Lumpy Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I am the wife trying to ask a question for my husband so there could be some giggles before I am finished. Lumpy wants to build a firebox to heat iron using coal, bricks and who knows what else. He had to draw me a picture to just ask his question. He has a pipe coming up through the middle into which he will blow air. His question is: would it be more effective to harness the hot air coming from the fire and return it to the pipe or use cold air through the pipe. When I asked why he thought one might be better than the other, his reply was that there might be less oxygen in the hot air after being burned. This might make cold air more efficient. Please comment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Fresh air! Definitely! Recycled air would indeed have less oxygen. If forging in an enclosed room he'll want to pipe in fresh air from outside (this is for safety... otherwise the fire could deplete the air in the room and become DEADLY). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnptc Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 fresh cold air will contain the most oxygen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Fresh air for sure. Now why did you think we'd giggle? Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 The air needs to be fresh but if he can arrange it using air exaust to heat the incoming fresh air reduces fuel consumption and produces higher heats. This is called regenerative heating and is practiced in the steel industry and other places that need to generate high heats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 (edited) During the American Civil War, Traveling Forges (also called Battery Forges) had iron boxes with nozzles that were intended to preheat the air in their side-blast arrangement to the forge. Reproductions of this airback are available from Museum & Collector Specialties Company This is the drawing by Captain Albert Mordecai circa 1850s of the airback specified by the U.S. Government. Edited April 19, 2009 by UnicornForge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 See, no one laughed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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