Heat Wave Powerful self-powered sterling engine woodstove fan
By Thermal Engine Corp. (HEATWAVE)
One of our new line of self-powered woodstove fans... The Heat Wave.
The Heat Wave is a very efficient air circulation fan designed for wood stoves that regularly exceed 600 degrees F. Unline the popular EcoFan, the Heat Wave does not use semi conductor elements to generate its own power. The Heat Wave is built around a compact sterling engine which makes it not only durable, but able to withstand a much greater stove temperature range.
NOTE:
THERMAL ENGINE CORP CEASED OPERATIONS IN JANUARY 2009.
THEIR PRODUCTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
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The Heat Wave quietly and efficiently circulates warm air from your wood stove, or other heat source, through your home, cabin, or workshop dramatically increasing the effectiveness of your heating appliance and improving your comfort level.
No longer will you have to stoke your stove to blazing hot temperatures only to end up with a VERY hot area in the direct proximity of your stove and mildly warm air across the room. The Heat Wave will help uniformly circulate the air, leaving you a cozy, comfortable atmosphere to enjoy while reducing the amount of fuel your appliance consumes. In addition, the Heat Wave costs you absolutely nothing to operate!
No batteries or plugs are needed! The Heat Wave's power comes from a small Stirling-cycle powerplant (also known as a sterling engine) that uses only the heat radiated from your appliance for fuel. What is a "Stirling-cycle" or sterling engine powerplant? The Stirling-cycle powerplant derives its power from very rapidly heating and cooling the same volume of air - almost like a steam engine, but without the water or steam. When the air is heated, it expands, pushing a piston outward; when the same volume of air is rapidly cooled, it contracts, pulling the same piston inward, providing the power needed to turn the blades.
For wood stoves with a temperature between 350°F (minimum requirement) and 1000°F, the Heat Wave circulates 200-300 cfm (cubic feet per minute) of air. The Heat Wave's fan speed increases relative to the temperature increase of its heat source. So, the hotter your stove, the faster the Heat Wave will run and the higher the volume of air circulated.
PLEASE NOTE:
This fan starts-up at 350 degrees, and as such is not turning quickly or pushing much air until the stove temperature reaches about 500 degrees. If this is higher than your stove normall operates, then consider the Whisper model, or one of the Canadian-made EcoFans: 800, 802 Airplus or 806 GS.
Who's buying?...
The Heat Wave is an ideal air circulation fan for larger, more powerful woodstoves & pellet stoves that need to burn hot in order to heat larger buildings & rooms. Lodges, cabins, & winter resorts will appreciate the silent benefits of using a Heat Wave to optimize their heating systems.
Maintenance...
The Heat Wave is designed to be maintenance-free under normal conditions. Removing the cover for display is fine, but please recognize that by doing so, you expose the moving parts to dirt, dust and other elements. If you use your Heat Wave without the cover and you notice it running slower than normal or doesn't start easily, you will need to wipe clean the displacer rod with a soft, lint-free cloth and place a drop or so of a high quality lubricant on the rod and on the two brass crankshaft bushings.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Use only a high-quality, low-viscosity lubricant that does not evaporate and does not leave a residue. (For example, a high-quality gun or clock oil.) NEVER use a WD-40 or similar lubricant; as they evaporate, they leave behind a sticky residue that will hurt the performance of your product. NEVER lubricate the graphite power piston with ANY lubricant; graphite is self-lubricating, and the addition of any outside lubricant will degrade the performance of your Heat Wave. NOTE: If you do choose to remove the cover of your Heat Wave, we strongly recommend that you replace the units handle before operation. If for some reason you need to move your Heat Wave when it is very hot, you will be glad you replaced the handle.
Manufacturing...
The Heat Wave was designed, prototyped, and tested in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. Every part of each Heat Wave is made in the USA. Each Heat Wave unit is assembled, tested, and packaged in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. The Heat Wave is made from only the highest-quality materials. All Heat Wave components are individually machined from stainless steel, anodized aluminum, brass, or graphite.
