[Gasification] Origin of the Upside Downdraft Gasifier (Top lit Updraft gasifier)...

[Thomas Reed]

Dear Dean:

I began working on WoodGas stoves when I was at the National Renewable 
Energy Lab in 1985 (after a trip to South Africa and without their 
knowledge).  I demonstrated a forced convection WoodGas stove to a few 
of my friends there.  I left NREL soon after and worked on my own to 
develop natural convection WoodGas stoves from 1985-~1998, since forced 
convection isn't available in every African household.  . 

Ron Larson lives only a few miles from my house and was an old friend 
from NREL.  He called me about 1996 and asked if I knew any way to make 
charcoal while using the gas for other purposes.  I told him that was 
exactly what I was doing, so he came down to my house and we made a few 
together and published the paper that is on my website at 
http://www.woodgas.com/Woodgas%20stove.pdf. 

Ron went off with and developed a few stoves in Africa.  I added forced 
convection which is superior, but requires power, in 1997 and have been 
concentrating on that ever since. 

In 2000 I demonstrated the forced convection stove at Aprevecho and to 
Paul Anderson.  He has been carrying the ball enthusiastically ever 
since.  Ron is now chairman of the American Solar Energy Society, and 
not much in stoves any more. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
You have been promising to publish the stove test book for several years 
now.  Has this gone by the board?  Did I miss the announcement?

Yours for better stoves and cooking,

TOM REED                  THE BIOMASS ENERGY FOUNDATION


Dean Still wrote:
> Dear Ron and Stoves,
>
> Turns out that Aprovecho measurements of charcoal making stoves show very
> low emissions. Can Ron or anyone else direct me to a summary of the process
> and a date when the technique was invented?
>
> Best,
>
> Dean
>
>
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