Wood fired steam boiler?

[Prairiepiss]

I think I need to concentrate on building the still and mashton first. I can always make a propane fired steam boiler. To get me by to work all the kinks out of those systems. Then build a wood fired one.

[jward]

Thinking out loud. You asked about a way to control the heat. Do they make PRV valves that electrically indicate they are open? You could use such a PRV to run a fan to control how much air you blow on the fire. Valve closed, more air. Valve open, less air. I had a BBQ controller that did that. A certain amount of air would always move through the firebox but the fan would kick on a bit if the temp dropped.

I can get a draft fan. I already have one ready to be ordered for my outside wood boiler for house heat. But the problem is what temp do you use to control it. Because the water will be boiling. So the heat will stay 212. If it drops below that it’s not boiling anymore. So you ain’t getting steam to the still and it will shut down. And the steam will be steam. So it’s temp won’t change either. I’m just not sure how to regulate a wood fire for this application. Because you can’t have temp swings like a house heating boiler would. You need to be able to control how much steam is being produced. And keep it at a steady pace.

In my thought process you wouldn't use temp. You would use the PRV to let you know the boil was sufficient to open the PRV and provide steam to the kettle. Thinking about this you might have good luck with the right firebox design. Using a Big Green Egg smoker that sucker would hold rock solid by setting the air intake. You could probably dial in the boil rate by manually controlling the air flow.

Use the temp of what? The water in the steam boiler will be 212 the whole time. It can’t get any hotter. Unless pressure builds up. And we don’t really want that. And if it gets colder it is no longer producing steam. Which is the hole point of it.

Not sure why you keep on me about using temp to control a boil. I have only suggested controlling the air to firebox to control the heat/power to control the vapor speed. The PRV (if you can get one that signals it's open or closed state) will not directly indicate temp. It will indicate that vapor is moving when the valve is open which should only happen when boiling. The big question to me is if the PRV being open provides the correct vapor rate based on an open state PRV and if the opening and closing is not too chaotic for the running of the still. The more I think about it the more I think it would be to chaotic for the still.

Like I said you might have good luck with the right firebox design. You could probably dial in the boil rate by manually controlling the air flow to the firebox.

[Prairiepiss]

Sorry I read it wrong. I thought it said would use temp. That’s my bad.

But you have lost me in the PRV? What is the PRV?

Edit to add: duh I know what the PRV is. Bare with me I have to get back into all the abbreviations around here.

[shadylane]

I think I need to concentrate on building the still and mashton first. I can always make a propane fired steam boiler. To get me by to work all the kinks out of those systems. Then build a wood fired one.

I think that's a good idea

[Prairiepiss]

I’m trying to do to many things at once. LoL but by all means any discussion would be helpful in the long run. LoL

[Prairiepiss]

Just placing this here for future reference. I like the design and think I can work with it later on.

F1C794D5-9FA2-4E85-89B1-9CD7DBFB6C12.jpeg (55.8 KiB) Viewed 1877 times

[shadylane]

If your thinking about a direct fired pot.
Here's some tried and true designs that can be emptied and refilled quickly
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=76359

[Prairiepiss]

If your thinking about a direct fired pot.
Here's some tried and true designs that can be emptied and refilled quickly
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=76359

No wood fired steam boiler as the title says.

And why does everyone keep trying to show me those same wood fired stills?

[Prairiepiss]

Here I updated that pic to more of what I am thinking about for a wood fired steam boiler.

551D1AD7-91FF-4F10-A7BC-EB6EB238426B.jpeg (45.38 KiB) Viewed 1870 times

[shadylane]

Gotcha
I saw the drawing and thought you might have changed your mind
I didn't look close enough before writing

[Prairiepiss]

Gotcha
I saw the drawing and thought you might have changed your mind
I didn't look close enough before writing

I do that all to often.

[shadylane]

Here's an idea on how to drain a keg without cutting a hole or welding on it.

[Yummyrum]

I got a similar attachment that I hook up to air compressor .

[shadylane]

I'm thinking
If using a keg for a wood fired water boiler, it would be safest to leave the keg unmolested.
And just Tri-clamp on the plumbing and a proper steam rated 15psi or less PRV

[Brutal]

PP hope you are doing well Sir!

Have you considered building a rocket stove to power this project? Many rocket stove designs incorporate a pipe going up into a barrel type chamber for reburning. Maybe you could put the pipe off to one side and put the boiler inside the reburning chamber. Could be an easy way to get it going quick and shut it down too.

Edit to add a pic:

google image

[Prairiepiss]

PP hope you are doing well Sir!

Have you considered building a rocket stove to power this project? Many rocket stove designs incorporate a pipe going up into a barrel type chamber for reburning. Maybe you could put the pipe off to one side and put the boiler inside the reburning chamber. Could be an easy way to get it going quick and shut it down too.

Edit to add a pic:
rocketmassstove01.jpg

I have thought a little about a rocket stove.