reefers for kilns

[doc henderson]

I would second the caution on the exhaust running through pipe in the kiln.  over the years, if you get a pin hole, it may not be obvious.  would hate for you or your kids to be overcome working in the kiln.  you could do a double exchange, like use the exhaust heat to warm water, then run the water through the inside heat exchanger.  CO could go into water in limited amounts, but not get into the air.  any leaks should be more obvious.  I bought some copper tube to wrap the exhaust of my log splitter.  the plan was to make it quieter, and be able to heat water in the field for coffee and or hot chocolate.  kids grow up, the the splitter only goes out once a year to Camp Alaska.  It was meant to be a novelty, fun for dads and boys in scouts.  99% of my log splitting is done within 100 feet of a full kitchen.  and yes, I do not go hungry much either.

[doc henderson]

I guess you could remote mount the radiator for the generator in the kiln with a fan.  assuming it is a water cooled engine.

[Southside]

As a side benefit. If you do run the exhaust through a heat exchanger the condensate that drips out will be rich in N and can make for a good soil amendment. 

[mike_belben]

LoL.  


I would think that with a good solid load and a fairly hot interior temp that the exhaust moisture would remain in a gasseous state and go out to the night sky.  I have a 10hp 3phase lathe that will consume the entirety of the genny output on a heavy cut so that should hopefully keep the ducting de-puddled.  Sold the 10hp compressor when i didnt have deckspace to haul it but can surely find another.  



I have two big insulated water storage tanks from a rich guys discarded solar hydronic heating system, 4 or 5 parabolic trough concentrators, pumps, controllers, a wood furnace with boiler loop, lots of various industrial heat exchangers and the ability to make more... A hopper/auger fed sawdust and veggie rocket stove i built with a water heating coil .. Just so many options really to make stuff hot from trash.  Time and the waterproof, drive-in enclosure is the biggest hurdle and i can get that for a grand or so, just have to clear and grade out a good spot for it.  


But theres 300 projects ahead of all this as always.  Otoh.. The more time you have the more free junk that fits the project will land in your yard before you commence.  Just how i have always done it. 

[Southside]

Pre emissions junk there were a number of guys running coolers in their tractors with a drip system to apply the N to the soil. 

I think Farm Show had a couple of articles on it. 

[mike_belben]

Seems like peein in the ocean but i guess a drop is a drop. 

[Southside]

I am shocked Mike. I mean you compost Poke Weed. I figured you for the guy who manages to harvest the squeal when putting a hog in the freezer.   :D

[mike_belben]

Oh my compost game has stepped up considerably but thats another thread.  

;D

[farmfromkansas]

I have solar panels next to my reefer box, works great in summer.   What about putting a wood furnace next to the solar panels, and hooking the furnace to the vent holes on the reefer, disconnecting the solar panels long enough to dry some wood, using wood heat.  Could also hook up the return to the furnace. Not sure how hot I could get the container, probably need a pretty big furnace.

[mike_belben]

If the stove is outside the drying chamber you gotta put the heat in.  One could be tempted to blow the exhaust gasses in direct but an errant spark will eventually burn it and obviously smoke damage etc.. Terrible option.


I built a downdraft rocket stove where the burn occured in a steel pipe just about in the dirt, through the chamber and beneath the wood, venting up a stack on the other side of the chamber...  This thing.









The lower pic is deceiving here.. The stack has a booty fab intake concentric.  There is a 8" sleeve and elbow over a 7" stack.  The top pipe on the left side going into the chamber is preheated intake air.  the firebox was sucking warm wet air through the wood chamber into the fire, vertically down.  The fire was burning horizontal along the ground from right to left, then rising from that blob of dirt [which was to insulate the burn tube] before going up the flue.  I had to light it from that dirt covered tee to warm the riser and make the draft start in the correct direction.  It could be run reversed as well based on what was capped, closed or open. Watertank for a firebox.



It ran lava red and dried wood like nobodies business but needed all metal construction or would burn down.  I had sheetmetal baffles around the burn pipe but the wood frame was smoking hot.  I didnt plan any of it.. Just morphed.




I think using a vented waterjacket boiler [so there is no pressure vessel risk or license/permit issue] full of free, filtered rainwater, a taco circulator pump and old steam radiators connected by sched 40 with solar fans is the most fool proof and safe way to wood fire a kiln, with little expenditure or danger.  A scrapyard could procure most of it.