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Part 5 - Insulation
Alchemist
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Posted on 09/25/2007 2:43 PM
One of my pet peeves with most roasters trying to eek out ever ounce of coffee on 15 amps is that 95 times out of 100 there is so much wasted heat.

We are going to be insulating like crazy here. 2" of insulation on the main body of the roasting chamber. Kaowool and a rigid insulation board if needed. This is the stuff they insulate furnaces with. You can melt iron with 15 amps and sufficient insulation. The front and back will have at least an inch plus a layer or two of hardibacker.

An Alchemist's furnace we are talking here. :@

And so I don't forget it, I want to seal every seam that could leak heat or smoke with aluminum tape. We'll see if we need a gasket along the metal to metal joint of the roasting body and the base. I think if we take care with flat, flush construction no seal should be needed.

We are already recirculating our heated air and only ejecting some when we WANT to.

The name of the game here is energy conservation!!!
 
David
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Posted on 09/26/2007 10:54 PM
Oh Boy, a GREEN roaster!

c:3
 
Alchemist
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Posted on 09/27/2007 6:50 AM
But I thought you wanted a BLUE roaster! ;)
Edited by Alchemist on 09/27/2007 6:51 AM
 
David
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Posted on 09/27/2007 11:26 AM
Oh my, yet another dilemma. :|.
 
Alchemist
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Posted on 09/27/2007 12:02 PM
We could just have it Silcosteel treated and have it all.


or not...
Alchemist attached the following image:
silco2[524].jpg
 
David
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Posted on 09/27/2007 7:17 PM
Yep, and it would never corrode.

I do like the color....

Say, aren't those spots of PURPLE on the side?
 
Alchemist
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Posted on 09/27/2007 10:32 PM
Indeed, on both counts. They even do custom work. I fear it may be a little outside the budget thought. I always wondered about a boiler and PF and basket in an espresso machine made with silcosteel.

Oh, and I made a discovery today with my Zen II. I have now installed the halogen light you purchased. With the new MASSIVE illumination, I could see where and how I was getting as smoke as I was. It was literally forming at the gaps in the front where air was coming in. I could see it form. The mixture of fresh oxygen with the roasting environment produced smoke that immediately wanted to make a departure. I sealed up the front seams with some aluminum tape and my smoke drop 80% I would estimate.

I need to hack the halogen fixture a bit and see if it will work as an afterburner. That light is damn hot.
 
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