[PACKET_05_INF]: THE ROCKET MASS HEATER (RMH) OBJECTIVE: Maximum caloric heat extraction from minimum wood fuel. I. THE "L-TUBE" GEOMETRY The efficiency comes from the internal proportions. If these ratios are wrong, the heater will smoke or "choke." Feed Tube: Where you drop the wood. Must be vertical. Burn Tunnel: The horizontal section connecting the feed to the riser. Heat Riser: The insulated vertical chimney inside the barrel. Must be at least 3x the height of the burn tunnel. II. COMPONENTS The Core: Firebricks or heavy clay/sand mix (Cob). The Jacket: A 55-gallon steel drum (to radiate immediate heat). The Mass: A mix of rocks, sand, and clay (to store long-term heat). Exhaust: Standard 6" stovepipe. III. ASCII SCHEMATIC (CROSS-SECTION) Plaintext [ INTERNAL COMBUSTION CORE ] (Steel Drum) | ____ | | | | | <-- [A] HEAT RISER (Insulated) | | | | (Air moves up, then hits [B] -->| | | | barrel top and sinks) FEED | |____| | TUBE |____| |____| | | | |____|___________| <-- [C] BURN TUNNEL (Air Intake) [LOGIC]: Insulation around the Riser [A] keeps the internal temp at 1000C+, ensuring a "clean" burn. IV. THE THERMAL BENCH Instead of venting the exhaust straight outside, you run the stovepipe through a long mound of mud/cob. Drafting: The hot air from the riser "pushes" the exhaust through the bench. Storage: The bench absorbs the heat. You can sit or sleep on it. The exhaust exiting the house should be barely warm to the touch. V. OPERATION Start: Burn a small piece of paper at the base of the Heat Riser to "prime" the draft. Fuel: Use "pencil to thumb-sized" dry sticks. Visual Check: A well-tuned RMH produces zero visible smoke from the exterior chimney. [ END OF PACKET // ARCHIVE_REF: 05-INF-RMH-REV1 ]