The immediate heat from a wood fire is a welcome relief from the cold but it only lasts as long as the fire is going. Several fireplace designs attempted in overcoming the need for constant tending of fires.

Some designs allow for a loading box or fuel hopper. With wood not being evenly shaped - wood can catch in most hoppers and not accomplish a steady burn.

The Russian fireplace snaked smoke around ledges placed in the chimney to collect as much heat off the fire as possible before it left the chimney. The mason fireplaces did this but created a flat burn cap over the fire for a cleaner burn. The Rocket Mass heater does both! Plus the design creates such a clean burn - it's as near to a kinetic energy system as we can presently accomplish.

Here's our link to a simple Jet Stove- More heat with LESS wood for heating mass, water or other uses.