Offered A Kiln...

[potter638]

Hi all, 

 

I have been working in a small studio in a tiny kiln for some time and was recently offered a much larger kiln. The issue is that it is an oil fired monster! I live in a small town and a very tall chimney will not be appreciated by my currently tollerant neighbours. Has anyone got any experience of altering the design of a kiln to reduce the hight of the chimney?? I am some what of a kiln building novice but have made a life of taking on insanely huge projects and this kiln will have to be taken apart and rebuilt anyway so a redesign is possible. Think of the potting potential...!

 

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Potter

 

 

[Marcia Selsor]

I fired with diesel many years ago. One thing to consider is natural draft (venturi) compared to forced air draft. (blowers) What type of burner does this kiln have? How big is the stack at the current location? What altitude are you (feet above sea level)? I once helped fire a fast freddie at Banff. It was built exactly to specs. It would not climb above 1900. It was not built for 6000 ft. above sea level. Fred Olsen was consulted and agreed the stack needed to be higher. So give some details to what you are looking at..and where you are located and what burner types are on the kiln.

Then we can discuss some ideas. I got some great great reds with diesel. Does this take diesel, kerosene? kerosene is lighter weight than #2 diesel.

Marcia

[potter638]

I fired with diesel many years ago. One thing to consider is natural draft (venturi) compared to forced air draft. (blowers) What type of burner does this kiln have? How big is the stack at the current location? What altitude are you (feet above sea level)? I once helped fire a fast freddie at Banff. It was built exactly to specs. It would not climb above 1900. It was not built for 6000 ft. above sea level. Fred Olsen was consulted and agreed the stack needed to be higher. So give some details to what you are looking at..and where you are located and what burner types are on the kiln.

Then we can discuss some ideas. I got some great great reds with diesel. Does this take diesel, kerosene? kerosene is lighter weight than #2 diesel.

Marcia

 

[potter638]

Thanks for your reply, I am in the uk, not far above sea level but not sure of actual hight! the kilns fires on heating oil, which I beileve to be very similar to road diesel but not simialr enough to replace on with the other. It is currently fired using a blower and while I m not sure of the exact name of the burners I know it is fired with two. its currently at a similar altitude to where it will be moved to and fires consistently well to stoneware temperatures. The current stack is 10 feet, ideally I need it to be no more than 7 feet. I will try to find out about the burners.......! 

[Marcia Selsor]

Oil burners usually have a pump as well as blowers. The pump pressurizes the oil through a nozzle causing a spray that will ignite. At least that is the type I am familiar with.

Why does the chimney have to be shorter? Is the current chimney unsightly?

You could use something more aesthetically pleasing like 3 ft. of ceramic sewer pipe.

WHat is the current condition of the chimeny? What is it made of?

BTW oil smokes a lot. In a reduction you will see some heavy black smoke. This may not be good for your neighborhood.

Even under less reduction you'll still have some black smoke. It is what oil does when not burning effectively ..which is what reduction is.

What are the possibilities to convert to gas? It is cleaner. With good blowers, you can get by with a shorter chimney.

Your site and neighbors may be a bigger factor.

 

Marcia