November Experimental Results, part 2

The chart accompanying today’s post shows the temperatures measured in the biomeiler at a height of 4’ above the ground.  This height marks the boundary between the existing biomeiler and the recent extension.  The data were collected by a thermocouple buried in the pile at that height at the very center of the inner core, another placed halfway between the inner and outer walls of the outer core, and a third similarly placed between the inner and outer walls of the mantle.  The air temperature was measured on a thermometer in the open air.

The most obvious observation that can be made is that the entire biomeiler is cooling in direct proportion to the outdoor air.  At all three radii, the thermocouples show a temperature decrease of approximately 20 F degrees.  The outdoor air temperature, ignoring the much-greater daily variability, shows approximately the same decrease.

The second obvious observation is that the mantle temperatures continue to split the difference between the warmth of the core and the chill of the outdoor air.

These are not exciting results. 

In consequence, I think this month’s observations should be considered from the point of view that “no news is good news.”  A major advantage of using a biomeiler as a heat source is that its large mass and the simplicity of the anaerobic respiration process make it a reliable, stable generator. After all, no one really wants their chicken coop heated in an exciting way.

With luck, December will prove to be equally unremarkable!