Louis Katz on mon 15 nov 04
There was an article somewhere, Claytimes? CM?
Louis
> is/has been using the automotive O2 sensor with some success. Might be
wjskw@BELLSOUTH.NET on mon 15 nov 04
I want to thank everyone that responded to my inquiry regarding the
oxyprobe for wood firing. The general consensus seems to be to
build the kiln, learn to fire it as you go, don't waste the money on
a toy that isn't going to work (for long). The heck with recording
data. =20
Sorry, folks, I don't buy it. Good records coupled with experience
means repeatability. I've heard that all along from a lot of you
onlist.
The kiln I'm planning is a hybrid gas/wood MFT. For wood,
certainly, Axner's oxyprobe is not going to be of much use, since it
cannot be used in a smoke/ash environment. While using that unit in
a wood kiln is not possible, the other side of that coin is that the
kiln will also be fired _gas_.
Whether I buy one or not; I want what I want, and my mind gets set.
(I get stubborn sometimes. It's called "dikscheidel" in German:
thickheaded) After all, I live in America. If we don't have it, it
just hasn't been invented yet. And dammit, it should be!
So I did some digging, (like a bull pawing at the ground before a
charge :>) I found out that automotive oxygen sensors won't work,
even mounted flush with the wall of the kiln, since they can not
operate at those temps. Led me to all the different types of O2
sensors, and how oxygen sensors work (thanks to the Robert Bosch
Corp website for that information.) No, what I was looking for
_had_ to be purely industrial.
Well, I know industry. Worked in too many factories and die-casting
shops during my misspent youth to not still know my way around some.
I called a few friends who were purchasing agents for the now
defunct steel industry and came up with this...
http://www.teledyne-ai.com/pdf/9060.pdf
I have an inquiry in now to find out if it can be used in a smoke
environment. It should be, since it operates in blast furnaces.
If you open their .pdf spec sheet, you'll see that it also operates=20
(with the right probe) at temps to 1400C.
One unit. Gas, electric, wood, hell maybe old tires too. Throw
Mel's 2X4 on the fire while we're at it...
I can just imagine the price.
Wayne Seidl
Key West FL US
John Rodgers on mon 15 nov 04
Wayne, this is just another zirconium based oxyprobe. Maybe a bit
heavier duty.
Someone - and for the life of me I can't remember who - on clayart
is/has been using the automotive O2 sensor with some success. Might be
worth a look.
Regards,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
wjskw@BELLSOUTH.NET wrote:
>
>Well, I know industry. Worked in too many factories and die-casting
>shops during my misspent youth to not still know my way around some.
>I called a few friends who were purchasing agents for the now
>defunct steel industry and came up with this...
>
>http://www.teledyne-ai.com/pdf/9060.pdf
>
>I have an inquiry in now to find out if it can be used in a smoke
>environment. It should be, since it operates in blast furnaces.
>If you open their .pdf spec sheet, you'll see that it also operates
>(with the right probe) at temps to 1400C.
>One unit. Gas, electric, wood, hell maybe old tires too. Throw
>Mel's 2X4 on the fire while we're at it...
>
>
wjskw@BELLSOUTH.NET on tue 16 nov 04
Derek:
That is the first constructive suggestion I've heard as a workaround
for the problem.=20
One of the sites I visited (Walker Mfg., they do custom exhaust
systems for race cars) shows a pipe fitting that looks like a "tee"
into which a "generic" oxygen sensor can be screwed. Getting the
air into the fitting at a sufficiently cool temperature should not
be a problem, given a long enough pipe perhaps coming down the side
of the kiln, and a small muffin fan acting as a "vacuum" at the
outflow (far) end. The pipe should be cool enough at that point not
to destroy the sensor or fan. Hmmmmm...time for more engineering. =20
Multiple sources for the air should also give a reasonable
approximation of an "average" atmosphere inside the kiln. I'm
imagining the side of the kiln would begin to look like it was
wearing a set of "headers". If nothing else, it should be unique as
"art" . I should think that a bit of Kaowool stuffed into the
pipe (kiln side) would keep ash from being sucked in. The fan
needn't be that strong, just enough to ensure a positive airflow
past the sensor. The waste heat coming from the fan end of the pipe
should be enough to at least keep dinner warm since O2 sensors
operate at 50 degrees C (122 F)
If this works, I'm going to name the system after you.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Best Regards,
Wayne Seidl
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of
Tarrant, Derek
Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 4:53 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: FW: We don't need no stinkin' oxyprobe but we can have
one!
Just a dumb thought, but all fuel burning kilns have an exhaust.
Why not cool a portion of that exhaust gas down to temperatures that
an
automotive sensor can handle and measure there?
Derek Tarrant,
Weaverville, NC
Maurice Weitman on tue 16 nov 04
I think this is what you're after, Wayne.
All praise Roger Graham for this and other insights.
The Kiln Exhaust Sniffer
A Do-It-Yourself Oxygen Probe by Roger Graham
http://www.ceramicsmonthly.org/mustreads/sniffer.asp
Regards,
Maurice
Ivor and Olive Lewis on tue 16 nov 04
Wayne,
A couple of sites which you may have already found:
www.furnace-technologies.com.au
www.hotek.com/Testocomp.htm
Some time since I accessed these sites but they cover the industrial
scene.
We have supply house in Perth, Altronics ( @ www.altronics.com.au ).
In their current catalogue page 111 illustrates a 6500 Datalogger DMM
with RS-232 Interface for $Au 398. Cat item is Q 1190. It will
record -50=BA =3D> 1300=BA C.
I recall "He who pays the piper calls the tune" Enjoy the ride with
the new kiln.
Best regards.
Ivor Lewis.
Redhill,
S. Australia.
| |
|
