Smoking chamber design question

[piaconis]

I've seen a lot of build plans on here, and most of them have a cylindrical cooking chamber.  While I understand that many of these are because that is the shape of the original item being re-purposed for the smoker, it made me think a bit.  Is a cylindrical chamber the best shape?  What advantages does it provide (better airflow, "turbulence" effect, more even heat dispersion, etc).  Was just curious to hear some of the theories behind the design.

 

[daveomak]

piaconis, morning and very late to your question, sorry about that......   I think whatever is handy is how the design develops...  My 2 cents...  

Dave

 

[piaconis]

Thanks Dave. I was curious, since I was watching BBQ Pit masters and noticed the Jambo, which is a cylinder-shaped cooking chamber made out of rolled 1/4" steel. I guess that's just the shape Jamie chose. I was considering building a similar design, and think welding a box out of several 1/4" plates is much easier than getting a metal shop to fabricate round panels for me. However, if the shape poses an advantage, I didn't want to go down that road only to discover an issue.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

[tom walker]

Speaking as a latent engineer and not as an experianced Q Chef, which I am not (yet) I would venture a guess that because the firebox is off-sides, the hot air needed to cook must pass from the fire box to the cooking chamber.

Therefore, that passsage, the ports between chambers and the position of the exhaust stack should play a more important roll than the shape of the burn container. Control of the flow is of utmost importance and that is done with air intake port(s), exhaust and possible flue closure between the firebox and the cooking chamber.

I could be wrong but that's my best guess.

What have I engineered?

Go to:

Walker

 

[daveomak]

Something to think about....   Dave

 

[daveomak]

What have I engineered?

Go to:

Walker

Tom, evening..... that is one of my all time favorite shows.......  the engineering is incredible.... I can think of more to say but what is the point...   Great job.....  

Dave

 

[piaconis]

Thanks guys.  It would appear the the efficiency of the shape is in the manufacturing process, not the cooking, though I agree that the corners are not conducive to airflow.

BTW - nice punkin chunkin design!

 

[tom walker]

Tom, evening..... that is one of my all time favorite shows.......  the engineering is incredible.... I can think of more to say but what is the point...   Great job.....  

Dave

Thank you, Dave.

"NASAW", the design used by Team Urban Siege is maybe my best.

Ya know what? I don't recall seeing any smokers going in any of the firing pits. Hmmmmm!

I feel an idea coming on.