vince pitelka on sat 6 apr 02
> I just obtained a circular burner from a gas water heater. It sits about
an inch off the bottom of the kiln and has about a 26 in diameter. I'm told
it puts out about 150-200 thousand BTU. Has anyone used such a burner? or
could tell me if such a burner will work?
James -
Unfortunately, no. Such a burner is for even application of heat to a broad
surface. For a kiln you need a burner which applies concentrated heat to a
small opening (the burner port). Burners will not withstand the
temperatures inside the kiln, so they must be mounted outside. For the kind
of burner you mention, you would have to have an enormous opening in the
bottom of your kiln, and the amount of cold air entering around the burner
would keep you from ever achieving any significant temperature.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
"SchMooz 1"@AOL.COM on sat 6 apr 02
I just obtained a circular burner from a gas water heater. It sits about an inch off the bottom of the kiln and has about a 26 in diameter. I'm told it puts out about 150-200 thousand BTU. Has anyone used such a burner? or could tell me if such a burner will work?
Thanks
James in Annapolis
John Baymore on sun 7 apr 02
I just obtained a circular burner from a gas water heater. It sits about =
an
inch off the bottom of the kiln and has about a 26 in diameter. I'm told =
it
puts out about 150-200 thousand BTU. =
James,
Sounds like what you have is a burner with a ribbon-type ring retention
head. A ring nozzle with little holes that create a ribbon of little
distince flames that look sort of like a gazillion bic lighters all lit i=
n
a row????? Sort of an oversized gas stove burner . If that retention=
head is an integral part of the main mixing tube assembly......... which =
on
that type of unit it usually is........ shy of doing some serious "choppi=
ng
and cobbling"...... it might not be much use for a kiln. Kinda' hard to
get the "burner port" issue solved , even though 150,000 BTU's is
150,000 BTU's.
If the ring head is a separate unit from the mixing tube..... then you ca=
n
change the retention head to a single port type....and you have yourself =
a
(likely) low pressure (4" WC") 150,000 BTU burner probably suitable for a=
raku kiln or something like that. =
The primary air control is probably set up to be set in one position and
held there with a set screw........ which is great for water heaters....b=
ut
not for kilns. Inconvenient. For kiln use you'll likely want to change
the set screw to a more useable system. =
If the water heater was running on natural gas...... if you change to
propane..... the orifice will be mismatched. Ditto if you change the
supply pressure. It'll still create a flame.... but the amount of primary=
air entrained will probably be off.... rich, with more potential BTU's
....which will only be realized IF you can get enough secondary air mixed=
in to burn it. One caveat...... low pressure burners are notoriously
problematic for kiln use though.......are easily affected by variables
induced by the kiln and vent system. If it was on propane and you go the=
other way.... you will also have issues. In that case the output likely
will be decreased. Ditto if it was on higher pressure (11" WC or up) and=
you reduce it.
All in all...... it might not be worth the trouble to play with it too
much, unless you are "handy" with tools and mechanical equipment, and wan=
t
the learning experience.
David Hendley, however, could turn it into the new booster engine for the=
next NASA Mars mission simply by adding a few parts from the carbureator =
of
a 67 Chevy .
Hope this helps a bit.
Best,
..............................john
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752 (s)
800-900-1110 (s)
JohnBaymore.com
JBaymore@compuserve.com
"DATES SET: Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop Augu=
st
16-25, 2002"
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