What is a rocket stove: design options, diagrams and operating principles. The main types of rocket stoves and DIY options Rocket stove

Here you will learn:

Not every person knows such a simple heating device as a rocket stove. Meanwhile, it has few equals in simplicity and effectiveness. It cannot be said that it has the best characteristics, but it also has few disadvantages. There are many varieties of these furnaces, differing in design and purpose. We'll look at them in more detail as part of our review.

Design and principle of operation

Rocket furnaces have virtually nothing to do with the design of rocket engines or jet turbines. On the contrary, they are extremely simple in design, in contrast to the above devices. The similarity is noticeable only in the quietly noisy flame and high combustion temperature - all this is observed after the stove reaches operating mode.

Let's consider the design of rocket furnaces - they consist of the following elements:

Firebox – a vertical or horizontal section in which firewood is burned;
Combustion chamber (also known as a flame tube, riser) – here the process of fuel combustion occurs, releasing a large amount of heat;
Blower - necessary for the correct operation of the stove and the start of the combustion process of pyrolysis gases;
Thermal insulation – envelops the vertical part, forming a drum together with the body;
Bed – used for its intended purpose;
Chimney - removes combustion products into the atmosphere, creating draft;
Dish rack – ensures unhindered heat escape.

Depending on the type of rocket stove, certain elements may be missing.

Rocket stoves with vertical fireboxes (fuel bunkers) and blowers are the most efficient and convenient - large volumes of fuel are placed here, which ensures long-term combustion.

The most important part of the rocket furnace is the vertical drum. It is here that the highest temperature is observed, as flames burst out here. In order for it to start working, it must be thoroughly warmed up. Without this, the combustion process will be weak. To warm up, paper, cardboard, small wood chips or thin branches are placed in the firebox. As soon as the system warms up, the flame in the drum will begin to burn out with a humming sound, which is a sign that it has reached operating mode.

A rocket (jet) stove without a ash burns wood directly. It is simpler, but less effective. The model with a blower supplies secondary air to the base of the riser, which causes intense combustion of flammable pyrolysis gases. This increases the efficiency of the unit.

The fireboxes in rocket stoves are located horizontally or vertically (at any angle). Horizontal fireboxes are not very convenient, since the firewood in them has to be moved to the combustion zone manually, independently. Vertical combustion chambers are more convenient - we load fuel into them and go about our business. As the logs burn, they will fall down, independently moving towards the combustion zone.

Types of rocket stoves

In this section we will look at the most common types of rocket stoves used in field and stationary conditions.

Simple metal stoves

The simplest wood-burning jet stove is made from an L-shaped piece of large-diameter metal pipe. The horizontal part is short, it represents the firebox. The combustion chamber is located in the vertical part of the pipe, where wood actively burns. A small metal plate is often welded into the horizontal section, forming a blower. After warming up, the rocket furnace enters operating mode, and a flame bursts out of its vertical section (flame tube).

Such rocket stoves are used for cooking food in camping or outdoor conditions - due to their small area, they produce little heat, and the vast majority of the thermal energy is lost through the fire tube. Kettles, frying pans and pots are placed on this pipe so that the raging flame ensures their heating. To maintain traction, there are stands in the upper part of the pipe, on which the dishes are placed - combustion products can freely come out.

To make a metal rocket furnace made from an L-shaped piece of pipe more efficient, it is equipped with a metal casing made from an old barrel. A blower can be seen at the bottom of the barrel, and a fire tube peeks out from the top. If necessary, the internal volume is filled with insulation, for example, ash - it does not burn and retains heat well.

Simple brick ovens

A small-sized brick rocket stove is another simplest option for building a rocket stove with your own hands. Its assembly does not require cement mortar; it is enough to stack the bricks on top of each other to get a convenient brick outdoor unit for cooking at your disposal. In the section on self-assembly of rocket stoves, we will invite you to familiarize yourself with the simplest procedure for self-assembly.

A rocket stove, made with your own hands from brick, can be used to heat households. In this case, a simple arrangement is not enough - you will have to build a stationary version using a special cement mortar. There are many procedures for this, you just have to choose the appropriate option. By the way, some versions of such furnaces include a water circuit.

Advantage of brick rocket kilns:

Simple design;
Long-term heat retention;
The ability to create a comfortable warm bed.

Some models are made combined, using both steel and bricks.

Sophisticated rocket stoves

A jet stove for heating households or for a bath is characterized by increased complexity. The main link here is still the riser (fire tube), enclosed in a metal casing. Its upper part can be used for cooking, forming a kind of cooking surface. The firebox is made large to accommodate an increased amount of solid fuel. The starting materials are metal, bricks and clay.

There are projects for wood-burning rocket stoves that include additional modules. Their construction schemes include small boilers for preparing hot water, hobs, water jackets and even small ovens. Such stoves will help heat households and create comfortable living conditions for people.

A rocket boiler with a water jacket, created on the basis of a wood-burning stove, will help warm up a multi-room building. It is equipped with a water circuit for heating the coolant. Additional convenience is created by samples with beds - these beds are created on the basis of thermal channels between the flame and chimney pipes.

Types of stoves for different operating conditions

A rocket stove with a water circuit, brick or metal, can replace a boiler. The heat exchanger here is arranged in the upper part of the flame tube in the form of a surrounding water jacket. There are jumpers inside the jacket for more efficient heat transfer to the coolant. The design is extremely simple; it can heat households up to several tens of square meters.

A rocket stove for the garage can be made from an old pot-bellied gas cylinder or barrel. To do this, two holes are made in the selected container - one in the top lid and the other on the side surface. An L-shaped pipe is inserted inside. Having a little experience working with a welding machine, all work will take you a maximum of half an hour.

You can also make a rocket-type furnace described above from sections of square and metal pipe according to the drawing given.

Also suitable for heating a garage is the heating rocket stove “Ognivo – Khozyain”. This is a store-bought model made from aluminum corrugated pipe and ordinary sheet iron. It works in approximately the same way and allows you to warm a garage of up to 30 square meters. m.

There are no drawings of it in the public domain yet, so you can try to assemble the “Ognivo” stove with your own hands based on its photograph. You can also buy it on the manufacturer's website.

We have already said that to heat large households you will need a long-burning rocket stove with a water circuit. A small one-room household can be heated with a simpler stove and a stove bench - this way you will save space on furniture. It consists of the following nodes:

Firebox with vertical loading - logs are placed in it;
Afterburner is a horizontal section in front of the riser (flame tube), where pyrolysis combustion occurs;
A riser with a hob is a vertical section with a metal body that transfers heat into the room;
Horizontal channels - they heat the stove bench, after which the combustion products are sent into the chimney.

A rocket stove for heating a one-room house is coated with clay to create a flat and comfortable bed - here you can lay a mattress or a small blanket.

For camping use, the simplest rocket-type stoves made of metal pipes are used. They are compact, easy to light and extinguish, cool quickly and allow you to quickly prepare lunch in the open air. The main thing is not to overdo it with the amount of fuel loaded, so as not to burn the food with a high-temperature flame.

How to increase the efficiency of the stove

Long-burning jet stoves can be made even more efficient with a little modification. If the riser (fire pipe) is covered with a metal casing, weld vertically positioned pipes of small diameter to the outer surface - they form a convector that effectively warms the air in the rooms. This modification method is suitable for metal units used for heating technical premises (for example, garages).

Any metal rocket stove can be made more efficient by lining it with brick or natural stone. The masonry will retain heat and slowly release it into the room. At the same time, it will allow you to get rid of unbearable heat if the heating is too intense.

Let's start with the simplest brick sample, intended for cooking. Such a stove can be quickly assembled in your yard without clay mortar, and disassembled after use. It is also possible to assemble a stationary version - for those who like to cook over an open fire. The picture below shows a drawing of the stove, or rather, its order. There are only five rows here.

The first row is the base, which includes six bricks. The second row forms the firebox, and the next three rows form the chimney riser. In the first and second rows, halves of bricks are used so that the stove is rectangular, without protruding elements.

Immediately after assembly, you can start kindling - cook any dishes over the fire in cast iron cauldrons and frying pans, heat kettles and pots with water.

Large rocket stove with bench

The main advantage of the rocket modification over the Russian stove is its compactness. Even if equipped with a bed, it will please you with its small size. By making it out of brick, you will have at your disposal an effective source of heat with a comfortable bed - household members will fight for the right to occupy this warm place.

The first row forms the base of our rocket stove. It consists of 62 bricks laid according to the pattern shown in the figure. The second row forms channels for heating the bed - they run along its entire length. Cast iron doors are also installed here, secured with metal wire - it is held between the rows. The number of bricks used is 44 pcs. The same amount will be required for the third row, which completely follows the contour of the second. The fourth row completely covers the channels that heat the bed. But here a vertical smoke channel and a firebox are already beginning to form - the row includes 59 bricks.

Another 60 is needed for the fifth row. The bench has already been formed, all that remains is to finish off the chimney channel and build the hob. The sixth row, which includes 17 bricks, is responsible for this. Another 18 are needed for the seventh row, 14 for the eighth.

The ninth and tenth row will require 14 bricks, the eleventh – 13.

Row No. 12 is our key row - the chimney pipe will begin from here. Also from here begins a hole through which the air rising to the hob will fall down to the stove bench - 11 bricks are required (this is the top of the riser). In row No. 13 this process is completed, 10 bricks are spent on it. Now we lay an asbestos pad, which is covered with a piece of thick sheet steel - this will be the hob.

Rows No. 14 and No. 15 require 5 bricks each; they cover the chimney channel and form a low wall between the hob and the stove bench.

In a similar way, you can assemble a long-burning rocket boiler by finding a suitable arrangement. Some schemes involve the use of metal components.

DIY long-burning rocket stove: drawings, diagrams

What is a solid rocket stove and how does it work? In this review, we study the types of rocket (jet) stoves and try to assemble them with our own hands.

Do-it-yourself long-burning rocket stove

This device, despite our brave space achievements, is still unknown to few people in our country. And for sure, only a few are interested in how to make a rocket stove with their own hands, because they do not understand the principle of its operation.

Photo 1 Rocket stove in the interior

Principle of operation

Oddly enough, the name “rocket stove” itself has nothing to do with space or rockets themselves. The only analogy that can remotely remind us of this is a jet of flame rising upward in mobile installations.

The design feature of the furnace is the presence of a hood into which flue gases enter and where the final combustion of the sludge occurs. Under the hood, the temperature rises to 1000 0 C within the first 2 hours, as a result of which everything burns without sediment, and the exhaust is formed only in the form of steam and carbon. In this case, gases circulate freely through the channels without forced draft, which is usually created by a chimney pipe.

This design allows the stove to be used not only for heating the room, but also for heating food or water (on the hood). If the chimney is run through a certain area of the room, right up to the lounger, it will also heat up.

Photo 2 Rocket stove in the interior

Among the main advantages of rocket stoves are the following:

high efficiency - 85%;
very fast heating of the room - 50 sq.m. in 45-60 minutes;
absence of soot and, as a result, soot deposits - at temperatures above 1000 degrees, everything burns without a trace;
the ability to use any solid fuel;
minimum consumption - at the same temperature and burning duration, a rocket stove consumes 4-5 times less fuel than a conventional stove.

The simplest rocket works according to the direct combustion formula - these are mobile structures that can be easily assembled in field conditions literally from scrap materials and can also be easily dismantled.

The simplest design from a barrel or gas cylinder

Photo 3 Traveling rocket stove

For fuel, a steel plate is welded to the bottom, at the bottom of which a hole is cut for air intake.

You can use any straight cylindrical container for manufacturing - the drawing of a rocket furnace shows how the direct combustion process occurs.

Photo 4 Schematic of a traveling rocket

Brick rocket stove in 20 minutes

If you have 20-30 bricks on hand, you can make a simple rocket stove with your own hands in just a few minutes. Moreover, no adhesives are needed for masonry.

Lay out a brick, as shown in the photo, for a vertical combustion chamber. In this case, the dishes are placed on the hood in such a way as not to interfere with the movement of released gases

Do-it-yourself rocket-type brick oven:

Photo 5 Rocket stove made of 20 bricks

For such a design to work well, a warm pipe is needed. This term among stove makers means a preliminary run of wood chips and paper so that the pipe warms up. There will be stagnation of gas in a cold pipe, which will make heating difficult. And if the pipe is warm, then when the wood is ignited, a powerful draft appears in the channel.

For reference. The above simplest designs made from a gas cylinder or pipe have a significant drawback - vertical loading of firewood. Each time you have to move the wood into the chamber when it burns out and only then add it. Stationary coal-fired or long-burning rocket stoves already have a vertical stack, which simplifies operation many times over.

Long-burning rocket stove

Photo 6 Design of a stationary rocket furnace

DIY rocket jet stove diagram

In order to make such a unit with your own hands, you need to decide on the dimensions and structural elements.

How the rocket works:

As can be seen from the drawing, the diameter of the cap (D), which covers the top of the pipe, and its cross section (S) are taken as the basis.

Based on these indicators, the dimensions of the rocket furnace are calculated:

the height of the drum is 2 of its diameter;
the height of the clay coating is 2/3 of the height;
coating thickness - 1/3 of the diameter;
cross-sectional area of the pipe - 7% of its cross-section;
blower area - 1/2 of the pipe section;
the flame tube horizontally and vertically must be the same;
ash pan volume - 4-6% of the drum height;
The cross-sectional area of the external chimney is the double cross-section of the pipe.
the thickness of the insulating layer (adobe cushion) under the external chimney is 60 mm;
the thickness of the coating of the stove bench is 1/4 of the diameter of the drum;
external pipe height - 4000 mm;
The length of the flue directly depends on the diameter of the drum. If for its manufacture we took a metal container with a diameter of 50-60 cm and a volume of 200 liters, then the length of the flue pipe will be at least 6 meters. If the diameter is half as large, then the bed should be made up to 4 meters.

If you are making a stationary rocket stove with your own hands, be sure to pay attention to the lining of the top of the pipe. This is necessary to isolate the roaster from the walls of the oven to prevent overheating of the walls. Fireclay bricks can be used for lining.

Photos of examples of original performance

It is noteworthy that not only the walls need protection, but also the lining itself. In order to protect it from flammable gases, you can create a metal sheathing and fill it with river sand. For this purpose, you can use any available metal object - a barrel, a bucket, galvanized steel.

Sand is poured into the bucket layer by layer, with each layer being generously watered for proper compaction. When you have filled the protection to the top with sand, leave it to dry for 7-10 days.

The lining of the brazier is done much faster - fireclay bricks are laid on the clay mortar, and the space between the latter and the wall will also have to be filled with sand in layers - with water and time for drying.

Pipe lining diagram

All further work on the installation of a jet-type rocket furnace continues only after not only the lining, but also the clay protection, which is applied over the top cut, has dried.

Before making a stationary structure, practice on a traveling sample. After the first experience it will become clear even if you have not read the books on rocket stoves.

Disadvantages of the heating device

This device is often used to heat food or water - indeed, a huge amount of heat, a hot cap, why not use this idea? However, connecting a water circuit in order to heat the entire house and not a room is impossible. The design is so simple that any intervention, including a coil, will disrupt the progress of work.
Surprisingly, such a lightweight mobile heating device is completely unsuitable for either a bathhouse or a garage. Even with its high efficiency, a camping unit will not heat the air in the steam room to the required minimum. And in a garage or warehouse it is not recommended to use devices with direct open fire.

Assembly diagram of a portable rocket stove

In this article we will give an example of a camp installation, which does not require any masonry or finishing materials.

2 buckets;
stainless steel pipe;
river sand or crushed stone for lining.

Step 1. Cut a hole in the side of one of the buckets along the diameter of the pipe at a height of 5 cm from the bottom. The height should be enough to pour crushed stone or sand into the bucket.

Step 2. Divide the pipe into 2 parts - a short loading section and a pancake elbow-chimney.

Step 2. Insert the pipe into the hole in the bucket.

Step 4. By analogy with step 1, cut a hole in the bucket, but directly in the bottom. The diameter of the hole corresponds to the diameter of the pipe. Insert the pipe.

Step 5. Pour sand or gravel into a bucket, which will act as a heat accumulator for the fire tube.

Step 6. Making legs or stand. For this purpose, ordinary reinforcement is suitable, which is bent under pressure and the base is cut out.

Rocket stove from a gas cylinder

This is a complicated, improved version, for the manufacture of which you will need an already used gas cylinder and a 4 mm rectangular pipe.

The scheme remains exactly the same with the only exception that flammable gases are discharged from the side through the hole, and not from above, as happens with field samples.

If there is a need to cook food or heat it, the upper part of the cylinder with the tap is cut off, and a flat plate is welded on top.

Do-it-yourself long-burning rocket stove made of brick or gas cylinder: drawings, photos and video instructions

We will tell you how to make a rocket stove with your own hands, and what you need for this. This device, despite our brave space achievements, is still very little known in our country, although its effectiveness is beyond doubt.

How to make a rocket stove with your own hands

Rocket stove: diagram and photo of production.

The design of the rocket stove is made in such a way that, using direct combustion, it creates a strong flame from a small amount of fuel. The combustion process occurs in a vertical pipe where the effect of direct combustion of the flame is ultimately created.

Rocket stove diagram.

The figure shows a diagram of a rocket-type furnace.

The stove consists of a vertical pipe and a side firebox placed at an angle of 45 degrees; the firebox located at this angle greatly facilitates the stacking of firewood.

DIY rocket stove.

To make a rocket-type furnace, you will need two sections of profile pipe:

For the firebox, a pipe with a cross-section of 160 x 160 mm is 300 mm long.

For the chimney, a pipe with a cross-section of 120 x 120 mm is 500 mm long.

You will also need metal sheets 5 mm thick and the following dimensions:

Several metal rods for making grate bars.

The manufacturing process of a rocket stove is as follows. The firebox and chimney of the stove are cut out from the profile pipes using a grinder.

The chimney and firebox are welded together at an angle of 45 degrees.

At the bottom of the firebox, you need to weld the grates and a plate separating the firebox and the ash pan. Without grates, coals will quickly clog the firebox and reduce draft.

A damper must be provided in the firebox; by adjusting the damper, you can control the intensity of the flame burning in the furnace.

The final stage: paint the rocket stove with heat-resistant paint.

Advantages and disadvantages of a rocket stove.

A rocket-type furnace has its advantages:

Minimum fuel consumption, the stove can operate on almost any fuel, optimal use of wood - firewood, branches, small chips.
Strong flame and fast heating, a pot with 3 liters of water boils in 15 - 20 minutes.
Simplicity of design, compact size.

Disadvantages of a rocket type furnace:

The weight of the stove is more than 10 kg, so it’s difficult to call this stove a camp stove, unless you transport it in a car.
It is not practical to use a jet stove for heating rooms; you often need to add firewood to the stove and most of the heat goes into the chimney. The stove is primarily intended for quick cooking, heating water and other needs.
When burning, the stove makes a characteristic “reactive” sound.

Where is a rocket-type stove useful? The stove can be used in places where it is not possible to light an open fire or there is not enough fuel for a fire. By the way, the stove will be useful if you need to quickly cook food, for example, in the country or in nature.

Another DIY rocket stove option.

DIY rocket stove: drawings, photos, videos

Homemade rocket stove: drawings and photos of production. A rocket stove is used to cook food quickly with a minimum amount of fuel.

DIY rocket stove Robinson

Robinson camping stove

Rocket stoves are attractive due to their simplicity of design and cost-effectiveness. But, behind the apparent simplicity, there is an exact calculation. It is very undesirable to deviate in size: everything will stop working altogether or fuel combustion will be extremely inefficient.

General principles

The portable portable stove "Robinson" was made on the basis of a heating rocket stove. The same principle is applied: firewood burns in the bunker-fuel compartment, the fire, due to the air flow, enters the combustion zone - a horizontal section of the pipe and partially rises up the smoke tube. First, while the stove is not heated up, all the energy is spent on heating the chimney. Then, when it warms up, the gases from high temperatures ignite again, and secondary combustion of the gases occurs. Modern gas-generating pyrolysis boilers are designed according to the same principle.

How does a rocket stove work?

In the Robinson oven, everything is a little simpler: we don’t need to heat the room. Its main task is to heat water and cook food. But the principles remain the same: the fire must heat the chimney, and its length must be enough to burn off the gases. Therefore, for normal performance, adhere to the following proportions:

The length of the chimney must be at least 2 times the length of the horizontal (sloping) section.
The height of the fuel compartment is approximately equal to the length of the horizontal section. Therefore, in the Robinson stove, the firebox is made at an angle of 45°, although the fuel compartment can be located at an angle of 90°, but it is not very convenient to place fuel this way.
The cross-section of the chimney should not be smaller than the size of the firebox.

Construction of the Robinson furnace: drawings and dimensions

This is what a Robinson camp stove looks like

In the original, “Robinson” is welded from a 150*100 mm profile pipe. Homemade similar stoves are made from pipes of similar diameter. Sometimes the fuel compartment is made from a piece of profile pipe, and the chimney is made from a round one. It is important that the cross-section of the chimney is no less than that of the firebox, otherwise backdraft may occur.

Below we will lay out drawings of the Robinson rocket stove indicating the most common sizes: a profile pipe 150*150 mm, a firebox 30 cm long, a chimney of at least 60 cm. In general, with this firebox size it can be up to 90 cm, but keeping in mind that this After all, it’s a hiking option, we indicate the minimum possible length.

Drawing of a Robinson rocket stove for making your own drawings

The legs are made of threaded rod and are installed on site and tightened with nuts. This option is the most compact, but unscrewing/screwing legs to smoked iron is not the best thing. Alternative support options: steel sheet welded to the bottom or stationary legs. They do not need to be screwed, but they take up more space in the trunk.

In the case of the original Robinson stove, it does not have a combustion air channel and there is no combustion control lid. In homemade ones there is an improvement: a plate ending in a grate is welded at the bottom of the fuel compartment. The fuel is placed on this plate. The gap at the bottom allows oxygen to be supplied directly to the combustion zone. To regulate the combustion intensity, a flap cover is welded to the fuel compartment. It is slightly wider in size than the fuel compartment (in the drawing it is 156.4 mm with a firebox width of 140 mm). It should not block it completely - otherwise the fire will go out. They make it smaller in size than the firebox or build in a slide valve.

Drawing of a firebox for a Robinson stove with an ash pan and a ash pan

Craftsmen make small camping rocket stoves from various pieces of metal. In the photo below you see what happened - a finished Robinson stove, made by hand by a craftsman from Penza. Three small sections of 160*160 mm profile pipe were used, from which the combustion chamber was welded. Its total length was 40 cm. A single piece of pipe 120*120 mm, 60 cm long, was used for the chimney. In the firebox, the ash pan is welded from 8 mm sheet metal and 12 mm steel rod. Instead of legs, a metal plate is welded: thickness 8 mm, dimensions 180*350 mm.

This is a finished Robinson stove and what the master welded it from with his own hands (To enlarge the size of the picture, click on it with the left mouse button)

According to the author: a heated stove burns well, does not smoke and is not capricious. Just before loading with “serious” fuel: branches and wood chips, it needs to be heated with paper, hay, dry grass or very thin branches. When the pipe warms up, you can lay in thicker firewood.

Difficulties with lighting a cold stove are generally typical for rocket fireboxes. In this case, we also have a narrowed chimney, which makes kindling more problematic.

The second version of a homemade rocket-type camping stove is made from two profile pipes: 160*160 mm 30 cm long for the firebox and 120*120 mm 60 cm long for the chimney (it’s better to take a section no smaller - the draft will be better). 5 mm steel is used for the ash pan, door and stand. The ash pan is cut to half the length of the firebox, and reinforcement rods of 12 mm diameter are welded to the plate. The lid does not reach the ash pan plate by about 2 cm; instead of a handle, a large diameter nut is used. Base plate dimensions 20*30 cm.

Materials and process for making a Robinson stove with your own hands (To enlarge the size of the picture, click on it with the left mouse button)

To make it convenient to place the dishes and to give the smoke a place to escape, CV joint balls are welded at the corners of the pipe. This option turned out to be more convenient than the one proposed in the original (three rings welded together) - on such a stove you can place dishes with a round bottom - a cauldron, for example. Hunters and fishermen often have these cookware rather than flat-bottomed pans. The kettle also works great: it boils three liters of water in 20 minutes. There is enough heat to fry meat and for other cooking tasks.

Robinson portable stove: tests in the garage and on a three-day hunt (To enlarge the size of the picture, click on it with the left mouse button)

DIY Robinson stove: the principle of a rocket stove and its manufacture

Do you need a small, portable stove that you can use to cook your meals? Pay attention to the Robinson rocket stove. It is made with your own hands from two pieces of profile pipe.

The simple and cheap design of the rocket stove began its march around the world from North America, where it is still very popular in rural areas. It is known on all continents, including distant Australia. The heating unit captivates amateur enthusiasts with its simplicity and energy efficiency, which, combined with its low cost, makes it extremely attractive for manufacturing at home. Of course, a jet stove cannot heat a large house, but in a country house or in a small garden house it would be more than appropriate. Surprisingly, but true - only a few people know about this amazing design. And this is in a country where cold weather lasts longer than six months! Today we will fill this gap and tell you everything we know about the warm and cozy “rocket”, including the smallest details of how to make it yourself and the intricacies of its operation.

Jet stove - what is it?

The home heat that comes from a jet stove cannot be provided by any modern heater.

A jet stove, or, as it is also called, a rocket stove, actually has nothing in common with modern technologies. The only thing that makes this heating unit look like a space vehicle is the intense flow of flame and the humming associated with improper operation. Nevertheless, it cannot be said that the rocket stove is a completely backward device in technical terms. Despite its simple design, it uses the most advanced methods of burning solid fuels:

pyrolytic combustion of gases released during dry distillation of solid fuel;
movement of gaseous products through the furnace channels, which does not require forced ejection due to draft.

This is what a simple jet-powered stove looks like

The simplest “rocket” is a curved piece of large diameter pipe. Firewood or other fuel is placed in a short horizontal section and set on fire. At first, the heating device works like an ordinary potbelly stove, but this is only until the temperature of the longer vertical part, which acts as a chimney, rises. The red-hot metal promotes the re-ignition of flammable substances and the appearance of a vacuum at the top point of the chimney. Due to increased draft, the air flow to the firewood increases, which significantly increases the burning intensity. In order to achieve even greater efficiency from this original device, the firebox opening is equipped with a door. When the cross-section of the air channel decreases, the supply of oxygen to the firewood stops and its pyrolytic decomposition into gaseous hydrocarbons begins. But in such a simple installation they will not burn completely - for this you will need to set up a separate area for afterburning the flue gases. By the way, it is this, as well as the thermal insulation of the chimney, that allows more complex “rockets” to successfully compete with other solid fuel units. As for the simplest design we are considering, it is often used for cooking or heating food. All that is required for this is to equip a convenient platform for a pot or kettle on the vertical section of the stove.

Geography of application of rocket heating units

Being a simple and convenient heating and cooking unit, the rocket stove is widely used in both mobile and stationary versions. Most often it is used:

for heating residential premises;
as equipment for drying fruits;
for heating greenhouses;
to ensure normal working conditions in workshops or garages;
to maintain above-zero temperatures in warehouses, utility rooms, etc.

Thanks to its simplicity, unpretentiousness and reliability, the jet heater enjoys well-deserved respect among fishermen and hunters, car rally enthusiasts and survivalists. There is even a special version, the purpose of which is indicated by the name - “Robinson”.

Advantages and disadvantages of the rocket stove

Despite its simple design, the rocket stove has many advantages:

efficiency level at the level of the best examples of modern heating equipment operating on solid fuel;
efficiency - to achieve the required temperature, the reactive unit will consume four times less firewood than a traditional oven design;
heating temperature above 1000 °C;
the ability to use any type of solid fuel, including dry plant waste, cones, pine needles and shavings;
complete combustion and environmental friendliness - during operation, the flame temperature increases so much that the soot ignites. Rocket stove smoke consists primarily of water vapor and carbon dioxide;
possibility of additional fuel loading for continuous operation of the heating device;
simplicity and reliability;
the presence of portable structures intended for mobile use.

The heating unit is not without its drawbacks. Operation of the device is associated with the risk of carbon monoxide entering the home. The stove cannot be used to heat a large house, and attempts to install a water heat exchanger in the combustion zone lead to a decrease in thermal power and disruption of normal operation. The disadvantages include the low aesthetic value of the design, which, however, is a very ambiguous statement, since for lovers of ethno-style, the design of the stove is a real find.

Types of jet heating devices. Choosing a design for self-production

Craftsmen have developed several designs of rocket stoves suitable for mobile or stationary use:

portable units made of metal pipes, cans or buckets;
jet heating devices from a gas cylinder;
ovens built from fireclay bricks and metal containers;
heating heat generators with a stove bench.

The most difficult to manufacture are the structures, the construction of which requires the skills of a mason. However, if you have detailed diagrams of serial layouts, even a novice home craftsman can handle this work.

Portable rocket stove

Portable rocket stoves are mass-produced by industry

Hiking options are represented by the simplest designs, which are based on the same pipe bent or welded from individual sections. The improvements affected only the installation of a partition for arranging the ash pit, in which a slot is made for air leakage. Often the lower part of the loading chamber is equipped with a grate to supply air directly to the combustion zone. The opening for storing firewood is equipped with a door, which subsequently regulates the air supply.

The requirements for a mobile design also extend to convenience during cooking, so the upper section of the chimney must be equipped with a stand for metal utensils.

Gas cylinder unit

The use of a gas cylinder is the next step in the development of jet heating devices. A more complex design can significantly increase the thermal power and efficiency of the furnace. All that is required to manufacture the installation is a household gas cylinder or fuel barrel, sections of thick-walled steel pipes and a metal sheet 3–5 mm thick.

A rocket stove made from a gas cylinder can be used to heat small utility rooms

If you have a piece of steel pipe with thick walls and a diameter of more than 30 cm, a rocket stove can be made from it. This option will allow you to avoid labor-intensive operations associated with disassembling the factory gas tank.

How such a design works can be seen in the diagram below. Firewood loaded into the firebox burns due to the flow of air through the loading window. Afterburning of combustible gases occurs in a pipe installed inside the cylinder due to the supply of secondary air. To enhance the effect, the inner chamber is insulated, which makes it possible to raise the temperature inside above 1000 °C. Hot gases hit the bell as they move and enter the outer chamber, the walls of which act as a heat exchanger. Having given up their energy, the combustion products are discharged through a chimney cut into the lower part on the back side of the cylinder.

To create the draft necessary for stable operation of the rocket stove, the top of the chimney is raised at least 4 m relative to the loading window.

Combined rocket stove made of brick and metal barrel

The use of fireclay bricks for arranging the firebox and internal chambers of a jet heating device transforms the “rocket” into the category of stationary structures. The high heat capacity of the materials used allows heat to be accumulated and released within several hours, which is why such units are often installed in residential premises.

Furnace structure with refractory lining of the working area

Jet stove with stove bench

Like other solid fuel stoves, the "rocket" has the disadvantage that most of the heat is lost through the chimney. Despite this, certain advantages of its design make it easy to get rid of this disadvantage. The thing is that the unit was called reactive for a reason, but because of the high rate of excision of burning gases. This feature can be turned into a benefit by significantly increasing the length of the smoke exhaust channels.

Scheme of a jet stove with a stove bench

This idea found its implementation in massive stationary structures with a couch in the shape of a sofa or bed. It is successfully made from brick or rubble stone, decorated with a plastic mass of clay and sawdust. Thanks to the high heat capacity of the materials used, the stove can retain heat all night, which, combined with high efficiency, makes the heating unit very attractive for installation in residential premises.

When choosing a design for manufacturing at home, you need to take into account the features of its operation. As a camping option, choose a mobile unit - it will be enough to warm up, dry clothes and cook lunch. In order to occasionally heat small technical rooms, a portable structure made from a gas cylinder is used. If you need to heat a small country house or cottage, then there is simply no better option than a jet heating unit with a stove bench.

We build a rocket oven with our own hands

The design proposed for self-production is the elite of rocket heating devices. After construction, it will delight the owner for a long time with comfort and cozy warmth, even in the most severe frost. As you might have guessed, we are talking about a unit with a stove bench. Despite the fact that such a design is the most complex, the diagrams, instructions and descriptions we presented will allow you to build a stove in just 2-3 days.

Device and principle of operation

A rocket furnace consists of several chambers and channels. The bunker for loading firewood is made of fireclay bricks and is equipped with an opening in the lower part for air supply. It has a refractory lining and a channel that connects the firebox with a vertical flue (fire pipe or riser). A metal barrel is used as the casing of the rocket furnace, inside of which the afterburning chamber is lined with magnesite or fireclay bricks. The heat exchanger of the heating unit is not only a steel container, but also long horizontal channels of the stove bench made of galvanized steel pipes or bricks.

The processes occurring inside a stationary reactive furnace resemble the operation of pyrolysis heating units

There is no need to use refractory materials to construct heat exchange channels. A well-burnt red brick is sufficient.

The body of the stove and trestle beds is formed from sandbags, stone or brick fragments and coated with a clay composition. The good heat-storing ability of finishing materials allows the structure to release heat within several hours after the firewood has completely burned out. To remove combustion products, a high chimney is used, which can pass both indoors and outdoors.

The high performance of the “rocket” is explained by the method of fuel combustion, which tends not so much to direct-flow heating units as to pyrolysis boilers. The operation of the furnace is accompanied by the active release of gas components, which are burned in the riser. The cap helps reduce the flow rate of hot gases, otherwise they simply would not have time to oxidize. By the way, heating the upper part of the flame tube creates a vacuum at its end, due to which active combustion of the fuel occurs. In this case, such a high temperature arises in the riser that even the soot ignites. Nevertheless, at the point of transition from the vertical channel to the horizontal heat exchanger, experts recommend installing an ash pan, equipping its chamber with a small door to allow periodic maintenance.

Calculation of basic parameters, drawing

There is no need to give the exact dimensions of a rocket stove with a stove bench - its dimensions and configuration completely depend on the characteristics of the room. The presented method for calculating parameters, based on the use of the proportions of all parts of the rocket furnace, will be quite sufficient to design a high-performance, efficient unit.

To perform the calculation, it is enough to know the diameter D and height H of the external heat exchange casing (drum).

The height of the flame tube is at least 1.3H.
The gap between the riser and the cap is 0.1–0.15H.
External clay coating is carried out no higher than 1/3H.
The thickness of the heat-accumulating layer should be no more than 1/3D.
The cross section of the flame tube is 0.25–0.3D.
The height of the ash pan is up to 10% of the vertical dimensions of the casing.
The cross-section of the blower should be 50% smaller than the riser area.
The thickness of the adobe cushion above the heat exchanger is at least 1/4D.
The chimney height is more than 4 m.
The length of the horizontal heat exchanger is calculated based on the volume of the drum. If a standard fuel barrel is used, it can reach 6–8 m.

As you can see, it is not difficult to determine the dimensions of all elements of the furnace, especially since its design allows for some liberties in terms of dimensions and configuration.

For perfectionists and those who are afraid to experiment, we present a drawing of a heating unit, drawn to scale on a marked sheet of paper. If necessary, taking exact dimensions from it will not be difficult.

Drawing of a stationary jet heating system

Materials and tools

The construction of a jet furnace does not require any special equipment. The only power tools required during the work process are a welding machine and a grinder, and even then just for a few minutes - to separate the barrel lid and configure the heat exchanger pipes. Any owner can also find everything else:

trowel (trowel);
bushhammer;
building level and plumb line;
roulette;
container for preparing the solution;
bayonet shovel;
tamping;
buckets;
concrete trowel.

Although the design of the “rocket” is undemanding in terms of materials, you will still have to buy some of them. Here is a list of what will be needed during the construction process:

refractory bricks of any type;
metal barrel for making a casing;
a pipe Ø30–40 cm, which will hold the thermal insulation coating of the vertical channel. You can use the housing from an old water heater, a suitable capacity of an industrial receiver or a hydraulic accumulator;
galvanized steel pipes with a diameter of more than 25 cm, which will be needed as a heat exchanger;
a steel pipe for arranging a chimney with a diameter of 150 mm and an elbow for its outlet at 90°;
ash pan hatch;
blower door;
a special heat-resistant mixture for preparing the solution (can be replaced with sand and clay);
perlite for thermal insulation of the riser;
Red brick;
rubble stone or brick waste;
sawdust or chaff.

Since the barrel will be only partially embedded in the oven, it will have to be painted to increase the aesthetic value of the unit. To do this, you will additionally need a metal brush, a solvent to degrease the metal surface, a primer and any heat-resistant paint.

Site selection and other preparatory activities

When determining the construction site, you should take into account the requirements that apply to all designs of solid fuel stoves with an open flame:

the area of the room in which it is planned to install a jet heating device with a sunbed must be at least 16 m2;
the absence of logs (floor beams) under the stove body will greatly simplify installation;
there should be no wooden rafters or ceilings above the fireplace;
if part of the chimney passes through the ceiling, then the stove is installed closer to the central part of the house. In this case, the pipe can be secured near the ridge;
You should not install a heating structure close to the outer contour of the building - precious heat will go outside. It is better to attach the unit to one of the internal walls;
It is not recommended to build a jet device near wooden walls and partitions. In this case, separate accommodation is chosen.

It is also important how convenient it will be to light the rocket stove and throw firewood into it. To do this, the firebox is placed towards the entrance, providing at least 1 m of free space in front of it.

One of the many options for installing a stove in the middle of the room

In a small room, it is convenient to place the rocket stove in the corner, with the loading hopper oriented in one direction and the deck chair in the other.

Having chosen a place, they begin to prepare it for future construction. If the room has a wooden floor, then the part of it that will be under the stove is removed. After this, a shallow pit is dug, the bottom of which is compacted using a tamper.

In addition, it is necessary to prepare a metal barrel for installation. To do this, cut off its cover along the contour. In this case, part of the thickening in the form of a metal hoop is left to ensure the rigidity of the base of the casing. Most likely, the fuel container will be dirty and rusty, so it is better to clean it before installation.

The last thing to do before starting construction is to prepare the solution. It is best to use a special heat-resistant composition, which can be bought in construction stores, but you can get by with a simple mixture of sand and clay in a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2, depending on the fat content of the latter. Water will be needed up to ¼ of the volume of dry ingredients - the output should be a composition reminiscent of thick sour cream.

Instructions for the progress of work

As already mentioned, to make a rocket stove with a stove bench, it will take much more effort and time than when making a metal unit. Step-by-step instructions with illustrations of all stages of construction will help make the task easier and reduce time.

The place where the firebox will be formed is deepened by 10 cm and laid out with refractory bricks, after which formwork is installed along the contour of the furnace. To strengthen the foundation, it is necessary to install reinforcement from building mesh, reinforcement Ø10–20 mm or scraps of metal pipes and corners.
Arrangement of formwork
Lay out the base of the working chamber according to the level.
The base of the loading chamber is lined with refractory bricks
The structure is poured with concrete. Further work can begin immediately after the solution has set. As a rule, one day is enough for this.
Pouring the foundation
The base of the jet furnace and the combustion chamber are formed from refractory bricks laid in a continuous pattern.
Rocket stove base
Several rows of masonry raise the side walls of the structure.
The walls are formed using fireclay bricks installed on the edge
The lower channel of the heat-generating rocket is being equipped.
The combustion chamber is covered with a row of bricks laid transversely in such a way as to leave two openings open - the firebox and the riser (vertical channel).
Method of covering the horizontal part of the working chamber
An old casing from a storage boiler is prepared for installation. To do this, the device is cut off on both sides to obtain a large-diameter pipe.
Furnace parts prepared for installation
The lower part of the fuel and lubricants container is equipped with a flange into which the horizontal heat exchanger pipe will fit. Welds must be continuous to ensure tightness and, accordingly, safety of the structure.
Installation of the lower pipe is carried out by welding
After the outlet pipe is cut into the barrel, it is cleaned of rust, coated with a primer and several layers of heat-resistant paint.
A side outlet is welded to the horizontal chimney, acting as an ash pit. To clean it, the channel is equipped with a sealed flange.
A fire tube is made of fireclay bricks. The shape of its internal channel is a square with a side of 18 cm. During work, be sure to control the vertical position of the structure using a plumb line or a building level.
The height of the vertical channel depends on the size of the outer drum
A casing is installed on the flame tube, after which the gaps between the metal container and the walls of the vertical channel are filled with perlite. To avoid spillage of thermal insulation on the floor, the lower part of the riser is carefully sealed using a clay mixture.
Riser thermal insulation method
The firebox cap is made. You can use a cut-off part of the water heater as it, providing it with a comfortable handle.
The furnace body is formed using brick or stone masonry. For this purpose, you can also use sandbags placed at the base of the vertical channel.
The oven body can be lined with sandbags

The unassuming spring appearance is hidden with the help of adobe coating. To make it, up to 50% of large sawdust or chaff (chaff) is added to the clay solution.

Coating the furnace body

Additives in a clay mixture perform the same role as crushed stone in concrete. They are needed so that during drying and subsequent work with variable thermal loads, the surface of the furnace does not crack.
The perlite backfill on top also needs to be sealed with coating.
The front part of the oven is formed. To do this, lay out the outline of the stove using any suitable method (brick or stone masonry, sandbags, adobe). The inner part is filled with crushed stone, and the upper part is given the desired shape using adobe mixture.
An outer casing made of a metal barrel is installed on the prepared base, orienting the container with the lower pipe towards the stove bench. The lower part of the container is sealed with clay.
Installation of a casing - a metal barrel
Using a corrugated pipe, a channel is led to the firebox, which connects the firebox to the external atmosphere. If it is not installed, the stove will consume warm air from the room, which will be replaced by cold masses coming from outside. On the side of the firebox, the channel will need to be closed as soon as the firewood is completely burned out. This will not allow air from the street to penetrate into the heat exchange channels.
Duct for supplying air from outside the building
To check the operation of the rocket stove, the first kindling is carried out, during which they make sure that the gases freely exit into the horizontal chimney.
Heat exchanger pipes are connected to the lower pipe, which are installed on a base formed of red brick.
The chimney is being installed. All connections of parts of horizontal and vertical channels are sealed using asbestos cord and fire-resistant coating.
Using the same method as in the manufacture of the stove body, give the required configuration to the stove bench.
Fully formed oven with bench
The barrel can be completely covered with adobe, leaving only the horizontal platform open, which is convenient to use for heating food.
The chimney brought outside is equipped with a condensate and tar trap, and the upper cut is protected from precipitation using a cap.
The outer part of the chimney is equipped with a liquid trap

Tests of the rocket furnace are carried out only after the adobe coating has completely dried. Otherwise, the decorative coating may crack.

View of the finished rocket stove with a stove bench

For safe operation of a rocket stove, the room must be equipped with carbon monoxide sensors.

Modernization of rocket heat generator

To expand the scope of application of reactive heating stoves, they are being modified, increasing the convenience and versatility of the design. In mobile structures, the platform intended for cooking is often replaced with a full-fledged stove. It is convenient to use such a hob in your own backyard for household purposes - for preparing food for pets or during the period of preserving food for the winter. A special feature of this type of rocket furnace is a wide and flat horizontal channel into which hot gases from the nozzle are directed. Passing under the surface of the stove, they heat it red-hot, after which they go into the vertical chimney. Comfortable legs give the structure stability, and the original shape allows the unit to be used as a stand or table when it is not in use for its intended purpose.

A jet stove with a stove is a necessary thing in a suburban area

A liquid heat exchanger cannot be installed in the flame tube of a jet furnace, but this does not mean that it cannot be used as a heat generator in a water heating system. To do this, the “rocket” is equipped with a kind of circuit of radiator plates, which create a kind of labyrinth in the afterburning zone. Thanks to their heating, heat is removed from the afterburning chamber to the water jacket. The efficiency of the unit depends on the area and heat capacity of the plates, so they are made in the form of massive metal strips with an area of up to ¾ of the cross-section of the fire channel. It must be said that such a heat exchanger is best used to produce hot water using the rocket stove itself in the traditional way.

Diagram of a rocket unit equipped with a water circuit

The rocket stove with a convector has an original design. To increase heat transfer, vertical tubes are mounted on the surface of the outer casing, performing the same role as the air channels of the buleryan. Cold air is trapped at the bottom of the tube heat exchangers and is heated as it moves upward. This ensures forced convection, which further increases the thermal efficiency of the installation.

Rocket heat generator casing equipped with a convector

Features of using reactive furnaces

Being a long-burning system, the rocket stove requires preheating before use. As a rule, in mobile installations no one complies with this requirement - they consume little fuel, and the potbelly stove itself is most often used on the principle of “it works, and that’s okay.” In stationary structures, warming up the furnace before starting is extremely important, since with a cold flame tube there can be no question of afterburning. The wood will burn without giving off heat, and the chimney will very quickly become covered with soot, tar and creosote.

The stove is heated using wood chips, paper or shavings, which are loaded into the firebox and set on fire. Reaching operating mode is judged by a humming sound in the heat channel. A loud sound indicates ineffective operation of the unit. As soon as the hum begins to subside, you need to start adding the main fuel. The vent should be completely open for the first 10–15 minutes. Then the air supply is reduced, focusing on the sound of the stove - it should “rustle” or “whisper”. After the wood burns out, the air duct of the firebox is covered to prevent heat from escaping from the room. Once every 2-3 days, ash is removed using a metal scoop and poker.

Maintenance of the jet stove is carried out no more than once a season. To do this, open the ash pan door, through which the remaining soot is removed. If necessary, clean the smoke channel using the hatch of its trap. It must be said that proper operation of a jet heater never leads to smoke in the room. All that is required of the owner is to follow the recommendations for using the “rocket” and not neglect safety rules.

DIY rocket stove: subtleties and nuances of construction (video)

Unique technical characteristics, almost zero cost and availability of materials for construction cover all the disadvantages of the jet furnace. If you wish, you can build a full-fledged heating device over the weekend, including arranging a comfortable couch. “Rocket” is also convenient because it does not require highly qualified stove-maker, and in its external design it allows the implementation of even the most unusual design concept.

Nowadays, many stoves have been created that use wood as fuel. A special place among them is occupied by the so-called rocket (rocket) units, which have specific features that are indispensable in certain operating conditions. Let's talk about them.

The rocket is a real miracle unit!

The rocket stove is a heating and cooking system that operates on wood, is famous for its high technical performance and has a simple design. The operating principle of such a long-burning unit is based on the fact that the gases formed during fuel combustion enter a special bell, in which they burn completely. Due to this, the temperature of the stove increases significantly, and the pressure decreases. Moreover, soot does not form in the reactive heating system.

The combustion cycles of heated gases are repeated constantly (while the stove is heating). This causes the system to enter maximum thrust mode. Its specific value is determined by the characteristics of the homemade unit. If the heating device is assembled truly correctly, the temperature in its hood can reach 1200 °C. In this case, all the fuel used is burned without any residue. It is also important that the heated cap can be used as a hob. You can dry fruits, heat water, and cook food on it.

Initially, the stove we were interested in was designed for use in difficult (for example, camping) conditions. Because of this, special requirements were put forward for its design. The result is a unique unit that:

makes it possible to cook food in areas where there is no gas or electricity;
heats the room efficiently;
retains heat for 6–8 hours (minimum) after the wood burns out;
has a high efficiency;
quite safe to use.

In addition, the rocket has a design that allows you to add a new portion of firewood to the firebox without stopping the combustion process. The operation of a unit with such capabilities, of course, appeals to any person. This determines the high popularity of the described heating systems both among lovers of outdoor activities and among ordinary summer residents who need unpretentious and efficient stoves.

Important point. If you plan to create the simplest jet unit with your own hands, it can only be heated with dry wood. Damp wood can cause backdraft. However, it is not recommended to fire more complex rockets with wet wood, since they will not be able to provide the high temperature required for burning heated gases.

The described heating devices must not be thrown away without supervision. Light the stove, wait until the fuel burns out completely. Another disadvantage of rocket equipment is the impossibility of heating private baths (in particular, their steam rooms) with its help. This is due to the fact that the jet unit produces very little infrared heat, which is what is required for bathing procedures. Missiles probably have no other disadvantages.

Types of jet heating systems – what do you need?

The simplest rockets are made from almost any tin container. A portable stove can be made from a bucket, a can in which paint was stored, and so on. Such systems are ideal for an outdoor picnic; they are often used on construction sites. Simple stoves are not suitable for heating rooms. They are used exclusively for cooking and heating water. A rocket made from a bucket can be heated with a small splinter, dry cones and leaves, and bunches of branches. In such a stove, combustion products do not have time to form wood combustible gas. They immediately go down the chimney.

More complex heating structures are created from an old gas cylinder or from a metal barrel and brick. These stoves are necessarily equipped with a riser to increase draft and a horizontal smoke exhaust duct. There are also rockets made entirely of brick. They can be equipped with several chimneys at once and are used for heating large rooms and heating floors. And if you want, you can actually build even a full-fledged stove-bed.

We will tell you how to make all of the indicated types of reactive heating devices yourself. Let’s start our master class with the simplest thing - making a basic garden camping stove from two tin containers (buckets, cans). In addition to them, we will need steel clamps with a cross-section of 10 cm, metal corners, an angle grinder, a stainless steel chimney pipe, scissors for metal, crushed stone. The scheme of work will be as follows:

1. Take two buckets. From a container of smaller volume (diameter) we make a lid for our rocket. Cut a hole in the bucket. It is necessary for organizing a chimney.
2. In the larger bucket, cut another hole at the bottom. We will connect the firebox to it. We perform all operations with metal scissors, bending the resulting petals (pieces of tin) inward.
3. We construct a direct flow from pipes and corners. We insert it into the bucket, and then, using a clamp, connect it with the curved petals.
4. Fill the space between the forward flow and the housing of the heating device with crushed stone. This building material will play the role of a heat accumulator and at the same time a heat insulator.
5. We put the second bucket on the stove.
6. We bend a small burner from wire on which you can place dishes with water and food.

It is advisable to paint the portable rocket with any paint with a high level of heat resistance. After drying, we can use a basic cooking stove. Note! The rocket is ignited through a pipe extending from the forward flow.

A stove made of a barrel and bricks – both cooks and heats!

The construction of a stationary rocket launcher requires significantly more money and time. We prepare the following materials and tools: a metal chimney pipe, red (necessarily heat-resistant) brick, a shovel, an old barbecue, a metal brush, a trowel, cement and sand (it is better to immediately buy a ready-to-use mixture of these materials), reinforcing bars, a little perlite, adobe and expanded clay, heat-resistant paint, 200 liter barrel. Let's start building a stove made of bricks and a metal barrel:

1. We dig a hole 0.3–0.5 m deep in the floor. We will hide a horizontal chimney in it, without which the rocket launcher will not work.
2. We burn a 200-liter barrel and clean it thoroughly. We install a flange in the container that will connect it to the chimney. After this, apply several layers of heat-resistant paint to the container. We use the barrel prepared in this way as a hood for the heating unit.
3. We arrange the foundation. We make a simple formwork from boards, deepen 2-3 bricks into the ground at the furnace installation site. We place reinforcing bars on top. Then we lay bricks in the lower part of the combustion chamber (along the entire perimeter). Fill the structure with cement-sand mortar.

After the filling has dried, we begin laying. It is performed using . We bring the first tier of masonry up. We only need to leave a hole for the firebox. On the second line we form a channel (lower) of the heating structure. It should be covered on the third tier, and in such a way that we have two holes left. One of them is intended for the vertical channel, the second - directly for the combustion chamber.

Next, we install a tee in the barrel to clean the chimney. It is not necessary to install it, but it is advisable if you plan to use the stove for a long time. After this we put in a vertical channel. We lay out the rising section of the structure (we take its diameter to be about 18 cm) using the “boot” technology. Then we put the old water heater on the rising part of the furnace. We fill all the voids that remain after this operation with perlite.

Now we cover the base of the rocket unit casing with clay and surround the base of our structure with sandbags. We fill all remaining free areas with expanded clay. We connect the chimney pipe to the structure, turn the barrel-casing over and pull it onto the ascending part of the stove. The final work is lining the chimney with sand in bags and filling them with expanded clay. Then we give the structure the required shape using clay (fireclay), install a barbecue grill in the neck of the homemade rocket and cover it with a lid.

The last step is to seal the existing seams on the stove. In principle, we can already do a test run of our design. But experts advise additionally connecting a separate air duct from the street to the stove. It is important. The heating rocket requires a lot of air to function properly. It won't be enough indoors. A street air duct is guaranteed to solve this problem.

Rocket heating from a cylinder - let's work with a welding machine

To build a rocket, we choose a heat-resistant and non-explosive cylinder. An all-metal 50-liter tank in which propane is stored is optimal for these purposes. This cylinder has standard dimensions: height – 85 cm and cross-section – 30 cm.

These parameters are ideal for making your own oven. The modest size and light weight of the cylinder do not make it difficult to work with. At the same time, it is allowed to burn any wood fuel in the finished rocket. You can also take 27 or 12 liter propane cylinders. They make compact portable stoves. But the power indicators of such devices are small. It is not practical to use them for heating rooms or country houses.

To build a furnace, in addition to the cylinder, you will need:

steel pipes with a cross section of 15, 7 and 10 cm (the first two will be used to organize a vertical internal channel, the third - to the chimney);
profile pipe product 15x15 cm (we will make a loading compartment and firebox from it);
3mm thick sheet of metal;
dense (100 or more kg/cubic m) basalt fiber (it will serve as a heat-insulating material).

There are various drawings on the Internet for creating a stove from a cylinder. We propose to be guided by this scheme.

The algorithm for manufacturing a rocket launcher is simple. First, we bleed all the gas from the container. Then we turn out the valve, fill the tank with water (to the top) and cut off its upper part along the seam. We cut out the windows on both sides of the gas cylinder, which are required for connecting the chimney and installing the fuel chamber.

After this, we insert the profile tubular product into the container and connect it to the channel (vertical). We remove the latter through the bottom of the tank. Next, we carry out all the necessary actions, focusing on the presented drawing, as well as on the video, which we offer home craftsmen for review.

At the end of the work, we weld the cut part of the container in its place and analyze all the resulting seams for permeability. Uncontrolled entry of air into the constructed structure must not be allowed. If the seams are reliable, we connect a chimney to the homemade system. We weld the legs to the bottom of the rocket cylinder. We install the stove on a steel sheet with parameters of 1.5x1 m. The unit is ready for use!

Stove-bed - for lovers of special comfort

The heating unit with a place to sleep and rest is equipped with a special heat exchanger. Its channels are interconnected. They are made from non-flammable materials. The heat exchanger is installed under the plane of the bed. The design of such a furnace is very thoughtful and relatively complex. The bed itself is a surface made of brick or stone and clay. When the stove burns, the heated gas moves through the heat exchange channels, gives off heat upward, and then is removed through the smoke exhaust duct outside the house. The height of the chimney is made within 3–3.5 m. The stove is mounted at the edge of the stove bench (on one side). In most cases, it is equipped with a surface for cooking food. A detailed drawing of this system is presented below.

Elements of the furnace in the diagram:

blower - 1a;
fuel bunker – 1b;
channel for secondary air - 1c;
flame tube – 1g;
riser (primary chimney) – 1d.

The fuel chamber is equipped with a blind cover, and the blower is equipped with a special regulator for adjusting the amount of air supplied. The flame tube has a length of 15–20 cm. The secondary air channel is necessary for complete combustion of gases. The riser cross-section is 7–10 cm. A chimney with a diameter of 10 cm is recommended for cases when we want to obtain the greatest rocket power. A riser with a cross-section of 7 cm provides an optimal indicator of the efficiency of the stove. The fire pipe and the primary chimney require high-quality thermal insulation.

We will make the rocket body from a gas cylinder, although a metal barrel can also be used. Under the housing cover (2a), the primary chimney supplies heated air, and the heated gases leaving the riser heat the cooking device (2b). Other body elements:

lower part (2d);
heat exchange channels (2d);
shell – metal chimney insulation (2c);
exit to the cleaning chamber (2e).

The smoke exhaust line must be absolutely sealed throughout. At a height of 1/3 from the upper end of the drum (housing), the gases are already at a low temperature. They have time to cool down. From approximately the specified height, the rocket-bed is lined (all the way to the floor). This process refers to the thermal insulation of the furnace with special compounds. The second cleaning chamber in diagram (3a) is needed to remove carbon deposits from the hog (4) - the heat exchanger. It must be equipped with a sealed door (3b). Now that we have figured out the design of the bed, we can begin to build it.

Building a rocket with a place to sleep - the first steps are the most important!

Before starting work, mix all the necessary ingredients:

Kiln clay (designation 5b in the diagram), which is combined with crushed stone. This composition plays the role of the main heat insulator.
Saman (5a). It is a composition of straw and any clay at hand, diluted with water to a relatively thick consistency.
Seeded sand (5g).
Heat-resistant lining (5v). It is made from equal parts of fireclay sand and clay.
Medium fat clay (5d). It is used for rocket laying.

We are making a bed for our bed. Essentially, we need to knock down high-strength shields under the stove bench and directly under the stove. The frame of the buildings is made from 10x10 cm wooden blocks. The frame cells are made with dimensions of 60x120 cm (for a bed) and 60x90 cm (for a heating installation). Then we sheathe the resulting skeleton with 4 cm. And the façade of the couch can be finished later with sheets of plasterboard.

Before installation, it is advisable to treat wood products with Biocide, and then apply two layers of water emulsion to them.

We lay 4 mm thick basalt cardboard on the floor where we will place the heating rocket. In shape and geometric parameters, it must be similar to the characteristics of the bed. We install an iron roofing sheet on top of the basalt lining. Before the firebox, it will extend about 25 cm from under the unit. We install the previously made bed in the place prepared for it. We punch a hole on the wall at a height of 13 cm above the level of the couch (at one of its ends). It is needed for the installation of a chimney.

The next stage is the installation of formwork around the perimeter of the bed and filling the installed structure with adobe. Carefully level the surface of the mixture using the rule. We wait 14–20 days until the adobe hardens. During this time, you can make the body of the heating structure from a gas cylinder according to the previously described scheme. We weld the combustion components of the rocket (blower, flame duct, chamber) into a single structure with a gas container and coat it with a heat-resistant lining. Important! Apply the composition in a continuous layer only at the bottom. We do not treat the top and sides of the structure with the solution.

Next, we install another formwork under the area where the rocket will stand. It will allow us to make heat-resistant thermal protection for the stove. The height of the formwork structure is about 10 cm. Fill it with a mixture of crushed stone and oven clay. Then we do one by one:

1. Shell. We bend it from a sheet of steel or use a ready-made pipe with a cross-section of 15–20 cm.
2. Furnace structure.
3. Cleaning chamber. This element is made from 1.5 mm galvanized steel. We cut an opening on the side with a cross-section of 16–18 cm. The chimney pipe will subsequently fit into it.

Completion of work - the warm bed will turn out great!

We put a drum from a gas cylinder on the primary chimney. We lay oven clay on the bottom of the installed housing, using a spatula to form an inclined surface (about 7°), which is directed towards the cleaning compartment window. Then we put a metal round timber on the chimney. It should be pressed into the clay composition. Then we pull the shell over the riser and coat it with medium-fat clay. The next steps are:

1. We line the chimney from the inside. We use sand. It should be covered in separate layers. We wet and tamp each of them. The total number of layers is 7. Place 5 cm of medium-fat clay on top of the sand.
2. Place a cleaning box, coating its bottom and side surfaces with clay. We install the opening of the transition channel into the hole of the drum and press it as hard as possible. We fill all remaining gaps with clay. It is necessary to achieve complete tightness of this stove unit.
3. We install another formwork along the (external) contour of the bed. It should rise about 9 cm above the edge of the hole for the hog. Fill the formwork with adobe mixture.
4. We stretch the corrugated pipe along the entire length of the rocket-bed. We connect one end of the corrugated product to the cleaning compartment.
5. We lay the fixed corrugated pipe in a spiral and insert its second end into the chimney outlet opening, securing the joint with a clay compound.
6. We treat the entire length of the bur with adobe solution and compact this coating.
7. We fix the housing covers and cleaning chambers with bolts, under which we install rubber gaskets.
8. Coat the drum with adobe (don’t touch only the top part) with a layer of about 10 cm.

After about 17 days, the adobe will dry out. We will be able to remove the formwork and apply a special enamel to the drum that can withstand heating up to 750 °C. Then experts advise treating the adobe surface with acrylic-based varnish (preferably in two layers). This coating will protect the structure from moisture and make the stove very attractive in appearance.

The heated bed is done. We test our structure before starting its full operation. The check is carried out simply. We put some paper in the firebox, set it on fire, and monitor the behavior of the rocket. If everything is fine - there are no frightening sounds, we add firewood. After a while the unit will begin to hum. At this moment, close the oven vent. We wait. When the humming gives way to a gentle whisper (the soft sound of a working stove), open the vent. Next, we use the heating installation for its intended purpose.

Today, many types of stoves of various designs have been invented. For most of them, the rule applies: the higher the characteristics of the unit, the more skill and experience is required from the craftsman making it. But, as we know, there are no rules without exceptions. In this case, the destroyer of stereotypes is the rocket stove - a very well-thought-out, economical heat generator with a simple design that does not require any special skills from the performer. The latter circumstance explains the popularity of the “rocket”. Our article will help the reader understand what the highlight of this miracle of technology is and teach how to make it with your own hands from scrap materials.

What is a rocket stove and why is it good?

The rocket stove or jet stove received its impressive names only for the characteristic sound that it makes when the operating mode is violated (excessive air supply to the firebox): it resembles the roar of a jet engine. That's all, it has nothing more in common with rockets. It works, if you don’t go into details, the same way as all its sisters: wood burns in the firebox, smoke is thrown out into the chimney. Normally, the oven makes a quiet rustling sound.

Reaction furnace arrangement option

Where do these mysterious sounds come from? Let's talk about everything in order. Here's what you should know about the rocket stove:

By purpose it is a heating and cooking unit.

“Rocket” can be equipped with such an important and necessary element as a bed. Other types of stoves with this option (Russian, bell-type) are much more bulky and complex.

Compared to conventional metal furnaces, the operating time on one load of fuel has been slightly increased - from 4 to 6 hours. This is explained by the fact that this heat generator is based on a top-combustion furnace. In addition, thanks to the presence of adobe plaster, the stove gives off heat for another 12 hours after firing.

The furnace was developed for use in field conditions.

Design advantages

Energy independence.

Simplicity of design: the most available parts and materials are used; if necessary, a simplified version of the rocket stove can be assembled in 20 minutes.

Ability to work with sufficiently high performance on low-quality raw fuel: bark, wood chips, thin raw branches, etc.

The operating principle of the rocket stove provides the user with a certain freedom in choosing its design. In addition, the unit can be constructed in such a way that only a small part of it will remain visible and, in terms of aesthetics, minimal damage will be caused to the interior of the room.

As you can see, the jet stove has something to brag about. But first of all, stove lovers are attracted by the combination of simplicity of design and good, although not the highest, characteristics when working on waste fuel. These very characteristics are the highlight of the “rocket”. Let's try to understand how we managed to achieve such indicators.

The efficiency of a solid fuel heat generator depends on many factors, but perhaps the most determining factor is the degree of afterburning of pyrolysis gases. They appear due to the thermal decomposition of organic fuel. When heated, it seems to evaporate - large hydrocarbon molecules break up into small ones, forming flammable gaseous substances: hydrogen, methane, nitrogen, etc. This mixture is often called wood gas.

Small rocket stove

Liquid fuel, for example, waste oil, breaks down into wood gas almost immediately and it burns right there - in the firebox. But with wood fuel the situation is different. The decomposition of solids into a volatile product suitable for combustion - wood gas - occurs in several stages, with intermediate stages also having a gaseous form. That is, we have the following picture: first, a certain intermediate gas is released from the wood, and in order for it to turn into wood gas, that is, to disintegrate even more, it is necessary to prolong its exposure to high temperature.

And the more humid the fuel is, the more “prolonged” the process of complete disintegration becomes. But gases tend to evaporate: in a conventional furnace, the intermediate phase is mostly sucked out by draft into the chimney, where it cools down without having time to turn into wood gas. As a result, instead of high efficiency, we get soot from heavy hydrocarbon radicals.

In a rocket furnace, on the contrary, all conditions are created for the final disintegration and afterburning of the released intermediate gases. In essence, a very simple technique was used: immediately behind the firebox there is a horizontal channel with good thermal insulation. The gases in it do not move as quickly as in a vertical pipe, and the thick heat-insulating coat does not allow them to cool. Thanks to this, the process of decomposition and afterburning is carried out more fully.

At first glance, this solution may seem primitive. But this simplicity is deceptive. Engineers and researchers had to tinker a lot with calculations in order to link the required thrust force with the optimal combustion mode and many other factors. Thus, a rocket stove is a very finely tuned thermal system, when reproducing it it is very important to maintain the correct ratio of the main parameters.

If the manufacture and adjustment of the unit were carried out correctly, the gases will move as expected, while emitting a slight rustling sound; if the regime is violated or the furnace is assembled incorrectly, instead of a stable gas vortex in the gas duct, an unstable one is formed, with numerous local vortices, as a result of which a roaring rocket sound will be heard.

Flaws

The reaction furnace is manually controlled, and the user constantly has to monitor and adjust it.

The surface of some elements heats up to high temperatures, so that if accidentally touched, the user may get burned.

The scope is somewhat limited. For example, a jet stove cannot be used in a bathhouse, since it is not able to quickly warm up the room.

One more circumstance should be taken into account. It cannot be considered a disadvantage of the stove; rather, it is an important feature. The fact is that the “rocket” was invented in the USA. And the citizens of this country, where any idea can bring good money, are not as willing to share their work as was customary, for example, in the Soviet Union. Most of the drawings and diagrams that have become widespread do not display or distort the most important information. In addition, we simply do not have access to some of the materials used in it.

As a result, home craftsmen, especially those who do not know the intricacies of stove making and heating engineering, often end up with a device that absorbs fuel in huge volumes and is constantly overgrown with soot instead of a full-fledged jet stove. Thus, complete information about the rocket stove has not yet become public property and overseas pictures should be treated with great caution.

Here, for example, is our popular jet furnace design, which many are trying to use as a model.

Drawing: how the stove works

Drawing of a mobile rocket oven

At first glance, everything seems clear, but in fact, much remains “behind the scenes.”

For example, fire clay is simply labeled with the term Fire Clay - without specifying the grade. The mass ratio of perlite and vermiculite in the mixture from which the body of the furnace (in the diagram - Core) and the lining of the element called Riser is not indicated. Also, the diagram does not specify that the lining should consist of two parts with different functions - a heat insulator and a heat accumulator. Without knowing this, many users make the lining homogeneous, which is why the performance of the furnace drops significantly.

Types of jet furnaces

Today there are only two types of furnaces of this type:

A full-fledged stationary heating and cooking rocket stove (also called a large one).

Small rocket stove: used for cooking in the warm season. Unlike the first option, it is portable and has an open firebox (intended for use outdoors). It is very popular among tourists, as it has a compact size and is capable of developing power up to 8 kW.

Design of a small rocket stove

As already mentioned, a jet stove is easy to manufacture, so we will consider a full-fledged option.

Design and principle of operation

The stove we will try to make is shown in the picture.

Rocket stove: frontal section

As you can see, its combustion chamber (Fuel Magazine) is vertical and is equipped with a tightly closing lid (prevents the leakage of excess air), as in a top-burning stove (the ash pit is designated the Primary Ash Pit). It was this unit that was taken as the basis. But a traditional top-burning heat generator operates only on dry fuel, and the creators of the “rocket” wanted to teach it to successfully digest wet fuel. To do this, the following was done:

The optimal size of the blower (Air Intake) was selected so that the amount of incoming air was sufficient to burn the gases, but at the same time they did not cool too much. In this case, the principle of top combustion provides some kind of self-regulation: if the fire gets too hot, it becomes an obstacle to the incoming air.

A well-insulated horizontal channel was installed behind the firebox, called the Burn Tunnel or flame tube. To hide the purpose of this element, it was marked on the diagram with a meaningless flame icon. Thermal insulation (Insulation) must have not only low thermal conductivity, but also low heat capacity - all thermal energy must remain in the gas flow. In the flame tube, the intermediate gas breaks down into wood gas (at the beginning of the section), which then burns completely (at the end). In this case, the temperature in the pipe reaches 1000 degrees.

Behind the fire tube was a vertical section called the Internal or Primary Vent. In diagrams, secretive Americans often designate this element with the meaningless term Riser. In fact, the primary chimney is a continuation of the fire tube, but it was placed vertically to create an intermediate draft, and at the same time reduce the horizontal part of the furnace. Like the fire tube, the primary chimney has a heat-insulating coating.

Note. Some readers familiar with the design of pyrolysis furnaces may think that it would be a good idea to supply secondary air to the base of the primary chimney. Indeed, the combustion of wood gas would be more complete, and the efficiency of the stove would be higher. But with this solution, vortices are formed in the gas flow, as a result of which toxic combustion products partially penetrate into the room.

A capacious heat accumulator capable of withstanding such temperatures is fireclay brick (withstands up to 1600 degrees), but the stove, as the reader remembers, was intended for field conditions, so a more accessible and inexpensive material was needed. The leader in this regard is adobe (denoted in the diagram by the term Thermal Mass), but its temperature limit is 250 degrees. To cool the gases, a thin-walled steel drum (Steel Drum) was installed around the primary chimney, in which they expand. You can cook food on the cover of this drum (Optional Cooking Surface) - its temperature is about 400 degrees.

To absorb even more heat, a horizontal chimney with a stove bench (Airtight Duct) was attached to the stove, and only then an external chimney (Exhaust Vent). The latter was equipped with a view that closes after heating: it will not allow the heat from the gas duct of the stove to evaporate into the street.

So that the pipe inside the stove could be cleaned from time to time, a secondary ash chamber (Secondary Airtight Ash Pit) with a hermetically sealed cleaning door was installed immediately behind the drum. The main part of the carbon deposits, due to the sharp expansion and cooling of gases, settles in it, so cleaning the external chimney has to be done extremely rarely.

Since the secondary ash chamber has to be opened no more than twice a year, instead of a door, a simpler design can be used - a screw-on lid with a gasket made of asbestos or basalt cardboard.

Furnace calculation

Before talking about the size of the oven, we draw the reader’s attention to an important point. The square-cube law applies to all solid fuel heat generators. Its essence can be explained with a simple example.

Imagine a cube with a side of 1 m. Its volume is m 3 and its surface area is 6 m 2. The ratio of volume to surface area is 1:6.

Let's increase the volume of the body by 8 times. The result is a cube with a side of 2 m, the surface area of which is 24 m 2.

Thus, the surface area has only increased 4 times and now the volume to surface ratio is 1:3. In furnaces, the amount of heat released and its power depend on the volume, and heat transfer depends on the surface area. These parameters are interconnected, so you cannot thoughtlessly scale this or that furnace design, adjusting it to the dimensions you need - the heat generator may turn out to be inoperable altogether.

When calculating a rocket furnace, the internal diameter of the drum D is specified, which, as mentioned above, can vary from 300 mm (15 kW furnace) to 600 mm (25 kW furnace). This “fork” is precisely due to the square-cube law. We will also use a derived value - the cross-sectional area of the drum S: S = 3.14 * D^2 /4.

Table: main parameters

Table: maximum permissible length of the flue with a stove bench

Table: volume of the secondary ash chamber

We calculate intermediate values proportionally (interpolate).

Materials and tools

The furnace drum can be made from a standard barrel with a volume of 200 liters and a diameter of 600 mm. The square-cube law allows you to reduce the drum diameter by up to 50%, so for a small oven this element can be made from a household gas cylinder or tin buckets.

The blower, firebox and primary chimney are made of round or profile steel pipes. Significant wall thickness is not required - you can get by with a couple of millimeters - combustion in the furnace is weak. The chimney in a stove bench, through which gases flow in a completely cooled form, can generally be made from metal corrugation.

For thermal insulation (lining) of the furnace section, you will need broken fireclay bricks (fireclay crushed stone) and oven clay.

The outer coating layer (heat accumulator) will be made of adobe.

This is what freshly prepared adobe looks like

Thermal insulation of the primary chimney is made of light fireclay bricks (ShL grade) or river sand rich in alumina.

Parts such as lids and doors can be made from galvanized steel or aluminum. Asbestos or basalt cardboard is used as a sealant.

Preparatory work

As part of the preparatory work, it is necessary to cut all available rolled products into blanks of the required size. If you decide to use a gas cylinder as a blank for the cap, you need to cut off the welded upper part from it.

Preparing a gas cylinder for use as a hood

Note! If there is gas left in the cylinder, it may detonate during cutting. For safety reasons, such containers are cut only after filling with water.

Note that in most cases, a rocket stove is made from a cylinder. Such a unit is capable of heating a room up to 50 m2. A “rocket” from a barrel only has to be used at full power in very rare cases.

From the barrel, if the stove is made from it, it is also necessary to cut off the top part. Next, two openings located opposite each other are cut out in the barrel or in the cylinder, through one of which the fire pipe will be inserted into the primary chimney, and the gas duct with a stove bench will be connected to the second.

Step-by-step instruction

Here is an approximate procedure that should be followed when making this stove:

Making a firebox

The firebox is welded using steel pipe or sheets. The firebox lid must close tightly. It should be made of a steel sheet, around the perimeter of which a strip of basalt cardboard is fixed with screws or rivets. For a tighter closure, the lid can be equipped with a screw clamping mechanism.

This is what the firebox and ash pan look like in a simple rocket stove

The ash chamber (indicated in the diagram as Primary Ash Pit) is separated from the main part of the firebox by a grate welded from a rod with a diameter of 8–10 mm. The grille should be installed on corner shelves that are welded to the inner walls.

The door of the ash chamber must also be airtight. It is made from a steel sheet, to which a steel strip is welded in two rows along the entire perimeter. An asbestos cord or basalt cardboard is placed in the groove between these strips.

All that remains is to weld the fire tube to the firebox.

Primary chimney

A 90-degree bend and a small section of pipe must be welded to the pipe that serves as the primary chimney, after which this L-shaped structure is placed inside a barrel or cylinder, that is, the future drum.

The outlet with a piece of pipe welded to it should be brought out into one of the openings in the lower part of the drum so that the primary chimney is located strictly in the center. Let us remind you that the upper cut of the pipe must be located at least 70 mm below the upper edge of the barrel (cylinder).

After centering the primary chimney, its horizontal tail, which was brought out into the opening in the drum, is welded to its edges with a continuous seam along the entire perimeter.

After this, the shank of the primary chimney is welded to the flame pipe, and a tire is welded to the drum on top.

A short piece of pipe should be welded to the second opening in the drum, which will act as a secondary ash pan. It needs a cleaning window. Along its edges, you need to butt-weld the studs to which the lid will be screwed (remember that we decided not to install the door in this place, since we have to open it quite rarely).

A strip of basalt cardboard should be secured along the perimeter of the lid with screws or rivets.

Chimney installation

We weld the horizontal part of the chimney to the outlet of the secondary ash pan, on which the stove bench will subsequently be installed. If the flue is supposed to be made of metal corrugation, then first you need to weld a short pipe to the ash pan, and then attach the corrugation to it using a clamp.

At the final stage, an external chimney is attached to the horizontal flue.

Furnace lining

The metal part of the stove is ready; now it needs to be properly plastered with heat-insulating and heat-accumulating compounds.

The lining of the combustion part (up to the primary chimney) should be done with a mixture of stove clay and broken fireclay bricks, taken in a 1:1 ratio.

Primary chimney lining

The materials used for lining the primary chimney - light fireclay bricks or river sand - are porous, so when open they will quickly become saturated with soot and lose their thermal insulation properties. To prevent this, the lining on the primary chimney is protected with a thin-walled steel casing, and the ends are coated with oven clay.

In accordance with the square-cube law, the ratio of the volume and surface area of the drum depends on its diameter, therefore the lining of the primary chimney is made differently depending on the size of the furnace. Three options are shown in the figure.

Primary chimney lining options

If the lining is made with fireclay bricks, the cavities between its fragments must be filled with construction sand. If river sand rich in alumina is used, you have to resort to more complex technology:

The sand is cleared of large debris (careful preparation is not required).

A thin layer is poured into the casing, compacted and wetted so that a crust forms.

Subsequent layers are poured in the same way. There should be from 5 to 7 in total.

The sand lining is dried for one week, then the top is covered with oven clay and the manufacture of the oven continues.

The last step is to coat all parts of the stove with adobe. It is prepared from the following ingredients:

clay;

straw (14–16 kg per 1 m 3 of clay);

sand (in small quantities);

water.

The straw to clay ratio shown is approximate. In some types of clay, more straw can be added, in others, on the contrary, its amount must be reduced.

Ways to improve the jet furnace

Instead of a couch on a gas duct, you can build a water jacket that will be connected to a water heating system. This part can also be made in the form of a coil of copper pipe wound around the chimney.

Scheme of a rocket furnace with a water circuit

Another method of improvement is to organize the supply of heated secondary air to the flame tube.

Drawing of a rocket stove from a cylinder with a secondary air supply

With this design, the efficiency of the stove will be higher, but soot will be more intensively deposited in the primary chimney. To make it easy to remove, the drum cover must be made removable. Naturally, it must be equipped with a seal.

An improved version of the rocket stove from a cylinder

How to fire a rocket stove

A rocket stove, like top-burning heat generators, operates at high performance only if its chimney is hot enough. Therefore, before loading the main fuel into the firebox, the unit must be warmed up well (unless, of course, there has been a long downtime and the stove has had time to cool down). To do this, use any “fast” fuel, for example, sawdust, paper, straw, etc., which is placed in the ash pit.

The subsidence of the hum or a change in its tone indicates that the stove is sufficiently warmed up and the main fuel can be added to the firebox. There is no need to set it on fire - it will flare up from the coals remaining after the “fast” fuel burns out.

Melt the rocket stove through the firebox

A jet stove, like a Bullerjan, cannot adjust to external conditions and fuel quality. The adjustment must be made by the user. After adding the main fuel, the ash flap must be fully opened, and as soon as the unit begins to hum, close it until a rustling sound appears.

In the future, as the fuel burns, the damper has to be closed more and more, still achieving a quiet rustle. If you miss the right moment, an excess amount of air will begin to enter the furnace and pyrolysis in the fire tube will stop due to the cooling of the intermediate gas mixture. At the same time, the stove will remind you of itself with a “rocket” hum.

Video: how to make a long-burning jet stove with your own hands

They tried to create a jet or rocket stove that was extremely simple and would only benefit the home craftsman. However, as can be seen from our article, it is under no circumstances possible to make this heat generator at random - instead of a rocket, the master will receive an ordinary potbelly stove, very voracious and constantly overgrown with soot. It is important to observe all the given parameter ratios and then you will get a productive rocket stove with quite decent characteristics.

Despite such a loud name, a rocket stove, of course, has nothing in common with rocket and space technology. And it doesn’t run on jet fuel at all. The stove received this name for the stream of flame escaping from the top pipe of the camping structures and the sound reminiscent of the roar of an engine.

Let us immediately clarify that the stove will produce a strong sound only if the operating rules are violated - the roar of the engine occurs when excess air enters the firebox. Normally, the rocket stove will make a quiet rustling sound. It runs on wood and other fuels and is highly efficient.

The rocket stove came to us from the USA and is still little known even to professional stove makers, although it definitely deserves attention.

Operating principle of a rocket stove:

Direct combustion. Fuel gases flow freely through the furnace channels without being stimulated by the draft created by the chimney.
Flue gases, which are always released when burning wood, are burned. This is called pyrolysis.

The simplest jet furnace will consist of two pipes, one of which goes horizontally and the other goes up. You can use one curved pipe if you have such an opportunity, otherwise welding work is required.

The fuel in the rocket stove is placed directly into the pipe. In this case, the hot gases will tend to escape upward along the vertical section. At the end of the pipe you can place a container that will be used for cooking or boiling water. There must be a gap between the container and the pipe so that combustion products can freely come out.

What else you need to know about the jet stove:

It is both cooking and heating.
It is quite possible to equip the “Rocket” with a stove bench, approximately like in a Russian stove, but such a design will be much less cumbersome.
The operating time on one fuel fill in a rocket stove is approximately six hours, and it retains heat for up to 12 hours if the metal structure is finished with adobe plaster.
Initially, the rocket stove was intended for use outdoors, in field conditions. Portable metal structures still occupy first place in popularity, but stationary stoves have also appeared that work on the same principle, made of brick or clay.

Pros of the rocket stove:

The design itself is simple, you can do it yourself, the materials are available.
Ability to use different types of fuel. In such a stove, even low-quality fuel, damp thin branches, and so on will burn.
Energy independence.
High operating efficiency, lower fuel consumption.

Cons of a jet stove:

It will have to be controlled manually. It is necessary to constantly monitor and regulate the combustion process.
Some elements of the rocket furnace can become very hot, especially for the simplest metal structures. That is, there is a great danger of burns when touched; you should be especially careful and keep children away from the rocket stove.
It will not work to use a stove of this design in a bathhouse, since it is simply not able to quickly heat the room to the required temperature.

Now you can find the simplest diagrams of how to build a rocket stove out of 20 bricks with your own hands without mortar in literally three minutes anywhere. The first row will be solid, with a horizontal protrusion, the second will have a hole above the protrusion for loading fuel, the remaining three rows will be a pipe. It will be warm; you can simply place a cauldron or pan on top.

However, in more complex and efficient options, flue gases are passed under the stove bench, for example, through special channels. The second option is to install a water circuit on a simple rocket stove.

These are examples of biodesign of stoves that work on the “rocket” principle, but are much more complex and modernized, with stove beds. The construction of such clay ovens is carried out by the German company Lehm und Feuer.

Let us state that a rocket stove has many advantages, including ease of installation, the ability to be used in the field or in the summer in the yard for cooking various dishes over a live fire. You just need to understand the operating principles and design features.