[Terrapreta] Folke's retort kiln

[Kurt Treutlein]

bakaryjatta wrote:
> Dear list members,
>
> It is with great regret I see nice simple things being discussed until 
> people get headaches (and more confused) All I see is that a retort without 
> a tight lid is put upside down in a larger drum which is used to contain 
> fuel surrounding the retort. There is no air entering the retort and no fire 
> inside, but if the contents are heated, volatile gasses escape at the 
> bottom. These gasses meet with the external fire and air entering through 
> the holes at the base of the larger drum. Once the fuel is lit and the 
> temperature of the stock to be charred is high enough to produce gas, no 
> further fuel is required to keep the process going. You may light the fuel 
> between the retort and the outer drum at the top and possibly also through 
> the air holes at the bottom of the outer drum. Refuelling can only been done 
> from the top until gas from the retort starts to escape to take over the 
> firing.
>
>   
Thanks bakaryjatta, I was beginning to think that I had missed some new 
development of folke's simple kiln.
> Very nice and handy for small batches. And usable for cooking using a wok. 
> As Gunther explained, a flat cooking surface would block the draft.
>
> My 200 l drum retort is too big for cooking. Really, I would like to find 
> out how to control the process and store the extra gas for other purposes.
>   
I think this is going to be less simple and you have to realise that a 
lot of what comes out of the actual returt is not gas but vapour of tars 
and heavy liquids. If you try to store that stuff it will condesne, some 
will solidy, only a small portion will remain a gas. I doubt this would 
work well at all, but one can only suck it and see., I guess
> Someone told me once not to complicate subjects when talking to simple 
> folks. KISS, KISS ( Keep It Simple Stupid)
>
> We have no choice in audience on internet, but if we want to influence large 
> numbers to become of active participants in applying TP for its many 
> benefits, perhaps the experts should try hard to introduce KISS KISS 
> technology and use KISS KISS communication. And a drum equals a bag of rice 
> in cost here. That's a big investment when many earn less than that per 
> month.
>
>   
It's not just your people who are short of money. Relatively speaking, 
so am I, I have to juggle a small pension against a lot of costs. 
Admittedly I'm not up against a starvation line but I have to be careful 
and work with salvaged stuff, which might be available cheaply.

regards,

Kurt