Reiff Heater / Food for thought

D

dave7101

Filing Flight Plan
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Nov 7, 2007
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Ontario Canada
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Display name:
dave7101
dave7101 said:
Cessna 172P hangared in Ontario, Canada

Reiff heater used continuously, with cowl and prop covers.

Graph of temp/humidity in engine cowl, vs. ambient temp (second link)

Engine
http://wirelesstag.net/eth/tempStats.html?54da56f4-95a3-49af-9155-c052537625fc&Engine

Ambient (Hangar door)
http://wirelesstag.net/eth/tempStats.html?d7b23683-cc28-42f4-81ff-c303bfcbe37e&Hangar_Door


As you can see, keeps the engine cowl air between 25 and 35'c with an avg 6 to 10% humidity.

For what its worth
Click to expand...


Anyway you can measure the humidity inside of the engine? Perhaps a probe down the oil filler tube. I think what you have shown is that the conditions with the Reiff on continuously show no moisture in the cowling area. The argument has always been the humidity built up inside the engine.

Be curious to know if you could measure it.
 
Marauder said:
Anyway you can measure the humidity inside of the engine? Perhaps a probe down the oil filler tube. I think what you have shown is that the conditions with the Reiff on continuously show no moisture in the cowling area. The argument has always been the humidity built up inside the engine.

Be curious to know if you could measure it.
Click to expand...

The dipstick is always partially out, so the crankcase humidity should be (hopefully) similar.
 
Humidity under the cowling is pretty irrelevant. Humidity inside the engine is the subject of endless debate. I'm not sure how you could get that tag or any other sensor in it without breaking something or contaminating the sensor.

Leaving the dipstick open would allow for heated air in the crankcase to rise. But where is the convention coming from. For warm air to rise out, cool air from outside must come in. Where? (serious question, not being a smart ass).

I would like to see this experiment duplicated with the aircraft parked outside on a ramp where it's exposed to wind.
 
Last edited:
Pedals2Paddles said:
Leaving the dipstick open would allow for heated air in the crankcase to rise. But where is the convention coming from. For warm air to rise out, cool air from outside must come in. Where? (serious question, not being a smart ass).
Click to expand...

Convection is not the only way moisture can be removed from the engine - Diffusion will work as well.
 
I must have missed that day in science class?


<< Sent from my mobile device at 0agl >>
 
Pedals2Paddles said:
I must have missed that day in science class?
Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion

And specifically:

A distinguishing feature of diffusion is that it results in mixing or mass transport, without requiring bulk motion (bulk flow). Thus, diffusion should not be confused with convection, or advection, which are other transport phenomena that utilize bulk motion to move particles from one place to another.
Click to expand...
 
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