sam1234
12-01-2011, 03:51 PM
There is one thing that is important to understand with the Intens'O'fire temperature gauge.
There is no magic number! Forget about the 1500 degress, it doesn't matter.
This is not a performance indicator.
It must be used as an indicator to keep the temperature stable inside the firebox.
Serge is right, on a 3x10, to have appx 4 gallons of evaporated water/sq. foot/h, the gauge temperature will show around 1500 deg. This temperature can be maintained stable by turning the grates air control (middle handle) counter clockwise (more air) as the temp goes down. In fact, when a computer is used with all the probes in the evaporator, the temperature under the front of the flue pan will be around 2000 degrees when the gauge shows 1500 degrees.
On a 4x15, the temperature showing on the gauge will differ from the 3x10 due to the different combustion room size and different probe location, but will still be 2000F and provide 4 gal per sq.ft. of evaporation.
The operator, based on many factors (sand, period of the year, low or high brix RO etc..) will need to find out the gauge reading that works the best for him.
Remember...
Two way of working with the intens'o'fire :
You want performance?
Fill the entire fire box all the way to the back and 4 inches from the syrup pans.
You'll fire the rig every 40 minutes with good HARD WOOD!
100 lbs of cedar ahs the same BTU as 100lbs of maple. it's all relative with loading period!
You want wood economy/gasification?
Push the red ashes to the back of the evaporator. Leave the back of the firebox with ashes only that will act as the secondary chamber gases igniter combined with air.
Fill the front part of the firebox over the grates with wood with very little air under the grates and the gases will ignite in the secondary chamber to get a clean combustion due to gasification.
There is no magic number! Forget about the 1500 degress, it doesn't matter.
This is not a performance indicator.
It must be used as an indicator to keep the temperature stable inside the firebox.
Serge is right, on a 3x10, to have appx 4 gallons of evaporated water/sq. foot/h, the gauge temperature will show around 1500 deg. This temperature can be maintained stable by turning the grates air control (middle handle) counter clockwise (more air) as the temp goes down. In fact, when a computer is used with all the probes in the evaporator, the temperature under the front of the flue pan will be around 2000 degrees when the gauge shows 1500 degrees.
On a 4x15, the temperature showing on the gauge will differ from the 3x10 due to the different combustion room size and different probe location, but will still be 2000F and provide 4 gal per sq.ft. of evaporation.
The operator, based on many factors (sand, period of the year, low or high brix RO etc..) will need to find out the gauge reading that works the best for him.
Remember...
Two way of working with the intens'o'fire :
You want performance?
Fill the entire fire box all the way to the back and 4 inches from the syrup pans.
You'll fire the rig every 40 minutes with good HARD WOOD!
100 lbs of cedar ahs the same BTU as 100lbs of maple. it's all relative with loading period!
You want wood economy/gasification?
Push the red ashes to the back of the evaporator. Leave the back of the firebox with ashes only that will act as the secondary chamber gases igniter combined with air.
Fill the front part of the firebox over the grates with wood with very little air under the grates and the gases will ignite in the secondary chamber to get a clean combustion due to gasification.