Bricks or ceramic blankets?

[DaveB]

I'm getting a new evaporator later next month and will need to insulate but it's been a few years since I needed to do this. I was looking at the Leader catalog and was noticing that their Vortex arch doesn't use bricking but layers of ceramic blankets. I used a combination of arch board and bricking on my last arch but I'm wondering if using the blankets might also be an option for me. Does anyone do this? Is there anything special that needs to be done or should I not consider this?

Thanks.

[rayi]

I'm in the same boat as you with a new evaporator. I have decided to use 2 inch blanket and splits in the fire box. Reason for this is I saw some of the board after 2 years and it was a crumbled mess

[DaveB]

Back when I setup my original 2x6 about 6 years ago, putting the arch board under the bricks was kind of different and the thought was that it kept more heat under the pan which is why I did that. I think that helped increase me gph numbers. A thread way below from a couple of years ago talks about using the ceramic blankets as well and it keeps the sides of the arch cool enough to touch. There's a company with a warehouse about 40 miles away with a 2'x25' blanket for $30 and I'm thinking of using multiple layers instead of bricking to maintain the heat in the firebox. From what I've read, the bricks have almost no insulating value so outside of wear and tear, they really don't do anything.

What I don't know is how it holds up loading and reloading wood but if a commercial unit is doing that, I can't see why it wouldn't work.

[kiteflyingeek]

Dave,

I'm getting ready to setup my 2x6.5 arch soon. I bought supplies from Sugar Bush Supplies in Mason, MI, and they steered me away from using blanket topped by brick. Think of the soot and ash that will clog the blanket -- how will you get that clean? In the firebox, the wood will rip the blanket to pieces so the bricks are there to keep the blanket / board safe.

I was planning to install blanket in all the arch and top it with split bricks in the firebox only. They convinced me to do the board and I will top the firebox area with splits. I'm putting double thickness board under the drop flues but I may go back and put bricks in as the second layer sometime in the future. The reason I may do that is the brush to clean between the flues may shred the arch board.

My understanding is that the blanket is really for use by the oil fired rigs.

--andrew

[DaveB]

I too used the arch board with bricks and it does help. I just saw Leader's Vortex wood-fired evaporator using only layers of ceramic blanket and it got me thinking. Here's some pictures and info from their Website:

http://www.leaderevaporator.com/p-402-vortex-wood-fired-gasification-arch.aspx

I too wonder about how well it would perform with wood hitting it. I'm less worried about soot & ash. I guess I'd have to be careful about loading but I always try and keep an air gap around the fire and I'd have to think that since brick doesn't have an insulation value that it would be better than arch board alone with brick.

[Waynehere]

The Vortex pics can be deceiving. The one with the fire, if you look closer, is indeed lined with bricks. They just don't put them in until after it is delivered.

[DaveB]

The Vortex pics can be deceiving. The one with the fire, if you look closer, is indeed lined with bricks. They just don't put them in until after it is delivered.

That is true. I wonder why it says "The VORTEX comes insulated with multiple layers of 2600 degree ceramic blanket and requires only minimal bricking in the combustion chamber and under the smoke stack." I've emailed them for clarification on the conflict between the picture and the statement. I still have time to figure out what I'm going to do. I may just do what I did the last time but I'm intrigued by the extra installation of a ceramic blanket layers.

[Shawn]

Put the blanket in then bricks over that and have had no problems and keeps the heat in and works well.:cool:

[lew]

Line any area that may come in contact with wood or tools (ie. firebox, ash pit) with bricks. they will take the abuse. Put arch board behind the bricks. Line the rest of the evaporator with ceramic blanket. The fire bricks rob you of a lot of heat while firing up and cause you to have to flood the pan after you are done boiling. Ceramic blanket holds no heat and reflects virtually all heat back to the pan, or up the stack if arch is not properly designed. Either way the heat is usable, not lost in the fire brick. Also much easier to install and a much superior insulating product

[DaveB]

I heard back from Leader and they did confirm that you need to brick it, as misleading as the description is. I think Lew's description is closest to what I will do. I'll use arch board & bricking in the firebox and use the ceramic blanket layers elsewhere. I like the idea of it helping at shutdown by not having all the bricks holding the heat and more heat focused on the pans.

Thanks everyone for the replies!

[Maplewalnut]

[QUOTE=DaveB;231770] I'll use arch board & bricking in the firebox and use the ceramic blanket layers elsewhere. QUOTE]

Just what I did, no regrets>>>

[nymapleguy607]

Dave,

Andersons maple in wisconsin has diagrams on how the vortex is bricked. I used that as a guide when I was insulating my arch, I used full brick and blanket in my arch and compared to my old evaporator which had blanket and split fire brick the new one holds in a lot more heat and definitely makes more heat