BioEnergy Lists: Improved Biomass Cooking Stoves

From owner-stoves at crest.org Fri May 3 10:37:42 1996
From: owner-stoves at crest.org (by way of Tom Miles <tmiles@teleport.com>)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Improved Spelling at EU
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19960503144030.00763ca0@mail.teleport.com>

Date: 03 May 96 08:07:47 EDT
From: Thomas Reed <73002.1213@CompuServe.COM>
To: "Antal, Michael" <antal@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu>
Cc: "Ayres, Bill" <williea@primenet.com>, "Baldwin, R." <rbaldwin@mines.edu>,
BIOENERGY <bioenergy@crest.org>, "Bloom, Amanda" <Clearconsl@AOL.com>,
"Briggs, Stefanie" <BriggsEdit@AOL.com>,
"Cochrane, Katy" <cochrane@MIT.EDU>,
"Cochrane, Mark" <nbpet02.nbp@asa.org>,
"Cuddihy, W. F." <w.f.cuddihy@hroads.com>,
"Das, Agua" <Das@welcomehome.org>,
"Drew, Bob" <rdrew@Jeffco.k12.co.us>, "Gaur, Sid" <sgaur@mines.edu>,
"Hofmann, Bob" <rhofmann@csn.net>,
"Hollister, Alan" <Alan.Hollister@UCHSC.EDU>,
"Honig, J. M." <JMH@chem.purdue.edu>,
"Jantzen, Dan" <Winrock-Delhi@cgnet.com>,
"Larson, Ron" <larcon@csn.org>,
"P. P. Parikh" <parikh@me.iitb.ernet.in>,
"Pearl, Steve" <SPEARL@cadence.com>,
"Reed, Andrew" <73123.3113@CompuServe.COM>,
"Reed, Kevin" <Kevin.Reed@CHHN.COM>,
"Salinger, Ruth" <salinger@igc.apc.org>,
"Schaeffer, Jim" <Jimbobhopi@AOL.com>,
"Stevens, Peter" <stevens@MindSpring.COM>, Stoves <stoves@crest.org>,
"Woraphat, Arthayukti" <woraphat@bkk1.unocal.com>
Subject: Improved Spelling at EU
Message-ID: <960503120747_73002.1213_FHM41-1@CompuServe.COM>

RE: A chuckle

Having chosen English as the preferred language in the EEC (now
officially the European Union, or EU), the European Parliament has
commissioned a feasibility study in ways of improving efficiency in
communications between Government departments.

European officials have often pointed out that English spelling is
unnecessary difficult; for example: cough, plough, rough, through and
thorough. What is clearly needed is a phased programme of changes to
iron out these anomalies. The programme would, of course, be
administered by a committee staff at top level by participating nations.

In the first year, for example, the committee would suggest using 's'
instead of the soft 'c'. Sertainly, sivil servants in all sities would
resieve this news with joy. Then the hard 'c' could be replaced by 'k'
sinse both letters are pronounsed alike. Not only would this klear up
konfusion in the minds of klerikal workers, but typewriters kould be
made with one less letter.

There would be growing enthusiasm when in the sekond year, it was
anounsed that the troublesome 'ph' would henseforth be written 'f'.
This would make words like 'fotograf' twenty persent shorter in print.

In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be
expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are
possible. Governments would enkourage the removal of double letters
which have always been a deterent to akurate speling.

We would al agre that the horible mes of silent 'e's in the languag is
disgrasful. Therefor we kould drop thes and kontinu to read and writ
as though nothing had hapend. By this tim it would be four years sins
the skem began and peopl would be reseptive to steps sutsh as
replasing 'th' by 'z'. Perhaps zen ze funktion of 'w' kould be taken
on by 'v', vitsh is, after al, half a 'w'. Shortly after zis, ze
unesesary 'o' kould be dropd from words kontaining 'ou'. Similar
arguments vud of kors be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters.

Kontinuing zis proses yer after yer, ve vud eventuli hav a reli
sensibl riten styl. After tventi yers zer vud be no mor trubls,
difikultis and evrivun vud fin it ezi tu understand ech ozer. Ze
drems of the guvermnt vud finali hav kum tru.

*****
Here's a chuckle (from my cousin). Hope you havn't seen this before. Have a
nice day ................TOM REED

 

 

From 73002.1213 at compuserve.com Sat May 4 19:17:39 1996
From: 73002.1213 at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Banner day; Wood/char energy
Message-ID: <960504231911_73002.1213_FHM38-2@CompuServe.COM>

To Stovers all:

Wednesday Ron Larson and I had a "banner day" in stove development. We had an
excellent test of his "low tech" 2 can stove. It could be made by anyone in ten
minutes with a church key and some clay. It started in 2 mihutes and burned an
hour on 500 g of sticks.

We then went into Vivian's Klean Kitchen and started my riser sleeve-two can
gasifier/ 1 can burner stove. We used 500 g of aspen chips (7% moisture). We
cooked soup, ran for 65 minutes, then shut down without setting off the smoke
detector. (And with no smell of smoke after the initial liteup.) We heated the
soup on 100% primary air, then cut back to 25% for simmer. VERY CIVILIZED.
Produced 120 g of charcoal. (Also used about 2,000 g of Denver's clean air.)

Ron and I measured the gasification/combustion rate by perfoming a run on the
balance. We found rates of 5-15 g/min. We discussed the thermal power
equivalent of this and found that it was more subtle than we thought at first,
ie for the reaction (mass basis)

WOOD ===> Charcoal + pyrolysis gas
1 g 0.25 g 0.75 g
@ 20 24 ?
kJ/g
(Note: this energy balance should properly include the 7% moisture. Later. )
An energy balance shows the the energy content of the pyrolysis gas (?) is (20 =
.25X24 + 0.75 X ?) 18.7 kJ/g. Then a pyrolysis rate of 10 g/min is (10 X
18,700/60) = 3.1 kW. (For reference, the LARGE electric burner on my stove is
2.5 kW and the small one is 1.5 kW). So an efficient combustion of 10 g/min
should be about right. Our average pyrolysis rate was (380/65) 5.8 g/min,
simmering most of the time.

If any of you are in town we would be happy to cook you an all wood - smokeless
lunch.

We then operated the same gasifier on 1/4 in diameter sticks. I had had trouble
with plum-bush sticks before. Under Ron's eye they burned fine for about an
hour and I now have 100 g of plum wood charcoal.
Yours as ever, TOM REED

 

 

 

From 73002.1213 at compuserve.com Sat May 4 19:18:49 1996
From: 73002.1213 at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Wood Burning
Message-ID: <960504231907_73002.1213_FHM38-1@CompuServe.COM>

Bioenergy Woodburners:

Here is a poem I came across in my files - it was our Christmas card in the
palmy days of renewable energy.

WOOD HEAT
Beech wood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnuts only good, they say
If for long its laid away.
But ash wood new or ash wood old
Is fit for a queen with a crown of gold.
Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze up bright and do not last.
Is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould -
Een the very flames are cold;
But ash wood green and ash wood brown
Is fit for a queen with a golden crown.
Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense like perfume.
Oaken logs if dry and old
Keep away the winter cold.
But ash wood wet and ash wood dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.

Oak logs will warm you well,
If theyre warm and dry.
Larch logs of pine wood smell
But sparks will fly.
Beech logs for Christmas time;
Yew logs heat well.
Scotch logs its a crime
For anyone to sell.
Birch logs will burn too fast,
Chestnut scarce at all.
Hawthorn logs are good to last,
If cut in the fall.
Holly logs will burn like wax,
You should burn them green.
Elm logs like smouldering flax;
No flames to be seen.
Pear logs and apple logs,
They will scent your room.
Cherry logs across the dogs
Smell like flowers in bloom.
But ash logs all smooth and gray,
Burn them green or old,
Buy up all that come you way,
Theyre worth their weight in gold.
From Tree farm by John Estabrook
*****
However, remember, all wood has the same (+/- 10%) heating value on a dry, ash
free basis.

Does anyone have any modern comments on the advice of this piece?

Happy heating,
TOM REED

 

 

From tmiles at teleport.com Sat May 4 19:51:35 1996
From: tmiles at teleport.com (Tom Miles)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Banner day; Wood/char energy
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19960504235252.006c3ec8@mail.teleport.com>

Congratulations. But does that mean that there is no "hickory smoke" flavor?
<grin>

Tom Miles Jr.
At 07:19 PM 5/4/96 EDT, you wrote:

>If any of you are in town we would be happy to cook you an all wood - smokeless
>lunch.
TOM REED
>
Tom Miles, Jr.
tmiles@teleport.com

 

 

From verhaarp at janus.cqu.edu.au Sun May 5 07:01:33 1996
From: verhaarp at janus.cqu.edu.au (Peter Verhaart)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Banner day; Wood/char energy
Message-ID: <9605051104.AA25399@janus.cqu.edu.au>

To Tom Miles Jr

>Congratulations. But does that mean that there is no "hickory smoke" flavor?
><grin>
>
>Tom Miles Jr.
>At 07:19 PM 5/4/96 EDT, you wrote:
>
>>If any of you are in town we would be happy to cook you an all wood -
smokeless
>>lunch.
> TOM REED
>>
>Tom Miles, Jr.
>tmiles@teleport.com
>
>
Spoilsport!

Piet Verhaart

 

 

From tduke at igc.apc.org Mon May 6 11:49:28 1996
From: tduke at igc.apc.org (Thomas Duke)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Banner day; Wood/char energy
Message-ID: <199605061540.IAA26162@igc3.igc.apc.org>

> Date: 04 May 96 19:19:11 EDT
> Subject: Banner day; Wood/char energy

> To Stovers all:
>
> Wednesday Ron Larson and I had a "banner day" in stove development. We had an
> excellent test of his "low tech" 2 can stove. It could be made by anyone in ten
> minutes with a church key and some clay. It started in 2 mihutes and burned an
> hour on 500 g of sticks....

Congratulations! The news of your success is thrilling and heartening.
So many on the earth today are needing to escape the health damaging
effects of smokey cooking fires. The efficency of your stoves is also
thrilling. Now in many places around the world life can go-on with
out utterly destroying their fuel source. Producing charcoal, and
cooking the meal is exciting. There are so many uses for charcoal,
from purifying water to melting metal. We the people of earth owe you
an expression of gratitude. Not only for your work and your success,
but also for the example you have set.

Sincerely,
Tom Duke
4363 Hunt Road
Burlington IA 52601-8917
The Renewable Energy Research Center & Farm (319)754-7384

 

From krksmith at uclink4.berkeley.edu Wed May 15 18:58:03 1996
From: krksmith at uclink4.berkeley.edu (Kirk R. Smith)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: No Subject
Message-ID: <199605152301.QAA21257@uclink4.berkeley.edu>

Greetings,

Does anyone know of a study/database/table/whatever containing estimates of
household energy use by fuel type, globally or near globally? I have seen
IEA, China, India and other single countries, but no systematic presentation
from someone who has tried to do it consistently on a global basis?

Many thanks/K

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kirk R. Smith Phone: 510-643-0793
EHS,SPH Warren 7360 Fax: 510-642-5815
University of California Email: KrkSmith@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Berkeley CA 94720

 

 

From verhaarp at janus.cqu.edu.au Tue May 21 08:24:18 1996
From: verhaarp at janus.cqu.edu.au (Peter Verhaart)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject:
Message-ID: <9605211227.AA05438@janus.cqu.edu.au>

>From Piet Verhaart

Hi, Stovers all!

The silence is becoming oppressive, what's happened? The cat got your
tongues, The snapping turtle snapped up your typing finger(s)? Spring
bursting out all over, everybody in the Northern hemisphere planting
snowdrops and daffodils in order to later behold "Ten thousand at a glance"?

Here the air conditioners are quiet, tonight's minimum temp expected to
reach 10 C, tomorrow's maximum 24 C, outlook fine and more of the same.

On the stove front rather quiet, trying to get over a designer's block in
order to start work on the "Jak Stove". I thought of it while holidaying in
Jakarta and it also uses a jack. Hope to get over the block soon but have to
expect a post natal depression after succesful completion. The Second Law is
right, things only get worse.

That is all for now, NOx out of our stoves.

Piet Verhaart

 

 

From E.Moerman at stud.tue.nl Tue May 21 09:33:16 1996
From: E.Moerman at stud.tue.nl (E.Moerman)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Local partners
Message-ID: <56292.s335192@popserver.tue.nl>

Hello everybody,

It has been very quiet lately on the stoves list. I hope to have a bit more
time to start off discussions in a few more weeks. However for the moment I
will limit myself to a request for local partners.

Prasad and I have been working on 3 projects (incineration of hospital
waste; bakery oven; and brick kilns), more are in preparation. At the moment
we are looking for partners in developing countries that are interested in
one or more of these projects. To get the projects financed we need contacts
with local partners as soon as possible. I started a company called EFFTECH
that will manage these projects or in some cases act as a subcontractor.

I invite everybody that is interested in any of these projects to contact
me.

Ciao,

Etienne
---------------------------------------------
Etienne Moerman E.Moerman@stud.tue.nl
Joh. Buyslaan 71 tel. +31-40-2571491
5652 NJ EINDHOVEN The Netherlands

 

From larcon at csn.net Tue May 21 11:05:43 1996
From: larcon at csn.net (Ronal Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: A few observations
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9605210947.A15999-0100000@teal.csn.net>

 

Stovers:

I guess this is a good time to put in a few notes - given Piet's and
Etienne's notes today pointing out our lack of messages.

Tom Reed and I ran a few more tests last week. One new test was
placing material in a central closed part of the chimney; it charred of
course, but was a little bothersome in not having sufficient control.
Tom is now off to Banff for a big bioenergy meeting - taking a demo model
of the charcoal-making stove. Before his leaving, we had a productive
meeting with several researchers at the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory - who kindly offered to help with a few tests - to see if
there might be some future role for their becoming more involved. I
later had several excellent meetings with NRELÕs Dr. Foster Agbelfor -
from Ghana, and an expert on pyrolysis (PhD from Toronto) - who is also
in Banff, and also now on the stoveÕs list.

I have built one new stove, using the riser sleeve insulators Tom
Reed has described and it worked fine in a demo for Foster. However,
IÕm concerned about the softness of the material after firing - and
havenÕt yet figured out how to protect it. One other aspect of the test
was using approximately equal parts of a very hard oak and a soft redwood
(shingle) simultaneously. It seemed to be working fine, but this was not
quantitative.

Yesterday I built an all-clay stove with several new features.
The first was a rotating upper body that thereby creates a variable
secondary air supply. Hopefully, when closed, it will allow me to snuff
out the pyrolysis when desired, while leaving the charcoal in place.
The second was a built in upper pot shield - a little ungainly and
perhaps still not steady enough. I used a lot of vermiculite and
volcanic "grog" in an attempt to get a better insulator - making it a
good bit harder to work with, but perhaps worthwhile. Now I must wait a
few days before firing and testing.

Also yesterday, I decided to try a first-time test using small
scrap fuel (not wood) with the "standard" two-can design I described in
January. I tamped in only pine needles and operated otherwise as before
- lasting about half as long - about 25 minutes (probably less than half
the fuel weight- but unchecked) and probably got about the usual 25%
charcoal yield. The surprise to me was that it went so well with this
junk fuel source; I believe the needles would have only lasted a few
minutes in a normal stove. I mixed the resulting char with a little clay
and water and the resulting 6 large hand-formed briquettes are now drying
for a burn test in a few days. I much prefer the charcoal coming from
wood, but perhaps this will work also. Next to test are some raspberry
stalks. In Zimbabwe, a popular local stove was designed to burn such
scrap; the stove has the name of the fuel source - Tso-Tso. I think
gasification pyrolysis is an improvement even if one had to throw the
resulting char away - which I certanly hope is not the case. Anyone have
an easy recipe for making briquets (or using small scrap char)?

In response to Etienne - I would like to be involved in your work
on incineration, ovens, and brickmaking - but of course primarily from
the standpoint of making charcoal while gasifying. Let me strongly
recommend Dr. Hassan Hood in Khartoum - a person who has written a good
bit (on especially brickmaking) and who is an entrepreneurial type with
an excellent background in many aspects of biomass. I only know how to
reach him via mail.

Regards

Ron Larson

 

From set at mt.luth.se Wed May 22 05:42:01 1996
From: set at mt.luth.se (Sven-Erik Tiberg)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Wood stove for water destilation to
In-Reply-To: <199602121337.FAA23490@igc3.igc.apc.org>
Message-ID: <v03006602adc89e7ae360@[130.240.1.240]>

Hi.

Been kind of quiet on this list, but will try to catch up with all treads.

Meanwhile, we have a new downdraft stove, with internal hot water storage,
under development and tests. It's designed to be more production cost
effective than the CPA-5 model
http://www.luth.se/depts/mt/ene/articles/ETC_pan/.

There was a tread about destilating water in rural areas. And we made a
drawing of it on
http://www.luth.se/depts/mt/ene/articles/ETC_pan/new_pan.gif.
This layout will probably been build in Nort Africa in the near future,
knock,knock. It will be designed for 100 L of water.

I will keep you posted about both projects.

Sven-Erik Tiberg
Div. of Energy Enginnering Dep. of Mechanical Enginnering
Lulea Univ. of Technology S 98787 SWEDEN Loc. 65.57N 22.22E
Phone +46 920 91218, 55190 and 55542 ( home) fax +46 920 91047
set@mt.luth.se http://www.luth.se/depts/mt/ene/staff/set/
private; http: and ftp://gandalf13.mt.luth.se/

 

 

 

From bhatta at ait.ac.th Wed May 22 06:40:33 1996
From: bhatta at ait.ac.th (S.C. Bhattacharya)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Wood stove for water destilation to
In-Reply-To: <v03006602adc89e7ae360@[130.240.1.240]>
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960522170401.24413A-100000@rccsun>

 

Yes, all appears to be rather quiet at the Stoves' front.

Here is some thing new I can say.

A) We have just got a project approved. The objective is diffusion of mature
(or nearly mature and promising) renewable energy technologies in some 7
countries of Asia. The project will involve technology selection,
identification of collaborating Asian national research institutes,
national entrepreneurs etc. Collaboration with international researchers
or manufacturers is envisaged where available at no or minimal cost.
(There is no provision for payment of any fees). Even if no collaboration
is possible, we would consider to extend invitation (hopefully, in some
cases with support) to those who have something interesting to offer in a
Technology Transfer Forum to be attended by developing country
participants including local manufacturers.

In case of biomass energy, I would be happy to know if any of the
netters has anything to offer although we have already identified
some technologies tentatively.

B) I am preparing an invited paper on biomass combustion to be presented
in the Energex 96 conference in Beijing (3-7 June, 96). I would like to
present some information on developments on stoves, particularly
performance indicators (e.g. efficiency) of new stove design concepts,
e.g. 1) downdraft
stove of different versions (the original Eindoven stove, staircase stove
and now the new stove of Sven-Erik Tiberg) and 2) charcoal making stove (it
is not clear whether the discussions during the last several weeks means
any improvement over the commercial ZMART ZTOVE charcoal making stove).

Eagerly waiting to thank any one who responds.

S.C. Bhattacharya
-------------------------------------------------------------------
S. C. Bhattacharya Voice : (66-2) 524 5403 (Off)
Professor 524 5913 (Res)
Asian Institute of Technology Fax : (66-2) 524 5439
GPO Box 2754, Bangkok 10501 516 2126
Thailand e-mail: bhatta@ait.ac.th
-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

From 73002.1213 at compuserve.com Wed May 22 09:13:56 1996
From: 73002.1213 at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:55 2004
Subject: Condense that Water!
Message-ID: <960522131331_73002.1213_FHM49-3@CompuServe.COM>

 

Wow! what a note from Anders Ewald on "condensing systems. Just a few further comments - or questions.

It is my impression that it is much more difficult to use condensing systems with sulfurous fuels
(coal, low grade oil) because the condensation process makes sulfuric acid. Is this true? Is
condensing a way of cleaning stack gas of sulfur? Should we insist that the fossil
fuelers condense all their stacks both to clean and get more efficiency.

On a humbler not, we have been testing WOOD-GAS stoves by boiling water. Might we get a
few extra % efficiency as the water vapor condenses on the cold pot?

Thanks, Anders - TOM REED
---------- Forwarded Message ----------

From: Anders Evald, INTERNET:evald@dk-TEKNIK.dk
TO: "'Bioenergy Mail List'", INTERNET:BIOENERGY@CREST.ORG
DATE: 5/15/96 7:55 AM

RE: Flue Gas Condensing Systems

In response to :

Brian Horne (on 14. May)
S. C. Bhattacharya (on 14. may)
Harry W. Parker (on 27. April) and
others

Subject: Danish Experiences from 32 District Heating Boilers Operating With
Flue Gas Cendensing

(Etc., etc.)

Yours Sincerely

Anders Evald

Centre of Biomass Technology, dk-TEKNIK
Gladsaxe Moellevej 15
DK-2860 Soeborg, Denmark
Phone +45 39 69 65 11
Fax + 45 39 69 60 02
e-mail evald@dk-teknik.dk or a_evald@dk-online.dk
CBT on WWW: http://www.sh.dk/~cbt/

 

 

From larcon at csn.net Wed May 22 10:52:35 1996
From: larcon at csn.net (Ronal Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Wood stove for water destilation to
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960522170401.24413A-100000@rccsun>
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9605220817.A5774-0100000@teal.csn.net>

 

Comments from Ron Larson below:

On Wed, 22 May 1996, S.C. Bhattacharya wrote:

>
> Yes, all appears to be rather quiet at the Stoves' front.
>
> Here is some thing new I can say.
>
> A) We have just got a project approved. The objective is diffusion of mature
> (or nearly mature and promising) renewable energy technologies in some 7
> countries of Asia. The project will involve technology selection,
> identification of collaborating Asian national research institutes,
> national entrepreneurs etc. Collaboration with international researchers
> or manufacturers is envisaged where available at no or minimal cost.
> (There is no provision for payment of any fees). Even if no collaboration
> is possible, we would consider to extend invitation (hopefully, in some
> cases with support) to those who have something interesting to offer in a
> Technology Transfer Forum to be attended by developing country
> participants including local manufacturers.
>
I'd like to volunteer, with your stated restrictions - provided that
charcoal making devices are one of the selected technologies. I also
have a strong interest in PV, with expertise on the charge-controller
side. What time frame are you considering?

> In case of biomass energy, I would be happy to know if any of the
> netters has anything to offer although we have already identified
> some technologies tentatively.
>
> B) I am preparing an invited paper on biomass combustion to be presented
> in the Energex 96 conference in Beijing (3-7 June, 96). I would like to
> present some information on developments on stoves, particularly
> performance indicators (e.g. efficiency) of new stove design concepts,
> e.g. 1) downdraft
> stove of different versions (the original Eindoven stove, staircase stove
> and now the new stove of Sven-Erik Tiberg) and 2) charcoal making stove (it
> is not clear whether the discussions during the last several weeks means
> any improvement over the commercial ZMART ZTOVE charcoal making stove).
>
The ZMART ZTOVE does not seem to me to have been designed at all
for charcoal production. I believe that patent is silent on charcoal-making
and the secondary hole placement is certainly not conducive to charcoal
production (although there certainly are some similarities and I suppose
that some charcoal-making could occur). It also seems rather small for
cooking for large families - and scaling up is not intuitively obvious,
even if redesigned for charcoal making. It is still my belief that
charcoal-making stoves have a strong future - meeting most desires for
stove operation.

I also have been meaning to acknowledge in this forum that you are
now taking over the ISES education committee from my friends in Sweden.
(We exchanged homes with Lars Broman for a few months a few years ago.)
Congratulations and thank you for taking on this important educational
work. Perhaps you could explain to this group how we might be able to
help you in education areas. Is the Tech Transfer project related?

> Eagerly waiting to thank any one who responds. >
> S.C. Bhattacharya

Regards

Ron Larson

 

From 73002.1213 at compuserve.com Thu May 23 09:07:23 1996
From: 73002.1213 at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Local partners
Message-ID: <960523130841_73002.1213_FHM71-6@CompuServe.COM>

Dear Etienne and Prasad:

We usually talk about stoves, but can also talk about incineration.

I am also involved in the design and testing of a small portable incineration
unit for clean combustion of our oil absorbent "Sea Sweep". (Also marijuana
for the DEA). It ises any 55 gallon drum with a special top of our design.
Interested?

Yours for clean combustion,
TOM REED

 

 

From 73002.1213 at compuserve.com Thu May 23 09:08:23 1996
From: 73002.1213 at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Ron's obs, Charcoal Briquettes and Banff
Message-ID: <960523130804_73002.1213_FHM71-1@CompuServe.COM>

Ron and All:

Greetings from the "Fourth International Biomass Thermochemical Conversion
Conference" here in Banff, Canada. When and where should we have the "First
International Wood-Gas Cookstove Conference?

Vivian and I had a beautiful drive up here through windy Wyoming and Lonely
Montana. Visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield (formerly Custer Last Stand).
A mystic experience. Hope that era is left behind.

I had breakfast with Tom Miles yesterday. What a busy and happy guy. He sends
regards to all.
*****
It sounds like Ron has done more on stoves in a week than in the past many
months. Me too. Must be the Spring air Piet.

Good news about the pine needles, mixed sticks, clay/vermicullite. etc. Can't
wait to get home and conquer straw (similar to needles). Incidentally,
lodgepole pines have a nicer, shorter needle than our Ponderosas. But needles
aren't available everywhere. In the woods here in Banff there are large piles
of pine cone "chips" left by the squirells (I presume). Bringing some home for
test. Could be good for starter, high in pitch.

CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES: In many ways briquettes are superior to "as made"
charcoal. The added clay serves to slow and moderate combustion and also
catalyses the surface combustion to mor CO2 and less CO. Briquettes are much
denser than "as made", thus helping storage and shipment. Briquettes make a
wide variety of charcoals into a fungible fuel.

Our stove poster at the Banff conference has attracted a lot of favorable
comment from India, China, Nigeria, ......... Ralph Overend was quite
interested and had a number of useful suggestions.

However, Ralph says the 30-40 grams/meal ((1/2 kilo/wk, 25 kile/yr) output is
too little to be of uch interest, even to a pennyless housewife under most
conditions. Comments?

We must start thinking of operating on a larger scale, 5 gallon pails, 55
gallong drums. Comments on uses?

Ron: Vw prepared to produce a short video on the stove to send around.

Sorry you are missing Banff - great meeting.

Onward, TOM REED

 

 

From larcon at csn.net Fri May 24 16:52:01 1996
From: larcon at csn.net (Ronal Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Ron's obs, Charcoal Briquettes and Banff
In-Reply-To: <960523130804_73002.1213_FHM71-1@CompuServe.COM>
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9605241411.A28927-0100000@teal.csn.net>

 

Comments on a truncated version of Tom's message below

On 23 May 1996, Thomas Reed wrote:

> Ron and All:
>
> Greetings from the "Fourth International Biomass Thermochemical Conversion
> Conference" here in Banff, Canada. When and where should we have the "First
> International Wood-Gas Cookstove Conference?
>
I think it important that it be in Africa or Asia - when there is
a meeting on desertification/deforestation.

> Good news about the pine needles, mixed sticks, clay/vermicullite. etc. Can't
> wait to get home and conquer straw (similar to needles). Incidentally,
> lodgepole pines have a nicer, shorter needle than our Ponderosas. But needles

The Ponderosa needle length (7-8 cm?) seems to work very well

> aren't available everywhere. In the woods here in Banff there are large piles
> of pine cone "chips" left by the squirells (I presume). Bringing some home for
> test. Could be good for starter, high in pitch.
>
The cones might be perfect for charcoal - not just starter.

> CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES: In many ways briquettes are superior to "as made"
> charcoal. The added clay serves to slow and moderate combustion and also
> catalyses the surface combustion to mor CO2 and less CO. Briquettes are much
> denser than "as made", thus helping storage and shipment. Briquettes make a
> wide variety of charcoals into a fungible fuel.

If the briquets can be made cheaply and are preferred by users.
My hand-made briqettes left a lot to be desired; I think they are dry
enough today to be tested for combustion quality. More later.

>
> Our stove poster at the Banff conference has attracted a lot of favorable
> comment from India, China, Nigeria, ......... Ralph Overend was quite
> interested and had a number of useful suggestions.
>
To those who don't know - Ralph is a Pricipal Scientist at NREL,
with a very deep and broad background in many biomass energy issues.
including stoves.

> However, Ralph says the 30-40 grams/meal ((1/2 kilo/wk, 25 kile/yr) output is
> too little to be of uch interest, even to a pennyless housewife under most
> conditions. Comments?
>
Where did the number 30-40 grams/meal come from? I believe the
number can be 10 times larger - for 8-10 person families.

> We must start thinking of operating on a larger scale, 5 gallon pails, 55
> gallong drums. Comments on uses?

The model I was working on in Tigray, Ethiopia used a 20 liter can
(5 gallons) for the pyrolysis zone - and a bit larger for the combustion
zone. This was for making injera - roughly done every day or two there.
It was well received - but this statement needs much more investigation.
I believe that most family cooking tasks can be done with appreciably
smaller equipment. Oil drum sizes are very appropriate I think for
bakeries and kilns (multiple drums will be needed); the beauty will be
that fuel costs can be dropped near zero as the charcoal can be resold
locallly for about the cost of the wood fuel input.

>
> Onward, TOM REED

Regards to all stovers Ron

 

 

From E.Moerman at stud.tue.nl Tue May 28 06:33:39 1996
From: E.Moerman at stud.tue.nl (E.Moerman)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Local partners
Message-ID: <45510.s335192@popserver.tue.nl>

Dear Tom,

Thanks for your offer of information on the oildrum incinerator. We already
have information on the oildrum incinerator, so we do not need information
about it ie. unless you made some special changes which enhances the
performance of the incinerator enormously.

Thanks again,

Etienne
---------------------------------------------
Etienne Moerman E.Moerman@stud.tue.nl
Joh. Buyslaan 71 tel. +31-40-2571491
5652 NJ EINDHOVEN The Netherlands
-------->> That's all folks!

 

From 73002.1213 at compuserve.com Tue May 28 22:10:08 1996
From: 73002.1213 at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Piet's Jack Stove
Message-ID: <960529021006_73002.1213_FHM67-3@CompuServe.COM>

Dear Piet, stovers all: EUREKA,
MONTANA

Here we are in desolate EUREKA, but Eureka for Piet's new stove. Waiting to
hear more from old Piet about the new Jack Stove. Post natal depression
unlikely, since birth of new invention generates more problems and opportunities
than ever.

Ron and I had a "walk in" poster on the Wood-Gas stove at the Banff Fourth
International Biomass Thermochemical Conversion conference and had the "lunch
size" unit available for inspection. (Didn't quite have the nerve to light it
up right there on the carpent, but probably would have been OK except with the
$100 M hotel management). Talked to multidozen interested parties. Wish this
darn INET could easily send diagrams. Paper to follow. Ron hasn't seen the
poster yet.

Ralph Overend liked stove with many suggestions and some reservations. He says
with efficient combustion of volatiles and 3 kw per meal and 50 g charcoal made
per meal the annual production per household will be about 35 kg, not much
incentive per household. Better to burn the charcoal in house. So Ron, how
about an efficient charcoal oven for bread? Others said that "village or
communal cooking" would produce more. So, how about a four hole or 8 hole
"cooking range" for many pots on one gasifier?

A number of others not in our net had interesting new or old observations on
stove. Some interesting straw stoves. More later.

TOM REED

 

 

From aellegaard at nn.apc.org Wed May 29 04:40:10 1996
From: aellegaard at nn.apc.org (aellegaard@nn.apc.org)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Wood saving stoves info request
Message-ID: <199605290944.JAA29933@nn.apc.org>

Dear Stove friends, 29 May 1996
I am currently participating in a project called "Methods for
exploring Bio-energy options", which is a cooperative effort by
the Institute of Resource Assessment in Dar-es-Salaam and the
Stockholm Environment Institute. It is not, as the name may lead
to assume, a project for disseminating bioenergy options, but it
is focused on the needs of rural people. In the present phase
of the project we have just completed a survey (using par-
ticipatory methods, PRA) of six villages in the Kilimanjaro
region. The first impression is that energy in these villages,
while problematic, is dwarfed by problems such as water availabi-
lity, health and education services, income generation oppor-
tunities etc.
However, in some areas fuelwood appears to be more of a problem
than in others. To this end, I would like to benefit from your
expertise on stoves, and please inform me about the recent
development of successful fuel-saving stoves for households in
rural areas. They should be low in cost, easy to construct from
local material, be able to accomodate various sizes of wood from
twigs to logs (and not require cutting). I have a relatively
large stove library, containing both pamphlets and articles, but
I do not have so much of the very most recent development. What
do you recommend as authoritative and proven, and hopefully
evaluated in reality? I am not looking for fresh ideas to be
tested out, that is another project.
In one village there was major consumption of fuelwood for fish
smoking. As I recall, I have not seen any examples of "improved
fish smokeries", but I am sure they must exist. The issue here
would be to get a lot of smoke from as little wood as possible.
Looks like this would be the case for a furnace with bad
combustion properties, and so should not be all that difficult
to arrange - but does anybody have information?
I would be most grateful for your tips.

Best regards
Anders Ellegard

 

From agblevof at tcplink.nrel.gov Wed May 29 11:45:19 1996
From: agblevof at tcplink.nrel.gov (agblevof@tcplink.nrel.gov)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Ron's obs, Charcoal Briquettes and Banff
Message-ID: <9604298333.AA833388671@tcplink.nrel.gov>

Hi Tom:

The last time I visited Ron Larson for his stove demonstration, I mentioned to
him that for the stove to be useful to people in Africa with respect to cooking
and charcoal production, we need larger size stoves. Particularly in the small
towns and villages, hawkers prepare food to sell to the other villagers and
towns people. They normally cook in batches for 20 to 30 people at a time.
These people will be interested in a more efficient stove.

The very small size stoves I think are only of academic interest and will not be
very useful in the villages. Most families in Ghana for instance are about 5 or
more. These include the core family and relatives. The bottom line, we need to
experiment with bigger stove design.

2. We also need to start testing hardwoods and agricultural wastes instead of
pine cones etc. since most of the fuels in these areas are of this type. We can
also test palm kernel shells or coconut shells. These are common fuel sources
in the tropics.

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Ron's obs, Charcoal Briquettes and Banff
Author: stoves@crest.org at SMTP
Date: 5/24/96 3:05 PM

Comments on a truncated version of Tom's message below

On 23 May 1996, Thomas Reed wrote:

> Ron and All:
>
> Greetings from the "Fourth International Biomass Thermochemical Conversion
> Conference" here in Banff, Canada. When and where should we have the "First
> International Wood-Gas Cookstove Conference?
>
I think it important that it be in Africa or Asia - when there is
a meeting on desertification/deforestation.

> Good news about the pine needles, mixed sticks, clay/vermicullite. etc. Can't
> wait to get home and conquer straw (similar to needles). Incidentally,
> lodgepole pines have a nicer, shorter needle than our Ponderosas. But needles

The Ponderosa needle length (7-8 cm?) seems to work very well

> aren't available everywhere. In the woods here in Banff there are large piles
> of pine cone "chips" left by the squirells (I presume). Bringing some home
for
> test. Could be good for starter, high in pitch.
>
The cones might be perfect for charcoal - not just starter.

> CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES: In many ways briquettes are superior to "as made"
> charcoal. The added clay serves to slow and moderate combustion and also
> catalyses the surface combustion to mor CO2 and less CO. Briquettes are much
> denser than "as made", thus helping storage and shipment. Briquettes make a
> wide variety of charcoals into a fungible fuel.

If the briquets can be made cheaply and are preferred by users.
My hand-made briqettes left a lot to be desired; I think they are dry
enough today to be tested for combustion quality. More later.

>
> Our stove poster at the Banff conference has attracted a lot of favorable
> comment from India, China, Nigeria, ......... Ralph Overend was quite
> interested and had a number of useful suggestions.
>
To those who don't know - Ralph is a Pricipal Scientist at NREL,
with a very deep and broad background in many biomass energy issues.
including stoves.

> However, Ralph says the 30-40 grams/meal ((1/2 kilo/wk, 25 kile/yr) output is
> too little to be of uch interest, even to a pennyless housewife under most
> conditions. Comments?
>
Where did the number 30-40 grams/meal come from? I believe the
number can be 10 times larger - for 8-10 person families.

> We must start thinking of operating on a larger scale, 5 gallon pails, 55
> gallong drums. Comments on uses?

The model I was working on in Tigray, Ethiopia used a 20 liter can
(5 gallons) for the pyrolysis zone - and a bit larger for the combustion
zone. This was for making injera - roughly done every day or two there.
It was well received - but this statement needs much more investigation.
I believe that most family cooking tasks can be done with appreciably
smaller equipment. Oil drum sizes are very appropriate I think for
bakeries and kilns (multiple drums will be needed); the beauty will be
that fuel costs can be dropped near zero as the charcoal can be resold
locallly for about the cost of the wood fuel input.

>
> Onward, TOM REED

Regards to all stovers Ron

 

 

From E.Moerman at stud.tue.nl Thu May 30 13:32:53 1996
From: E.Moerman at stud.tue.nl (E.Moerman)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:34:56 2004
Subject: Wrongly addressed.
Message-ID: <70659.s335192@popserver.tue.nl>

I noticed that I accidently sent a copy of a message intended for Tom Reed
to the stoves list. Sorry about that, I hope to avoid this in the future.

Etienne
---------------------------------------------
Etienne Moerman E.Moerman@stud.tue.nl
Joh. Buyslaan 71 tel. +31-40-2571491
5652 NJ EINDHOVEN The Netherlands
-------->> That's all folks!