Smelt Bellows - Air Flow Rates

Mark 2 Smelter Bellows, calculated 10/8/11

Target Volumes LpM            
               
Smelter SIZE area 1.2 1.5        
cm cm2 LpC2 LpC2        
               
20 314 375 470        
25 491 590 735 typical dia.      
30 707 850 1060        
35 962 1150 1440        
               
TEST              
               
Operator   No Load     with Load    
    Gage A Gage B average Gage A Gage B average
               
Neil Speed 37 43 40 38 48 43
  Volume 313 363 338 321 406 363
               
Marcus Speed 28 35 31.5 40 42 41
  Volume 237 296 266 338 355 346
               
Darrell Speed 40 48 44 39 50 44.5
  Volume 338 406 372 330 423 376
               
Thomas Speed 50 55 52.5 36 40 38
  Volume 423 465 444 304 338 321
               
Gus Speed 39 35 37 37 39 38
  Volume 330 296 313 313 330 321
               
Group Average Speed     38     42
  Volume     322     352
               
Standard              
               
Neil's math 1 KPH is 1666.66667 cm/min    
  2.54 cm pipe is 5.06707479 cm2    
  1 cm3/min is 0.001 LpM    
  1 KPH is 8.44512465 LpM    
               
SPEED to VOLUME for 2.5 dia.          
KpH LpM x 8.45          
               
47 400            
53 450            
59 500            
65 550            
71 600            
77 650            
83 700            
89 750            
95 800 typical use          
101 850            
107 900            
112 950            
118 1000            
124 1050            
130 1100            
142 1200            
154 1300            

 

Notes:

Two different 'wind surfer' type vane aneonometers were used. This primarily because a descrepancy between the recorded values for identical air flows had been encountered. It is not known if this is the result of wear in the older of the two units, or just because of functional inaccuracy with the type of equipment used.

The first use cycle was undertaken when the furnace was being used with a small handful of wood splints, so can be considered to be 'open'. The second series was with the furnace holding a full charge of ungraded charcoal (indicated as 'with load'). In a fullly functional furnace, the charcoal would be graded down to .5 - 2.5 cm pieces, plus additionally there would be some quantity of smaller sized ore particles in place in the shaft. Both of these elements would likely increase the load force required to deliver air via the bellows pipe.

Although the individuals taking part in this test were told to 'use a comfortable rhythm', both Marcus and Darrell had taken part in the Vinland 4 and Vinland 5 smelts - which where entirely bellows driven (using this same bellows). Darrell quite specifically attempted to match the same delivery as had been used for those experiments. In so much as his volumes appear to match fairly close to those of both Neil and Marcus (who also have bellows experience with this equipment), it may be reasonable that those numbers are fairly indicative of actual full smelt volumes.

Last Updated on 10/18/11 / Published 10/31/11
By Darrell Markewitz, Neil Peterson
Email: smelt@warehamforge.ca