Mad ponderings on forge redesign

[matt87]

A something I've been mulling over regarding combined blast and draft in a solid fuel forge. If one were to take a conventional bottom-blast forge and attach a centrifugal blower sucking air from the tuyere and blowing it through a water tank vented to the outside, as a crude form of wet scrubber. (Obviously this would need a blower capable of handling hot gases.) This would eliminate most fumes in the smithy, and would possibly allow smokier fuels to be used in more sensitive areas (like in urban areas). Could also conceivibly reduce the ash/dust problem associated with using solid fuel.

If the blower were placed after the tank, you might not need a hot-gas capable blower.

Anyone got any comments?

I'm not planning on constructing this, it's just an idea I've had.

[easilyconfused]

Kind of a stupid question but, if you put the blower after the water, how are you going to make sure the air goes through it and not get sucked out?

[matt87]

With one of these Fermentation lock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (scaled up of course)

[bruce wilcock]

i remember gas works using scrubbers ,and disposal of the oily tarry water full of nasties was a headache, then ,late 1960 so today you would have to put it down the drain after dark, the cleanest i have been able to burn coal is in a puddling type furnace with a brick arch that i use to raise heats for a hammer

[bruce wilcock]

the fire with the top half of a anvil in it ,thats if the photo shows up.

[nett]

Why not vent directly into your sewer line? All structures have gas traps so there won't be any problem there, the smoke will just vent up to the roof. It would be kinda like a Charles Dickens' theatrical set to see smoke drifting out of all the roof vents in your neighborhood. Quick way to defuse the smoke, too, by spreading it around the neighborhood. I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on television.

[Glenn]

Look at IForgeIron > Blueprints > BP0333 55 Forge with a Supercharger

Soft bituminous coal produces volumes of smoke, but with this set up and a little fire maintenance you may be surprised just how little smoke the forge produces. You should start with a good fire from sticks, then add coal keeping a flame present to burn the smoke produced. The heat from the fire produces draft. The draft sucks in air which increases the burning of smoke. The heat from the burning smoke produces more draft. The draft dilutes any remaining smoke.