[Terrapreta] Tender offered for a design for a simple biochar cooker - or pre-made unit

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Rob

Congratulations on your success in getting funding for your Project.

Could you please tell us more about your "cooker requirements?"

For example:
1: Is it for inside or outside use?
2: What size of char do you propose to use?
3: What do you want to cook?
4: Is space heating an advantage or disadvantage?
5: Is a stack or exhaust hood desired or permissable?
6: Are CO and particulate emissions an important or unimportant 
consideration?
7: Is efficiency an important consideration?
8: Is appearance an important consideration?
9: Is size and weight an important consideration?
10: Is durability an important consideration?
11: Will the cook be available for frequent attention, adjustment, and 
refueling?
12: Is the cook already familiar with charcoal fueled stoves?
13: Will the cooker be used 3 times a day, or perhaps only for the 
occasional meal?
14: What "cooking power" do you require?
15: How much is your Target Market willing to pay for such a cooker?
16: Other parameters or specifications????.....

Best wishes,

Kevin

Rob wrote:
> Hello Terrapreta mail list members.
>
> RE: TENDER FOR A DESIGN OF A BIOCHAR COOKER - OR SUPPLY OF PRE-MADE 
> COOKER
>
> I have just won limited government funding from an Australian 
> government horticultural college to trial biochar, and have been 
> granted access to a large planting area and resources for test 
> plantings. The funding and resources granted is for work to be 
> undertaken over the next two years (at minimum, can be extended 
> depending on results) and will be undertaken by myself and a number of 
> lecturers and a few interested students - and with some persons with 
> soil related Ph.D.'s also providing general guidance.
>
> So we have the (limited) funds, a lot of land on campus, the resources 
> and the people in place - but we are missing something quite important 
> - biochar!
>
> My problem is in Australia there is no ready supply of biochar, and 
> import restrictions prevent imports.
>
> A few months ago, I met with Dr. J Lehmann while he was in Australia 
> and explained this problem. Dr. Lehmann informed me viable SMALL SCALE 
> cookers have been produced in the USA and elsewhere. Dr. Lehmann  
> suggested such cookers if fueled by gas with temperature gauges at each 
> gas head and some inside the cooker would be able to produce various 
> grades of biochar (depending on feed stock) with enough accuracy such 
> that successful mixes could be replicated by repeating the temperature 
> settings at the gas heads (and checking the internal cooking 
> temperatures are about the same). While such a set-up is not optimal in 
> scientific terms, it would be enough for us to get started cooking up 
> semi- controlled biochar and running growing tests in green-houses, 
> shade-houses and in the field.
>
> As I do now have confirmed funding I am after either:
>
> (1) a proper design for a biochar cooker, where the design is of a 
> cooker that has already been built and works, or
> (2) an already manufactured unit that has already been built and works
>
> and in both cases working along the lines Dr. Lehmann suggested 
> (discussed above).
>
> If anyone or firm is willing to tender me a price for such a design or 
> a made up unit please let me know. If you know of an person or firm who 
> might be interested please - please - pass on this email.
>
> We are willing to pay for such a unit or design, but I stress we are 
> after a small cooker at this stage, just to get us started and into 
> growing trials - and please remember my funding is limited.
>
> If a made up unit is intended please consider the sea freight costs and 
> insurance costs to Port Adelaide, Australia.
>
> We have extensive well equipped mechanical engineering shops and expert 
> lecturers in all facets of manufacturing, materials and metal 
> fabrication, so a made up unit could be supplied in parts and assembled 
> here to reduce freight costs. We can also fabricate any cooker so long 
> as the design is professional and detailed.
>
> It is essential any design is of a cooker or made up cooker which is 
> proven to work.
>
> Subject to further discussion and analysis of benefits, we might be 
> prepared to provide detailed growing test data in return - which may 
> help a potential budding biochar oven manufacturer with useful test 
> results to help their business along.  However, unless we must enter 
> into a commercial arrangement with an oven manufacturer, we will be 
> posting test results to share with the biochar community - and we look 
> forward to the results of other member's work on a community database 
> so we can post our results.
>
> I look forward to any emails to further this tender request.
>
> Also any suggestions, help, comments as to this endeavor is most 
> welcome anytime - we need all the help we can get to make this biochar 
> project work over the next two years, and further biochar knowledge in 
> my home city: Adelaide, Australia.
>
> My direct email is:
> robfox at adam.com.au
>
> Thanks for reading so far.
>
> Rob Wyly
> Urrbrae Horticultural Campus
> http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au
> Adelaide, South Australia.
>
>
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