Anyone ever try incorporating water heating into the design? My current potbelly has a 1/2" copper coil around the exhaust cased in steel mesh and mortar. It's worked okay for a few years but the mortar is falling apart. All the reading on these rocket stoves is teaching me how I could have done it much better... but anyway... I'm thinking when I cast my core for a RMH I can incorporate the copper coil into the core cast, right along with the temperature sensor which turns the circulation pump on and off.
I'm thinking maybe recessing a small piece of conductive tubing like copper or something that I can place the temp. sensor in and remove it should it need replacing.
Through experimentation I arrived at 1/2" copper coil for the potbelly, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with my idea for RMH and if so what size heat exchanger they used? Also, how the exchange affected the ability to heat the thermal bench? I'm currently circulating water into a 250 gallon tank with another pump that circulates through 148 sq.ft. of solar collectors. Theres a 250 roll of 1" pex that sits in the tank and acts as a heat exchanger bringing my well water up to temp before hitting the hot water faucet. I only use the water in the tank for thermal heat storage for heat exchange and radiant in-floor heat.
I was trying to add an image of the current coil system but can't figure out how~ wah wah wah....