is attached to it in the center of the pipe - a gate, the diameter of which should be slightly less than the diameter of the pipe itself by 3-4 mm.

Gate valve for adjusting smoke output

How to choose the right model

Table for selecting furnace power depending on the area of ​​the room.
Long-burning stoves for the home are represented by a fairly impressive assortment

When choosing a suitable model, pay attention to the power - for every 10 sq. m

1 kW of thermal energy is required. Moreover, there is no need for a special reserve here, otherwise the house will be very hot - there is no automation to regulate the temperature, so the power reserve will become excess (and also affect the amount of money in your wallet).

You should also pay attention to the volume of the combustion chamber - the larger the chamber, the more firewood will fit inside it. When choosing a fireplace-type stove, pay attention to its design - measures must be taken to prevent soot from settling on the front glass

Otherwise, the glass will constantly get dirty, impairing the visibility of the flame. If you want to make your home not only beautiful, but also cozy, be sure to pay attention to this point

When choosing a fireplace-type stove, pay attention to its design - measures must be taken to prevent soot from settling on the front glass. Otherwise, the glass will constantly get dirty, impairing the visibility of the flame.

If you want to make your home not only beautiful, but also cozy, be sure to pay attention to this point.

Step-by-step instructions for assembling a potbelly stove with your own hands

The first stage is the preparation of the drawing and necessary materials. As for the drawing, it should reveal the design features and subtleties of all elements in as much detail as possible.

For experienced craftsmen, this stage can be skipped, but for those who are just starting the journey of constructing potbelly stoves, it is recommended to assemble a model from cardboard. Modeling, in this case, will cost much less than miscalculations immediately embodied in metal.

The next step is the selection of tools and materials. Here it is recommended to use ready-made components and housings produced industrially as much as possible. This way you can not only reduce the cost of work, but also find new, more effective technical solutions. Another piece of advice regarding this stage is proper organization of the workplace. When working with sheet metal, it is recommended to assemble a jig from wood so that the structures to be welded can be easily installed in the desired position.

During assembly, you need to remember that all connections must be as precise and strong as possible, especially for the body and supports of the potbelly stove. And of course, after assembly, it is necessary to make a test firebox to check the functionality of the assembled structure.

Traditional methods of furnace modification

Solution #1

The first thing you need to do to modify a homemade or purchased stove is to install side screens. To do this, sheets of metal (not painted) are applied to the furnace body and secured with self-tapping screws or bolts. The thickness of the sheets can be any (standard roofing iron will do). The screens should be located at a distance of 5-6 cm from the stove itself.

This DIY design changes the principle of heat transfer. Thermal energy is now transferred to the room not through radiation, but through convection. Air circulates in the space formed between the surface of the oven and the screens. This technique allows you to increase the rate of warming up the room and save on fuel consumption.

Solution #2

The next step is to modify the stove's chimney - one of the necessary structural elements. Most heating problems occur here. The chimney is usually the cause of large heat losses. In a standard potbelly stove, the chimney pipe is straight and smoke immediately enters it when leaving the room. In order to somehow “retain” hot air in the pipe and thereby increase heat transfer, it is necessary to add several elbows to the straight path of the pipe. For example, two bends at 90 degrees are purchased and connected to each other in the English letter S. Thus, rising hot air and smoke will be trapped in the bends, the pipe will heat up more, thereby increasing heat transfer. And if you add a fan and a blowing chimney at the knee points to such a design, the heat transfer will increase even more.

Solution #3

Warm brick

A potbelly stove using wood, coal and other types of fuel can significantly increase its efficiency. To do this, it is enough to build a screen of baked clay bricks around it with your own hands. If you look carefully at the drawings of such a mini-building, you will see that the bricks are laid at a short distance from the walls of the stove (about 10-15 cm), and, if desired, around the chimney.

Brick screen for potbelly stove

Bricks require a foundation. Do you want the masonry to last a long time? Then fill the base one at a time to form a monolith. It is better to take concrete as the material for the foundation, which should be reinforced with steel reinforcement yourself. It is advisable to place the reinforcement layer at a distance of approximately 5 cm from the surface of the concrete pad.

Ventilation holes are made at the bottom and top of the brickwork, which will ensure air movement (heated masses will go up, cold air flows will come from below). Ventilation also prolongs the life of the metal walls of the potbelly stove, delaying the moment of their burning due to cooling by circulating air.

Bricks laid around the stove accumulate heat and then release it for a long time, warming the air in the room even after the stove goes out. In addition, brickwork additionally protects objects surrounding the stove from fire.

If desired, you can completely lay out the stove from brick. Such a structure is advantageous in that it will last for many years without additional effort on the part of the owner. However, there are also certain disadvantages. The disadvantages of this option include the following:

• the process of laying out such a stove is quite labor-intensive and is suitable only for those people who have experience in masonry with their own hands;
• a brick stove is quite expensive, as it requires the use of fireproof materials, including fireclay bricks and special clay for mortar.

In order to get a small potbelly stove with wood, it is enough to lay out a cone measuring 2 by 2.5 bricks, 9 bricks high. In the combustion chamber, rows 2-4 are laid out of fireclay bricks. An ordinary fired clay brick is suitable for a chimney, into which you must remember to insert a stainless steel sleeve.

Whatever the method of making a miniature stove or potbelly fireplace with your own hands, whether you make them according to a drawing or by eye, the main thing is that at the end you get an effective heating device, and in an expanded configuration also a hob for cooking. Look around for suitable materials (barrels, sheet iron, etc.) and go ahead to your own homemade stove or even a potbelly stove!

About stone ovens

Stone stoves do not lose their popularity to this day, despite the huge selection of modern models. This is due to the reliability of the design, high heat transfer and operation.

Most often, stone stoves are installed in houses that are built in areas remote from centralized heating.

Alternative fuel sources, such as coal and wood, cost much less than electricity or gas. A stone wood stove helps create a special atmosphere in the house.

In such houses you feel more comfortable, and food cooked in the oven has a mind-blowing aroma and taste. The modern design of stoves turns an ordinary structure into a real work of art.

Categories

• Boilers by fuel type Gas boilers
• from bottled gas

from main gas

Advantages and disadvantages

The list of advantages of using a wood stove for heating private houses and summer cottages includes:

• saving money on the construction of a massive foundation, since the devices weigh little and have compact dimensions;
• regulation of the combustion process;
• high efficiency (up to 80 - 85%);
• attractive appearance, due to which they fit harmoniously into any home decor;
• multifunctionality - they can not only heat the room, but also heat water and be used for baking and preparing various dishes;
• Possibility of installation in any room with a chimney;
• durability (service life of devices is at least 50 years);
• relatively low cost;
• high efficiency, since the stove can operate for a long time on one load of firewood.

The disadvantages include:

• the need for regular chimney cleaning;
• high requirements for wood moisture content;
• difficulty in setting oven modes.

How does it all work?

diagram of a similar installation

When creating a long-burning installation, steel pipes should be used as the main material. If they are not available, then you can choose pipes with a diameter of 30-40 cm. In this case, the minimum wall thickness should be 5 mm. If it is less, then during the operation of the metal it will quickly burn out, and then the installation will be unsuitable for further use. The height of the boiler must be at least 1 m.

The created boiler is divided into three parts:

• combustion zone - it is used to remove smoke and smoldering ash;
• combustion zone - it contains smoldering solid fuel;
• loading zone – it decreases in height, which is associated with the gradual burnout of the briquette.

So that as the fuel smolders in the furnace, it can freely fall inside the chamber, its size is made slightly smaller than the combustion chamber. To control the combustion zone, the distributor has an impeller, the height of which is 5 cm. As its height increases, its space will also increase, which will lead to an increase in the rate of firewood burning in the oven chamber.

The pipe through which air will flow must have a diameter of 6 cm. You can use either a solid pipe or a telescopic one. In this case, the holes in the distributor should not be larger than 2 cm. Otherwise, air will enter the oven chamber in large quantities, which will lead to oversaturation with oxygen. A damper should be installed at the top. It will allow you to regulate the draft in the furnace. You can connect a long-burning boiler to heating in one of two ways:

• a water heat exchanger pipe is passed through the combustion chamber. The water in the tank will be heated through a coil that is connected to this pipe;
• a chimney is passed through the remote tank. The smoke passes through it in a hot state, which leads to heating of the coolant.

Comparing these two methods, it should be noted that the first is noticeably simpler in its implementation, and the second provides high efficiency.

Types of potbelly stoves

To make a potbelly stove, a material with heat-resistant properties is required. These include steel and cast iron. Cast iron structures have a longer service life, since the characteristics of the alloy allow them to work at high temperatures without deformation and rapid wear. When creating a thick-walled cast iron body, it becomes possible to retain heat for quite a long time.

In addition to primitive designs, there are a number of devices that differ in their functionality:

• Equipped with a hob designed for cooking food and heating water. The design does not exclude the possibility of installing an oven.
• Devices equipped with a casing located along the body area. It is made of metal or ceramics. This design features improved heat transfer. This becomes possible due to the absorption of heated air into the space of the casing, while it heats up and evenly transfers thermal energy into the heated room.
• Potbelly stoves of gas generator type. They have two chambers in which combustion occurs. The lower one is intended for fuel gasification, and the upper one is for afterburning gaseous substances.
• Small-sized devices. As a rule, such stoves are used as an emergency heat source.

Step-by-step instructions for making a stove

Step 1. In our example, we use a simple 250-liter barrel with thick walls - ideal for making a stove. Cut off the top of the barrel, but do not throw it away.

The top of the barrel has been cut off

Step 2. Make a kind of lid from the top - a “pancake” for oxygen supply. Adjust it to the size of the barrel - as a result, when installed, there should be 2 mm between it and the walls around the entire circumference. Weld the neck of the lid. In its center, make a hole to install a pipe through which air will be supplied. Also weld 4 channels, as in the photo below.

“Pancake” for air supplyAnother photo of the element

Step 3. Stepping back a little from the top edge, cut another hole in the barrel wall for installing a chimney. In our example, the chimney will be a pipe with a diameter of 140 mm.

Hole for chimney installation

Step 4. Start making the lid. Make it from sheet metal 4 mm thick, and weld a sealing ring at the bottom corresponding to the diameter of the barrel. In the center of the lid, make a hole for the pipe that was welded to the “pancake”.

Cover for the ovenIn the middle of the cover there is a hole for the air duct from the “pancake”

Step 5. Make simple legs at the bottom of the barrel to make the structure stable. The legs must be metal, as well as all other elements.

Making legs for the stoveThe legs must be metal

Step 6. Install the stove in the desired location and begin creating the chimney. In our example, it is of a prefabricated type. First of all, make a clamp with which the chimney will be attached to the body.

A clamp that will allow you to attach the chimney to the stove

Step 7. Make guides in the chimney, thanks to which it can be easily fixed to the body.

Guides in the chimney

Step 8. Join the barrel with the pipe, making sure to lay all the joints with asbestos fabric. Place a clamp over the fabric and tighten it.

Asbestos fabricTightening the clamp over the fabricThe finished joint between the pipe and the barrel

Step 9. That's it, the structure is assembled, you can check its functionality. Load sawdust or firewood inside.

The stove is loaded with fuel

Step 10: Add used oil to the fuel, then install the cap. As for the “pancake”, don’t use it yet. After the fuel ignites, remove the lid and place the “pancake”. To fully warm up such a structure, it takes about 10 minutes; in the future, the firewood will burn for a long time. Although exactly how long the combustion will last largely depends on the quality of the fuel.

Photo of the finished stove for the garage

Video - Homemade potbelly stove for the garage

If you wish, you can modify the design described above, although it will already cope with its functions perfectly. For example, to increase efficiency, you can increase the surface area and thereby improve heat transfer. For this purpose, weld metal plates on the sides of the body.

In addition, you can make a grate with an ash pan: cut a circle from a sheet of metal along the inner diameter of the body, drill holes with a diameter of 60-80 cm and install from below. After this, the ash will be poured down through the holes - to where the ash pan is equipped. It is believed that this will cause the fuel to burn faster, remember this point and make sure that the ash pan is sealed as much as possible.

What is furnace efficiency?

Efficiency – efficiency factor. In physics, this term refers to the ratio of the real energy of the heat source (furnace) to the maximum energy indicator of the burned fuel. This is exactly the indicator indicated in the technical data sheet of the finished heating device.

But it is important to understand that the figure indicated there will not correspond to the real one for several reasons.

Of course, a lot depends on the design of the heating system (this will be discussed in more detail in the next chapter). But there are also external factors:

• The quality of the fuel used is of great importance. The efficiency of a wood-burning stove will drop by 3 times if it is heated with raw material.
• Efficiency depends on the completeness of fuel combustion; this is affected not only by its quality, but also by air humidity, room temperature, and atmospheric pressure.
• Operating mode. If a person constantly keeps the firebox door open, one can only dream of high efficiency.

It becomes obvious that the efficiency factor is not a strictly fixed indicator. It can be reduced if the stove is used incorrectly, or the design can be improved by significantly increasing the efficiency parameter.

Conclusion

The methods for increasing efficiency described in the article are easy to use and suitable for any wood-burning stove. They increase the efficiency of the heating device by 10-25%. As a result, the room will warm up faster, heat will leave the room more slowly, and fuel consumption will be significantly reduced.

But it is important to remember: any modernization will be in vain if the rules for operating the stove are violated. For example, if you use damp firewood, do not clean the ash pit on time, and keep windows and doors constantly open, you will not achieve high efficiency.

Design of long-burning furnaces

Long-burning wood-burning stoves have their own design features. To reduce intense combustion, the air supply is controlled in several ways: upper or lower combustion and pyrolysis of wood. The most common option is top combustion. With this method, firewood smolders from top to bottom to the base of the firebox. The combustion area is limited by the supply of dosed air. Below is a picture explaining the design of a wood stove for long-term burning.

You can see the role played by the supply of cold air, a hot air chamber with a cut-off valve that meteres the supply of oxygen into the combustion chamber. Often such stoves are equipped with a convenient ash pan-scoop.

Requirements for the construction of potbelly stoves

An economical, long-burning wood-burning stove must meet certain requirements and design rules:

• It is mandatory that such a structure is equipped with a smoke exhaust pipe, and the room is equipped with a supply and exhaust ventilation system.
• Considering that the design of a potbelly stove will heat up to very high temperatures when heated, it is necessary to comply with fire safety requirements when installing it indoors.

The stove should be located away from flammable structures of walls, ceilings and floors, and also have a fence to prevent fire and the risk of burns during its operation. A potbelly stove surrounded by a wall made of heat-resistant brick not only becomes safe during operation, but also creates additional heating areas.

Option two, allowing you to use the heat of the chimney

In the chimney, the air heats up to a very high temperature, since the brick warms up quite well during the firing process. The longer the stove is heated, the less heat the brick takes and the more the gases escaping through the pipe heat up.

At the same time, this also reduces the efficiency. To increase it, you need to use high temperature, heating the gases that flow through the chimney.

To increase efficiency, it is enough to integrate a steel pipe into the chimney.

For this you can use both round and square pipes. Their diameter can vary from two hundred to three hundred millimeters. When placing the pipe, care must be taken to tilt it towards the stove.

Several pipes can be built into the chimney. This depends on the size of the oven. Having arranged the chimney in this way, you will notice that the room heats up much faster, since the metal has high thermal conductivity and allows the heat of the chimney, which previously went outside, to be transferred into the room.

A well-heated pipe heats the air that circulates in the room, and does not create a vacuum, but rather enhances the movement of warm air. As a result, the room heats up faster, fuel is saved, and the efficiency of the stove increases significantly. However, such reconstruction must be carried out at the masonry stage.

These two methods have already been tested in practice and proven to be effective. Experts recommend not limiting yourself to one of them, but boldly implementing both in order to feel the difference both in fuel economy and in heating the house before using and after improving the stove.

Ensuring heat removal

It is possible to increase heat removal by creating devices that promote natural and forced convection. To ensure natural air circulation, screens are made with a guide device that allows you to create a powerful convection flow and distribute it throughout the room. The guide apparatus is made in the form of curved strips of metal, welded to the screen and directing warm air not only upwards, but also to the sides. The prepared device is attached to the oven.

The heat removal device can also be made from scraps of water supply and profile pipes. The distance from the floor to the bottom edge of the elements must be at least 15-20 cm. The pipes are welded to the stove body and covered with a screen on the sides to protect against accidental contact. A traditional potbelly stove heats the air around it by 0.5-1.0 m, and the use of such a design allows you to increase not only the radius, but also the rate of temperature rise in the room. When the body of the heating device is heated above 60 °C, a stable convection draft appears in the device, the power of which increases as the temperature of the furnace increases.

Heat removal can be increased by using fans to blow over the heat transfer surface. Both household and old car fans are used. Devices with variable rotation speeds have proven themselves especially well. They allow you to regulate the temperature and heating time of the room in various oven operating modes.

For more efficient blowing of the furnace elements, special casings are installed that allow cold air to be directed to the hottest areas of the heating device, while it can be taken from various places in the room. A potbelly stove with pipes welded into the firebox for heating air has proven itself well. A multi-speed car fan installed on a common discharge manifold allows you to effectively heat the room.

Ways to increase the efficiency of fireplaces

Fireplaces provide space heating using clean energy generated during combustion. Fireplaces do not have combustion doors, so to increase efficiency, the design of the firebox is made larger in area, but not as deep as that of the stove. In order for thermal energy to be better reflected from the surface of the combustion chamber, the walls of the firebox are expanded towards the room or made to collapse. Providing the rear and side surfaces of the combustion compartment with double walls with an air cushion is also recognized as an effective way to modernize fireplaces. Currently, some Russian and foreign companies have already developed fundamentally new fireplace designs that can provide an efficiency level of about 80%.

Why modernize?

The potbelly stove is a very simple heating device, although today it is deeply modernized. Such a stove, which has become a favorite solution for heating small country houses, can have not only a single-chamber, but also a two-chamber design. A modernized potbelly stove can provide heat even to houses where residents live permanently.

The simplicity of design and manufacture makes it accessible to purchase and use. In addition, a significant advantage for the construction of such a structure is the absence of a foundation. But, despite so many positive properties, the potbelly stove also has significant disadvantages:

1. Its efficiency is quite small, the simplicity of the design carries with it an inherent drawback - a huge part of the heat from the potbelly stove “flies into the chimney”.
2. To work with such a stove, strict safety requirements must be observed, since falling combustion elements can damage nearby premises and even lead to a fire.
3. To heat a room with a potbelly stove, it is necessary to consume a significant amount of fuel elements, which is due to the fact that this type of heating is used only for short-term operation.

But this is not a reason to be discouraged; over the years, our “Kulibins” have found several simple but effective ways to increase the efficiency of a potbelly stove. In this article we will look at the modernization of the stove design itself.

Original ideas

For those who do not like to follow standards, experts offer a number of original solutions.
For example, you can cover the battery with a picture frame or install blinds. You can build a kind of fireplace from plasterboard or a screen. Let's consider several options. Fireplace screen

1. The picture frame is covered with fabric or wallpaper to match the walls. The homemade structure is attached like a regular screen.
2. To hang blinds, you need to make a metal frame above the radiators, onto which suitable sized blinds are attached.
3. Fireplaces decorate rooms made in any style. To make a fireplace you need to prepare:
4. mesh screen;
5. several picture frames;
6. fasteners: self-tapping screws, screws (several pieces).
7. First you need to cover the radiator with a mesh screen. Two picture frames are cut and covered with fabric or wallpaper. Their size should correspond to the side walls of the future fireplace and the top surface. One frame is completely covered: this will be the front part of the structure. All frames are fastened together and with a mesh screen. The remaining additions are made at the discretion of the owner: you can install lighting behind the screen, and add fireplace decorations to the front part.
8. A radiator in the kitchen or hallway can be perfectly covered with plasterboard. This versatile material can be used to construct diverse structures. If a solid sheet is used, several holes should be drilled in it, necessary for the circulation of warm air.
9. If there is an urgent need to camouflage the heating system or there is not enough finance to complete a major structure, you can simply sew special curtains, build a small screen, or simply paint the radiator to match the color of the walls.

Pyrolysis combustion as a source of savings

To clearly see the effectiveness of pyrolysis, just light an ordinary wooden match. If you hold it with its head down, it will burn much faster than in the opposite position. Moreover, if you measure the heat released, it turns out that in the second case there was more of it. The reason is pyrolysis combustion.

Wood consists of complex carbohydrates, where the main components are carbon and hydrogen. Pyrolysis is the decomposition of the original fuel under the influence of high temperature into CO and HO under conditions of dosed air supply (1st stage), and the subsequent reaction to harmless CO2 and H2O (2nd stage).

The best stove for heating a wood-burning brick house with your own hands

The neatly folded structure becomes the highlight of the interior. However, laying brick heaters is a long-forgotten craft, and there are very few experienced stove makers. The lack of competent specialists forces owners of private houses to build heating stoves themselves. To decide on the best one, you need to choose from existing designs:

1. Straight-through. The most primitive design of a stove in which flue gases go into the chimney along the shortest path. The efficiency of this design is low, and fuel consumption is increased.
2. Duct. This is an improved duct stove. In it, flue gases, before entering the chimney, move through wells formed by masonry. The stove has a developed heat exchange surface; it accumulates heat better. The more channels it has, the higher the efficiency. But an increase in the number of wells leads to a deterioration in draft and complicates the cleaning of the furnace from soot.
3. Bell bells. A combined design that combines elements of direct-flow and channel furnaces. Hot flue gases are held in a heat exchange chamber, where they transfer heat to the brick walls. The cooled smoke settles down, from where it exits into the chimney through the vent. Bell-type stoves provide uniform heating of the room due to their design. They are easy to clean: soot can be easily removed, as it accumulates in one place.

Before starting construction of the furnace, a number of preparatory measures should be completed. First of all, the foundation is poured. A monolithic concrete base is made when laying a structure of 500 bricks or more. A lightweight stove can withstand the existing ceiling, but the issue is considered individually.

The location of the heater is selected taking into account what will be located on top. In particular, the approximate position of the chimney is assessed. The latter should not come into contact with the ceiling beams. Also, the gap between the chimney and all supporting structures should be approximately proportionate. The edge of the pipe is placed above the roof at a height of 0.5 to 1.5 m.

Calculation of basic parameters (with drawings and dimensions)

High efficiency of a potbelly stove can only be achieved if all the main design parameters are correctly calculated.

Pipe

In this case, the diameter of this element is very important. The throughput of the chimney should be less than the productivity of the furnace firebox, which is the main distinguishing feature of a potbelly stove. This will allow warm air not to immediately leave the stove, but to linger in it and heat the surrounding air.

It is very important to make an accurate calculation for it. The diameter should be 2.7 times the volume of the firebox. In this case, the diameter is determined in millimeters, and the volume of the firebox in liters

For example, the volume of the combustion chamber is 40 liters, which means the chimney diameter should be about 106 mm

In this case, the diameter is determined in millimeters, and the volume of the firebox in liters. For example, the volume of the combustion chamber is 40 liters, which means that the chimney diameter should be about 106 mm.

If the potbelly stove provides for the installation of grates, then the height of the firebox is calculated without taking into account the volume of this part, that is, from the top of the grate.

Screen

It is very important to force the hot gases not to cool, but to burn out completely. In addition, the fuel must burn through partial pyrolysis, which requires extremely high temperatures. A metal screen located on three sides of the stove will help to achieve a similar effect.

It should be placed at a distance of 50–70 mm from the stove walls, due to which most of the heat will return to the stove. This air movement will give the necessary high temperature and protect against fire.

A metal screen located on three sides of the stove will help to achieve a similar effect. It should be placed at a distance of 50–70 mm from the stove walls, due to which most of the heat will return to the stove. This air movement will give the necessary high temperature and protect against fire.

The screen of a potbelly stove made of red brick is capable of accumulating heat

Litter

It definitely has to be there. There are two reasons for this:

• some of the heat is radiated downwards;
• the floor on which the stove stands gets hot, which means there is a risk of fire.

The litter solves these two problems at once. As such, you can use a metal sheet with a projection of 350 mm (ideally 600 mm) beyond the contour of the furnace itself. There are also more modern materials that do an excellent job of this task, for example, a sheet of asbestos or kaolin cardboard, at least 6 mm thick.

You can use an asbestos sheet for bedding under a potbelly stove.

Chimney

Despite all the calculations, gases sometimes escape into the chimney not completely burned out. Therefore, it must be done in a special way. The chimney consists of:

• the vertical part (1–1.2 m), which is recommended to be wrapped in thermal insulation material;
• hog (slightly inclined part or completely horizontal), 2.5–4.5 m long, which should be 1.2 m from the ceiling, which is not protected with heat-resistant materials (1.5 m from the wooden surface), from the floor - by 2.2 m.

The chimney must be vented to the street

Photo gallery: diagrams of a potbelly stove for a garage

The diagram must indicate all the exact measurements. The chimney must be led out onto the street. The potbelly stove can be round or square. The volume of the firebox depends on the presence of grates. The layout of the potbelly stove depends on the material used.

Fireplace inserts, types and efficiency

A fireplace insert is a chamber in which fuel combustion occurs. They are usually divided into two main types: open and closed. The first is characterized by open access to the fire from one or more sides. In the second, the chamber where fuel combustion occurs is isolated from the external environment.

Fireplaces with open fireboxes are mostly used as interior decoration or an additional source of heating. This is due to their low efficiency (the efficiency of an open fireplace, as a rule, does not exceed 20-30%). The inability to regulate the amount of incoming air makes it impossible to control the intensity of combustion. Open fireplaces only give off heat until the flame goes out. Their main advantage is the aesthetic pleasure received from watching a burning fire. However, fireplaces with closed fireboxes with glass as a door are not without this quality.

Classic wood-burning fireplace with open hearth

The use of a closed combustion chamber makes it possible to easily regulate the amount of incoming air, without which the combustion process is impossible. Closing the air supply damper after the fuel burns out allows you to retain heat for a long time. Thus, the heat transfer from one load of firewood (or burning a certain amount of gas) increases and, accordingly, the efficiency of the fireplace increases. For closed type fireboxes this coefficient is significantly higher than for open ones and reaches an average of 70%. Using a high-efficiency fireplace not only solves the problem of heating a home, but is also more economically beneficial. In addition, closed fireplaces, characterized by high efficiency (useful action), can be opened (simply swing open or temporarily remove the door), this is provided for by their design. Thus, if necessary, they can be converted into open fireplaces.

Wood burning fireplace with closed hearth

Design and principle of operation

What is the difference between the Loginov Potbelly stove and other metal stoves? The point is the L-shaped blower. The ash pan door is replaced with pipes welded perpendicularly. The edge of the horizontal pipe is tightly welded, and the edge of the vertical pipe has a thread for a plug. There are holes made on the thread - by screwing the plug you can reduce the air flow, thereby regulating the combustion process.

Loginov's original potbelly stove

It is important to make a plug with a slight play, so that expansion of the metal when heated will not cause problems. A screen is welded to the sides and back on the stiffeners to increase efficiency

Without such screens, it is extremely uncomfortable to be near the stove - the temperature is too high and can cause burns. The firebox door is also threaded. A 200mm pipe serves as the firebox opening, and a plug with a handle 220mm in diameter is screwed onto this pipe.

You can see more details about Loginov’s potbelly stove in this video:

Modification

N. Pyankov’s model is distinguished by the presence of an additional combustion chamber. Unlike more complex designs of slow combustion stoves, the Pyankov potbelly stove is manufactured even faster, the model proposed by Loginov. It is enough to weld steel sheets 140-160 mm long to the back and front walls of the furnace at different distances from the top. The distance between the sheets should be 80mm. The grate is installed 80mm from the bottom. Pyankov moved Loginov’s firebox door to the top of the stove and began using it as a hob.

It will not be difficult for a good master to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of the two drawings. If desired, you can make a new model of a potbelly stove using only these two developments, changing the rectangular shape to a round one.

An example of a homemade design (in this photo there is a modernized Pyankov stove), but there is practically no difference in the manufacturing process.

Furnace models and manufacturers

Before you buy an inexpensive wood-burning stove for your home, you should get acquainted with the features of products from well-known manufacturers. In this case, it will be easier to navigate the assortment offered in the store, the advantages and disadvantages of individual models.

Buleryan

A stove with a similar design was first developed in Canada. It is characterized by simplicity of design and high performance characteristics.

The cylindrical firebox is made of steel having a thickness of 5 – 6 mm. The combustion door is located on the front side. Hollow pipes having a round or rectangular cross-section are welded to the body. After heating the firebox, the air in the pipes heats up, providing an active convection process.

The grate is located inside the chamber at the bottom of the cylinder. There is a partition in the upper part, dividing the firebox into two parts. The first is intended for storing firewood, the second is for afterburning pyrolysis gas. The chimney is located on the side opposite the door and goes inside the combustion chamber. This ensures that the combustion products formed in the depths of the main chamber return to the front wall, and then rise to the top and enter the chimney.

Buleryan - time-tested quality

Butakov furnaces

The patented model has demonstrated good results in harsh climatic conditions. Several models are produced under this trademark, with different technical characteristics:

Butakova - reliability and durability

Breneran

Russian analogue of the Canadian model, manufactured using European technology. Available in several models:

Continuous ovens can be equipped with glass doors. Connection to a water circuit is acceptable. However, unlike its foreign counterpart, such equipment has insufficient sealing of the smoke fitting, which can cause condensation to enter the room.

Breneran - Russian analogue of Buleryan

Teplodar

Products of a famous Russian manufacturer. It features high efficiency thanks to a carefully thought-out design. Compact size and light weight. You can choose a long-burning stove for a garage or home with suitable characteristics.

Teplodar Matrix-200 is relevant for rooms with an area of ​​up to 200 square meters. Siberia provides quick heating of the room. T series models will be the best choice for the garage. For the kitchen it is better to purchase a vertical heating and cooking stove-fireplace

Teplodar Matrix-200 is a good choice

Vesuvius

Russian development. Such long-burning wood-burning stoves for a bathhouse, cottage or country house can be the best solution. Often used to heat outbuildings. The choice of model is influenced by the purpose of the room for which it is purchased. They provide uniform heating thanks to a special design: pipes are welded into the firebox through which heated air passes.

Vesuvius for uniform heating of the house

Termofor

Domestic development for any home. Several models are produced under this trademark:

• Germa;
• Cinderella;
• Indigirka;
• Normal;
• Fire-battery.

The stoves can be used to heat various rooms with an internal volume of 50-250 m³. Their power varies from 4 to 13 kW.

Termofor in brown color

Ermak

Heating equipment that is small in size and has a classic design. The reliable casing protects from harmful infrared rays. This is the optimal solution for a small country house.

Operating principle of the Ermak stove

How to load fuel and operate the unit correctly

A long-burning unit differs from a traditional furnace by an increased loading volume and limited access of oxygen to the working area. The operating time of the boiler depends on the amount of fuel loaded, so the firewood is stacked as tightly as possible, without leaving large gaps between the logs. If materials such as peat, fine coal, shavings, sawdust or pallets are used as fuel, then they are poured to the level of the smoke channel without compacting. The necessary compaction of the fuel will be provided by a heavy metal piston.

Fuel loading is performed in the following order:

• remove the top cover from the unit;
• remove the air distribution device;
• load the stove to the level of the chimney;
• spray the top layer of flammable material with lighter fluid;
• install an air regulator;
• return the cover to its place;
• A piece of rags soaked in a flammable liquid is thrown inside the air channel.

Steady combustion is accompanied by smoke coming out of the chimney evenly. As the wood burns, the duct pipe moves down. It can be used to judge the remaining operating time of the solid fuel unit.

It is best to light the stove using a rag moistened with a flammable liquid.

During operation, ash and ash accumulate at the bottom of the barrel. It must be said that their quantity does not have any effect on the combustion process. However, fuel combustion products must be periodically removed, since they reduce the thickness of the filling layer. To do this, open the bottom door and scoop out the ash using a regular metal scoop.

When removing ash, leave a layer 10–20 mm thick on the bottom of the oven. This will not have a particular effect on the amount of firewood; however, it will create an excellent heat-insulating cushion that will protect the bottom of the unit from burning out.

Large rocket stove with bench

The main advantage of the rocket modification over the Russian stove is its compactness. Even when equipped with a bed, it will please you with its small size. By making it out of brick, you will have at your disposal an effective source of heat with a comfortable bed - household members will fight for the right to occupy this warm place.

The presented procedure allows you to assemble a brick oven without the use of metal. Only the doors will be made of iron. Subsequently, the bricks can be coated with clay, which will make the stove more rounded.

The first row forms the base of our rocket stove. It consists of 62 bricks laid according to the pattern shown in the figure. The second row forms channels for heating the bed - they run along its entire length. Cast iron doors are also installed here, secured with metal wire - it is held between the rows. The number of bricks used is 44 pcs. The same amount will be required for the third row, which completely follows the contour of the second. The fourth row completely covers the channels that heat the bed. But here a vertical smoke channel and a firebox are already beginning to form - the row includes 59 bricks.

Another 60 is needed for the fifth row. The bench has already been formed, all that remains is to finish off the chimney channel and build the hob. The sixth row, which includes 17 bricks, is responsible for this. Another 18 are needed for the seventh row, 14 for the eighth.

The ninth and tenth row will require 14 bricks, the eleventh - 13.

Row No. 12 is our key row - the chimney pipe will begin from here. Also from here begins a hole through which the air rising to the hob will fall down to the stove bench - 11 bricks are required (this is the top of the riser). In row No. 13 this process is completed, 10 bricks are spent on it. Now we lay an asbestos pad, which is covered with a piece of thick sheet steel - this will be the hob.

Rows No. 14 and No. 15 require 5 bricks each; they cover the chimney channel and form a low wall between the hob and the stove bench.

A metal surface is mounted at the back of the rocket stove, under which a small compartment is formed - here you can dry firewood.