The problem is that for downdraft woodgas stoves to work properly you need a tall chimney (at least 5" higher or taller) for the system to work properly.


The downdraft woodgas stove is a very efficient way of heating water. Twigs (brown lines) are loaded into the burner section of the stove and it on fire (red/yellow ^ lines) at the top. Once the twigs start burning air gets drawn down through the outer shell and up through the wood from the bottom. The fire heats the air (blue-purple-red line) as it flows down past the burner unit. The air becomes hot enogh that it begins distilling out the methanol and flammable gases from the wood. These gases begin burning and the wood turns to charcoal. Once all the gases have been burnt the charcoal ignites and burns down to fine ash.

The container holding the water (orange thing) to be boiled sits down in this chimney. I haven't had much success using a frying pan or sauce pan on top of the chimney as it doesn't get the full effect of the heat plus such a tower was unsteady. But it boils water GREAT.


Downdraft stove in action.

-Blast