Smokehouse Air Circulation

[mlbbbq]

I I have built this brick smokehouse for my restaurant. It does a good job but I am struggling with air flow and extreme wood burn. Considering putting an in-line fan in the exhaust. I worry the smoke will destroy the motor. I’m pushing air with a box fan and the exhaust is 6” . I am looking for thoughts. I maintain a 200-235 temp but have to constantly feed wood. Any ideas how I can move the air to get more stable heat and smoke flow?

 

[tallbm]

Hi there and welcome!

I have a solution for you and even use this solution on a small scale with my MES unit for cold smoking.

In short I use a blower fan to blow up my "exhaust" stack. I place the cardboard exhaust stack over the hole of my MES exhaust.
The fan blows up the stack causing draft/suction and pulls air out of the smoker ensuring the airflow and circulation is good to go inside the smoker since the smoker has no heat inside therefore not causing a draft.

I was experiencing stale smoke due to smoke lingering and not circulating and getting enough oxygen. Whipping this together (inspired by a similar design from another poster) it solved all my problems.

Now I think you could do the same thing still keeping your "inline" fan idea going BUT not ruining your fan with smoke :)

Let me know if this makes sense :)

 

[smokerjim]

Are you sure you need more air flow, if your going through that much wood maybe you need less. I'm probably wrong but just a thought.

 

[mlbbbq]

Are you sure you need more air flow, if your going through that much wood maybe you need less. I'm probably wrong but just a thought.

I may have worded that wrong. It’s a big smoker so the wood use will always be high. Just getting the heat and smoke from fire box to meat chamber is more the issue.

 

[mlbbbq]

Hi there and welcome!

I have a solution for you and even use this solution on a small scale with my MES unit for cold smoking.
View attachment 518734

In short I use a blower fan to blow up my "exhaust" stack. I place the cardboard exhaust stack over the hole of my MES exhaust.
The fan blows up the stack causing draft/suction and pulls air out of the smoker ensuring the airflow and circulation is good to go inside the smoker since the smoker has no heat inside therefore not causing a draft.

I was experiencing stale smoke due to smoke lingering and not circulating and getting enough oxygen. Whipping this together (inspired by a similar design from another poster) it solved all my problems.

Now I think you could do the same thing still keeping your "inline" fan idea going BUT not ruining your fan with smoke :)

Let me know if this makes sense :)

I think that concept may work. Just larger I just found an furnace blower and going to try hooking it up to a thermostat control

 

[SmokinEdge]

How big of an opening do you have from firebox into cook chamber? Exhaust size?

 

[mlbbbq]

It’s 4 8x8 cinder blocks turned on its side and line up with the inlet to the meat chamber.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I don’t have experience with your exact set up ( not many would) but couple things I see.

1) The exhaust is directly above the inlet from the firebox? If so, need to move it to the opposite end to draw the heat across the cook chamber.
2) This isn’t an offset cooker, but kind of the same concept with the firebox offset the cook chamber. So on the door or front of the firebox, opposite of the entrance to the cook chamber, it’s most beneficial to have an air inlet low at fire level to feed the fire, But also an air inlet high at the top of the firebox. This vent doesn’t feed the fire, but moves the hot air at the top of the firebox directly into the cook chamber. It’s how you would move the heat (heat rises) in a large firebox.

 

[Fueling Around]

Still don't have a firm grasp of your smoker, BUT
I would never put a fan in the exhaust flue.

If you need forced induction (fans) they need to go on the upper and lower side of the firebox door.