Turbo Stove – Winter 2012 – Stage 2 Testing
Our objective during the second stage of testing was to take what we learned during the first stage and make modifications to the Burninator with the hopes of getting a successful burn. During our research and experimentation, we learned the importance of controlling airflow through the system so, with this in mind, we hoped to modify the Burninator in a way that would do a better job of channeling the flow of air through the fuel and out the stack in the chimney. In order to do this, we modified the inner cone on the upper stack to make the seal airtight and made adjustments to the feed and carburetor so that more fuel could be concentrated in one area.
Post-lab Report – 2/28/12
Our goals this lab were to:
- Test out the stove with a fan to increase airflow
- Try only feeding fuel from one side of the stove
- Try attaching the chimney to the top of the inner cone to increase air flow
After our experimentation, we discovered that the stove actually works very well with improved airflow through the system. This leads us to believe that designing a stove that is airtight, with a linear airflow in mind will give us a more successful burn, much like the Mayon Turbo Stove. We took our ideas to the whiteboard and sketched out a number of possible designs before settling on a single stove design that we plan on assembling during next week’s lab.
During tomorrow’s class we will discuss what materials we will need or next lab. Also, Ali and Erika plan on coming in on Thursday evening at 6pm to start building the upper stove assembly.
Post-lab Report – 2/21/12
Our goals for this week’s lab were as follows:
- Reattach the stack to the base
- Attach carburetor
- Reattach rice hull hoppers
- Seal off side vents
- Test the new and improved stove
Instead of welding the top part of the stove back on we decided to readjust the rice hull feeders with new screws at then set the top assembly on the screws. This allowed us to test out the stove, while giving us the option of changed the height of the upper assembly later.
After reattaching the necessary parts, we attempted a burn during the last hour of lab. The last burn attempt was the most successful of the three that we did.
First attempt:
- Lit from top
- Fuel on top burned, but fuel lower down in carburetor did not catch
- Burned until paper went out
Second attempt:
- Lit from bottom, added wind shields to keep flame contained
- Fuel in bottom of carburetor burned, but did not continue to burn all the way through
Third attempt
- Adjusted the height of the fuel tray / carburetor
- Lit from top, did not catch
Fourth attempt
- Lit from bottom with wind shields, used a LOT of paper to get the flame high enough to reach the fuel
- Most successful burn, but flame was very small
- Significant wind gusts had a positive effect on the flame
Our goals for next week’s lab are:
- Talk to Dr. Thatcher during office hours tomorrow and get her input on what we should do
Post-lab Report – 2/14/12
Our goals for this week’s lab were as follows:
- Finish welding the inner cone to the inside of The Burninator
- Adjust the angle on the rice hull feeding inlets
- Modify the removable air intake/ash removal tray
- Shorten the length of the pipes to align with incoming fuel
- Attach perforated sheet metal, but at a smaller height than we did the last lab
During the lab today, we were able to accomplish all of the goals we set for ourselves. While Will finished welding the inner cone to the stack, Mike and Ali worked on the feed angle and modified the combustion tray. At this point, the inner cone is completely welded to the stack. In order to maintain an airtight seal, we added some of the natural building group’s mud to the inside. To improve the rice hull feeding capabilities, we added two pieces of steel to help slide the fuel into the combustion tray. Lastly, we modified the bottom combustion area by adding a larger tray and sidewalls. We hope that these modifications will help concentrate the fuel and improve airflow through the chamber.
For next week, our goals are as follows:
- Reattach the stack to the base
- Attach carburetor
- Reattach rice hull hoppers
- Seal off side vents
- Test the new and improved stove
What we need:
- Screws to attach carb parts
 |
| Burninator with modified carburetor. |