There's another alternative...
The Reverse Flow Horizontal Smoker-Cooker
Now we're going to take a look at a different type of smoker-cooker which operates in a very different way.
Before we begin, we need to review the questions you have asked since there are some significant differences in the way this smoker-cooker works.
Let's take another look at the questions since some of the answers have now changed....
A-1) If built properly, water can be used in BOTH a horizontal and/or a vertical smoker. In this type smoker-cooker it is not necessary to place a container into the cooking/smoking chamber.
Water may be added directly to the 'Drip Pan' to provide moisture in the chamber if desired.
A-2) No. With this type smoker-cooker, due to its design and the way it is constructed, the heat always enters the cooking/smoking chamber in an indirect manner as you will see.
A-3) Yes. The 'bulkhead' in this type smoker-cooker is, in actuality, the 'Drip Pan'.
Note that there are no 'Tuning Plates' needed, nor is there a place to put them.
Now let's take a look at the graphics as I attempt to explain how they work...
One of the first things you will notice is the 'Exhaust Flue' is now located at the same end as the 'Firebox'
rather than the opposite end, as in the first cooker we looked at. The 'Reverse Flow' Smoker-Cooker
requires this for proper operation, as we will see.
The second thing you will notice is the absence of 'Tuning Plates' in the chamber, since there are none
needed in this type cooker.
The third thing you will notice is that we now have a 'Drip Pan' in the area occupied by the TP's in the
first cooker we looked at.
The primary purpose of the 'Drip Pan' is to cause the heat/smoke to enter the cooking/smoking
chamber in an indirect manner by acting as a duct to the end of the chamber opposite the firebox.
In doing this it also acts as a thermal mass that stores some of the heat, and releases the stored heat
in an even manner to the food above it, thereby causing the temperature to be fairly even throughout
the chamber.
In other words it acts as a buffer to tame and even out the heat thereby eliminating hot spots, and
this is accomplished without the need for 'Tuning Plates', or the tedious adjustment they require.
The end to end temperature differential is typically less than 10* in this type of smoker-cooker.
The secondary purpose of the 'Drip Pan' is to collect the fat (grease) that drips from the meat being
cooked and channel it out of the cooking/smoking chamber through the open drain to an external
container placed under the drain.
A third minor function of the 'Drip Pan' is that with the drain valve closed, water may be added to it
in order to add moisture to the cooking/smoking environment inside the chamber thereby, in effect,
causing it to then operate as a water smoker.
This will also help to moderate any temperature differentials inside the chamber.
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/117/reverseflowhorizontalsmbb8.png
In this graphic notice that as the heat/smoke exits the firebox that it must travel horizontally
and to the left underneath the 'Drip Pan' to reach the opposite end of the smoker-cooker.
During this time some of the heat will be transferred to its thermal mass.
As the heat/smoke arrives at the end of the chamber opposite the firebox it must turn upward
and reverse the direction of flow, then traverse the length of the chamber to the firebox end where
it will exit the chamber through the exhaust flue.
This smoker-cooker derives its name, 'Reverse Flow', from this reversing heat/smoke flow path.
As the heat/smoke is now above the 'Drip Pan' and is flowing toward the firebox end of the
chamber, it will flow around and over the meat and food items on the 'Cooking Grid'.
In addition, the heat stored in thermal mass of the 'Drip Pan' is constantly being released to the
food on the 'Cooking Grid' above it in an even and gentle manner.
As you can see, the heat/smoke will surround the meat and food items completely.
Any of the watery drippings which collect in the 'Drip Pan' will be vaporized into steam which will
add moisture to the environment inside the cooking/smoking chamber without the need to add water,
although water may be added to the 'Drip Pan' if desired.
Under normal circumstances, water would not be added to the 'Drip Pan.
The rendered fat (grease) would simply flow down and exit the cooker via the drain.
In this graphic, the view is from the firebox end looking toward the end opposite the firebox,
and is shown with water in the 'Drip Pan' for the sake of illustration.
The gray colored areas represent the end plate of the 'Drip Pan' and the drain tube.
As you can see, it is built in the shape of a shallow trough so that any drippings from the
meat being cooked would flow toward the center and down the drain and out of the cooker.
The space under the 'Drip Pan' is open and acts as the duct which carries the heat/smoke to
the end of the chamber opposite the firebox.
The 'Drip Pan' is constructed of flat plate and 90* angle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are links to the websites of two different companies that build Reverse Flow Horizontal Smoker Cookers...both are located in the state of Georgia, in southeastern USA.
These websites have lots of photos that may be of help in planning the building of your smoker-cooker...sometimes a picture truly is worth a thousand words.
Cookers and Grills is in the northern part of state at Union Point, Georgia.
Lang Smoker Cookers is in the southeastern part of the state at Nahunta, Georgia.
The 'Pit Builders List' has links to many other smoker-cooker builders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous: The 'Horizontal Offset Smoker w/ Offset Firebox'
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope this has helped in some way...Good Luck in the building of your new Smoker-Cooker!...
Until Later...
The Reverse Flow Horizontal Smoker-Cooker
Now we're going to take a look at a different type of smoker-cooker which operates in a very different way.
Before we begin, we need to review the questions you have asked since there are some significant differences in the way this smoker-cooker works.
Let's take another look at the questions since some of the answers have now changed....
A-1) If built properly, water can be used in BOTH a horizontal and/or a vertical smoker. In this type smoker-cooker it is not necessary to place a container into the cooking/smoking chamber.
Water may be added directly to the 'Drip Pan' to provide moisture in the chamber if desired.
A-2) No. With this type smoker-cooker, due to its design and the way it is constructed, the heat always enters the cooking/smoking chamber in an indirect manner as you will see.
A-3) Yes. The 'bulkhead' in this type smoker-cooker is, in actuality, the 'Drip Pan'.
Note that there are no 'Tuning Plates' needed, nor is there a place to put them.
Now let's take a look at the graphics as I attempt to explain how they work...
One of the first things you will notice is the 'Exhaust Flue' is now located at the same end as the 'Firebox'
rather than the opposite end, as in the first cooker we looked at. The 'Reverse Flow' Smoker-Cooker
requires this for proper operation, as we will see.
The second thing you will notice is the absence of 'Tuning Plates' in the chamber, since there are none
needed in this type cooker.
The third thing you will notice is that we now have a 'Drip Pan' in the area occupied by the TP's in the
first cooker we looked at.
The primary purpose of the 'Drip Pan' is to cause the heat/smoke to enter the cooking/smoking
chamber in an indirect manner by acting as a duct to the end of the chamber opposite the firebox.
In doing this it also acts as a thermal mass that stores some of the heat, and releases the stored heat
in an even manner to the food above it, thereby causing the temperature to be fairly even throughout
the chamber.
In other words it acts as a buffer to tame and even out the heat thereby eliminating hot spots, and
this is accomplished without the need for 'Tuning Plates', or the tedious adjustment they require.
The end to end temperature differential is typically less than 10* in this type of smoker-cooker.
The secondary purpose of the 'Drip Pan' is to collect the fat (grease) that drips from the meat being
cooked and channel it out of the cooking/smoking chamber through the open drain to an external
container placed under the drain.
A third minor function of the 'Drip Pan' is that with the drain valve closed, water may be added to it
in order to add moisture to the cooking/smoking environment inside the chamber thereby, in effect,
causing it to then operate as a water smoker.
This will also help to moderate any temperature differentials inside the chamber.
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/117/reverseflowhorizontalsmbb8.png
In this graphic notice that as the heat/smoke exits the firebox that it must travel horizontally
and to the left underneath the 'Drip Pan' to reach the opposite end of the smoker-cooker.
During this time some of the heat will be transferred to its thermal mass.
As the heat/smoke arrives at the end of the chamber opposite the firebox it must turn upward
and reverse the direction of flow, then traverse the length of the chamber to the firebox end where
it will exit the chamber through the exhaust flue.
This smoker-cooker derives its name, 'Reverse Flow', from this reversing heat/smoke flow path.
As the heat/smoke is now above the 'Drip Pan' and is flowing toward the firebox end of the
chamber, it will flow around and over the meat and food items on the 'Cooking Grid'.
In addition, the heat stored in thermal mass of the 'Drip Pan' is constantly being released to the
food on the 'Cooking Grid' above it in an even and gentle manner.
As you can see, the heat/smoke will surround the meat and food items completely.
Any of the watery drippings which collect in the 'Drip Pan' will be vaporized into steam which will
add moisture to the environment inside the cooking/smoking chamber without the need to add water,
although water may be added to the 'Drip Pan' if desired.
Under normal circumstances, water would not be added to the 'Drip Pan.
The rendered fat (grease) would simply flow down and exit the cooker via the drain.
In this graphic, the view is from the firebox end looking toward the end opposite the firebox,
and is shown with water in the 'Drip Pan' for the sake of illustration.
The gray colored areas represent the end plate of the 'Drip Pan' and the drain tube.
As you can see, it is built in the shape of a shallow trough so that any drippings from the
meat being cooked would flow toward the center and down the drain and out of the cooker.
The space under the 'Drip Pan' is open and acts as the duct which carries the heat/smoke to
the end of the chamber opposite the firebox.
The 'Drip Pan' is constructed of flat plate and 90* angle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are links to the websites of two different companies that build Reverse Flow Horizontal Smoker Cookers...both are located in the state of Georgia, in southeastern USA.
These websites have lots of photos that may be of help in planning the building of your smoker-cooker...sometimes a picture truly is worth a thousand words.
Cookers and Grills is in the northern part of state at Union Point, Georgia.
Lang Smoker Cookers is in the southeastern part of the state at Nahunta, Georgia.
The 'Pit Builders List' has links to many other smoker-cooker builders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous: The 'Horizontal Offset Smoker w/ Offset Firebox'
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope this has helped in some way...Good Luck in the building of your new Smoker-Cooker!...
Until Later...
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