Rocket Mass HeatersA rocket mass heater is a clean burning, high performance burner usually put together using a majority of recycled and/or natural materials, such as cob. Owners claim an 80-90% reduction in wood usage compared to heating the same space with a metal wood stove.

As opposed to the masonry heater which requires some advanced masonry skills, the rocket mass heater can be built by any enthusiast with basic masonry and engineering abilities. The only problem with this project is difficulty in getting a building permit, because basically not many officials know what a rocket heater is. The exception is Portland, Oregon, which has a building code for rocket mass heaters, thanks to Ernie and Erica Wisner, who share some hints on how to acquire a permit on their site. Many communities do have building codes and give permits for masonry heaters, so you might need to treat your rocket heater as a masonry heater. Be cautioned, that without a permit, you may void your fire insurance policy.

The rocket mass heater works on similar properties as a masonry heater. A fast, high heat and oxygen-fed fire burn up the volatile gases and particulates, leaving very little pollution, and turn almost all the fuel into energy. A bit of smoke is released during the first minutes of a fire, until the temperature in the chamber is hot enough to burn the combustion gases as well as the wood. The major difference between a masonry heater and a rocket, is that the rocket stove has an insulated J- or L- shaped combustion chamber that forces the fire to burn horizontally. The fire then hits a 90 degree angle at the end of the chamber which causes a strong turbulence to rise up the insulated heat riser, creating a strong draft that feeds the intensity of the fire. The heat riser sits inside a barrel or larger secondary chamber which extends a couple of inches above the inner riser, the hot rising gases hit the top of the secondary chamber, give off some of their heat and then fall down the larger chamber's sides. The exhaust is then directed through flue piping, usually set within a bench, which will absorb the last vestiges of heat. Today's rocket heaters often employ cob, but there is no reason why you can't build a masonry bench of brick, stone or tile. The final flue gas that escapes the exit is basically water vapor. As hydrogen during combustion turns into water vapour.

Small pieces of wood, basically trimmings from one's yard, can be used to fuel the heater. The spaces between the small pieces of wood allows more draft into the combustion chamber, helping to fuel a fast, hot fire.

Rocket mass heater. Leaving the drum exposed allows immediate heat to enter the room. Covering the barrel with a natural surface of cob slows down the instant heat and holds heat for slower release. permaculturedesign.fr

Rocket Mass Heater in a straw bale home in France by Bec Touvière. Courses given once a year in France. Great video of the process at bottom of page here: permaculturedesign.fr

Rocket mass heater, built during a Bioconstruyendo held in

February, 2010 in Patagonia, Argentina, in a straw bale and adobe cabin. www.firespeaking.com

Rocket Mass Heater byJuured in Estonia.

Rocket Mass Heater by Ernie and Erica Wisner. Plans for sale here: ernieanderica.info/shop

The combustion chamber runs horizontally, the flames and gases hit a 90 degree angle and then throw off a lot of strong turbulence, which helps intensify the heat and create draft, or a rocket effect up the heat riser. The heat riser is usually a smaller pipe set within a larger pipe, the inner heat riser needs to be insulated as that creates a heat differential which again increases draft. This heat riser is then usually set within a 55 gallon barrel, with the top exposed to give off instant heat, but there is no reason it could not be set within masonry. (See resource below.) The barrel's lower half is often covered in cob, to store the stove's heat and allow the heat to radiate slowly.

Rocket heaters need a heat riser that is at least twice as tall as the burn tunnel is long. From: Rocket Mass Heaters by Ianto Evans, Leslie Jackson. www.amazon.com

Rocket mass heater and cooktop in Brussels. Great design! Brick veneer and must be a refractory cement counter top. See the

inner workings here: flickriver.com

Rocket mass heater and cooktop in Brussels. Wood goes into feed to right of the sink. Cooktop is to right of the feed. See the inner workings here: flickriver.com

Rocket mass heater by Ernie and Erica.ernieanderica.blogspot.com

Rocket mass heater in a Shamen center in France. From "Rocket stoves, wood fires and mass heaters" ecologie-pratique.org

Rocket Mass Heater by Juured in Estonia.

Rocket mass heater mostly used for cooking as it is in the highlands of Guatemala. joachim2010.blogspot.com

Mass Heater by terre-et-flammes.fr

This is a masonry mass heater but looks like a nice start off point for a design of a rocket mass heater. poeles-eco-09.com

An antique stove was surrounded in cob. The wood loads on the right side, there is a heated bench behind. By Ernie and Erica Wisner, more photos: plus.google.com

Rocket mass heater with a cooktop. The heat riser does not have to be a barrel, but can be built from masonry. marquedeposee.over-blog.com

Rocket mass heater by expert Kirk “Donkey” Mobert, sundogbuilders.net, donkey32.proboards.com

Dragon Heater's 6" powder coated metal rocket heater. Kit includes everything but the 55 gallon barrel and the perlite. It can be operated on its own or connected to thermal mass storage. Inside the red box is a 6" Dragon Burner. A square feed tube and 2" round air intake. The barrel has been painted with Stove Bright Hi-temp paint in black metallic. Available in 4 colors, textured black, copper vein, silver vein, and red.

$1450.www.dragonheaters.com