Garden studio kiln ventilation and temperature

[davelea]

I've picked up an 8 year old Paragon TNF273 that I'm intending to use in a wooden insulated garden studio. The studio has 2 rooms, one that will be the workshop, and a second room with a door that I'm intending to use for the kiln. The kiln room is 2.8m x 1.4m internally and has a single window directly above the kiln.

I'm wondering about ventilation and heat. The kiln has no ventilation installed and I'd like to keep the door to the rest of the workshop shut if possible so I can work while the kiln is on. It's a giant 200 litre thing and might be a bit mad for my first kiln, but it was a bargain so I grabbed it.  

I'd love some advice on how best to ventilate and manage the heat in a relatively small room with only one window. I'm willing to cut holes in the wall etc if needed.

[neilestrick]

You have several options:

1. Get a downdraft vent to pull out fumes, and put a fan in the window to remove heat as needed. This will extend element life and reduce corrosion of the kiln.

2. Get an overhead hood like the Vent-A-Kiln system, which will pull fumes and heat out of the room. They work great.

3. Put a strong thru-wall fan in the wall opposite the window.

Whichever way you do it, you will need a source of fresh air coming in so the fans aren't starved for air. If you use the overhead hood or wall fan, have it exit on a wall opposite the kiln and use the window for fresh air. If you're using the window as a way to remove heat then you'll need another penetration to bring in fresh air.

If the floor is wood, put two layers of cement board under the kiln. Maintain safe distances from the wall (16"), but you may also want to put cement board on the wall(s) by the kiln, with an air gap between the cement board and the finished wall.

[davelea]

That's really useful. The floor for the kiln room is just concrete (I saved on putting the wooden floor in there), so that shouldn't be an issue, and I'm definitely going to add the cement board to the walls.

I think a thru-wall fan might be the way to go.

[Bill Kielb]

On 7/26/2024 at 8:58 AM, davelea said:

I'm wondering about ventilation and heat. The kiln has no ventilation installed and I'd like to keep the door to the rest of the workshop shut if possible so I can work while the kiln is on. It's a giant 200 litre thing and might be a bit mad for my first kiln, but it was a bargain so I grabbed it.  

I'd love some advice on how best to ventilate and manage the heat in a relatively small room with only one window. I'm willing to cut holes in the wall etc if needed.

Ventilation requirements that remove fumes during occupancy probably require a hood for effective capture and double digit airflow (CFM or .028 CMM). Ventilation to offset the heat produced (dependent on make-up air temperature) are often in the four digit or thousands of CFM or 2 digit CMM range to remove most or all of the heat. Compromise installs, remove fumes and a portion of the heat - hundreds of CFM or single digit CMM.  Example hooded vent system https://ventakiln.com/overhead-kiln-ventilation-systems/

Make up air will be essential - so maybe the window.

 

[davelea]

I was thinking something like this on the wall opposite the window:

https://ledgrowshop.co.uk/products/airlift-s16-shutter-exhaust-ventilation-fan-16-speed-controller

2560CFM

 

Either that or a Ventmaster on the kiln itself:

https://www.cromartiehobbycraft.co.uk/Catalogue/Ceramic-Kilns-Electric-Kilns-Pottery-Kilns/Kiln-Venting/Orton-Kiln-VentMaster-240-Volt-CH2030#

 

I won't be in the room when the kiln is firing, and the door through to the studio room is pretty well sealed, so I'm not worried about  gas leakage through to the occupied area.

Edited July 29 by davelea

[Bill Kielb]

To me the ventmaster is convenient and helpful to brighten glazes, remove corrosives in bisque, but it traditionally will not remove all particles and fumes and not much heat. The through wall fan is great as well and could remove a bunch of waste heat. and the speed control is helpful to manage the rate. I have used those fans in the states (Cloudline greenhouse variable exhaust, I think sold as ac infinity) and appreciate the ECM motors and controls. The control I had good luck with was their exhaust thermostat that varied the speed as the room increased beyond the setpoint.
The other (convenient and economical ) option that comes to mind is a barometric damper that the user would install in the window opening during operation.  The damper would open as needed to let air in, yet keep the room slightly negative with respect to adjacent occupied spaces to minimize exfiltration of the kiln fumes.

Last idea -reasonable pm 2.5 air quality monitor has provided some assurance that fumes were not entering adjacent  occupied space (s).

removable window damper, Ac Infinity temperature control pics below.

 

Edited July 29 by Bill Kielb