Meathead,
i published this out in the public site, as well.
Is there published science on the balance between using the inlet vent or the outlet damper on a classic offset smoker?
It seems that, in theory, you are working with a closed cylinder with the air intake at one end and the air outlet at the other. A fire is built within the cylinder. The fire yields heat and smoke. Placing the fire near the inlet to be close to the fuel source makes sense.
Opening or closing the inlet or the outlet will change the rate of fuel delivery to the fire. The only difference I can see would be at low flow rates. Having a wide open inlet would let more oxygen in just by diffusion if the fire is really close to the inlet. I just don’t know if it would make a significant difference. At high flow rates, I am not certain I see how it would make a difference how you regulate the flow. It seems to me that, in a relatively closed system, the intake must equal the outflow. Only if the flow gets so high that the inlet opening begins to have significant resistance to airflow would that make a possible difference.
People talk about regulating the temp with one end and the smoke levels with the other. I can’t see how there can be a difference, as the production of smoke and heat are intricately intertwined.
Just stuff I was pondering during my wait in line for a haircut!
i published this out in the public site, as well.
Is there published science on the balance between using the inlet vent or the outlet damper on a classic offset smoker?
It seems that, in theory, you are working with a closed cylinder with the air intake at one end and the air outlet at the other. A fire is built within the cylinder. The fire yields heat and smoke. Placing the fire near the inlet to be close to the fuel source makes sense.
Opening or closing the inlet or the outlet will change the rate of fuel delivery to the fire. The only difference I can see would be at low flow rates. Having a wide open inlet would let more oxygen in just by diffusion if the fire is really close to the inlet. I just don’t know if it would make a significant difference. At high flow rates, I am not certain I see how it would make a difference how you regulate the flow. It seems to me that, in a relatively closed system, the intake must equal the outflow. Only if the flow gets so high that the inlet opening begins to have significant resistance to airflow would that make a possible difference.
People talk about regulating the temp with one end and the smoke levels with the other. I can’t see how there can be a difference, as the production of smoke and heat are intricately intertwined.
Just stuff I was pondering during my wait in line for a haircut!
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