[Gasification] [Stoves] Stoves using wood and charcoal at the same time

[Paul S. Anderson]

To all,

Incoming (cold) biomass and freshly created (still hot) charcoal coexist in
different positions in a variety of stoves and gasifiers.

However, I see no advantage to mixing cold biomass with cold charcoal as the
input fuel to go into any stove or gasifier device.  Maybe there are
exceptions, but it seems that the input charcoal would sort of "sit there"
while pyrolysis processes on the input biomass converts it into charcoal, and
then the processes on the created (hot) charcoal would also extend to 
the input
charcoal.

The hot glow of charcoal (exothermic) is wonderful.  The question is 
the output
of carbon monoxide (CO).  As Tom Reed has stated, trying to burn CO is great
heat IF YOU CAN GET IT TO FLAME, but deadly if it escapes into the room.

The TLUD pyrolytic gasifiers are designed first and foremost for the creation
and combustion of pyrolytic gases.  And when that phase is completed, a bed of
hot char remains.  If the TLUD is not designed to have a variable ratio of
primary to secondary air, the ratio for the main (pyrolysis) phase is simply
not correct (grossly incorrect) for burning the charcoal AND burning the CO
because too much secondary air dilutes/cools the CO to a point that is 
does not
sustain the needed flame.  But you cannot easily see that "flame-out" because
the CO FLAME is light blue and the CO gas is not visible at all.

Crispin's Maputo Ceramic Stove (MCS) that is designed for charcoal 
burning seems
like the best charcoal stove, but I have not seen it in operation nor seen the
emissions test results.

Paul

-- 
Paul S. Anderson, Ph.D., Geography professor - Emeritus
Telephone:  USA-309-452-7072 (residence and office)
Internet site:  www.ilstu.edu/~psanders
For my gasifier stoves info, go to:
http://bioenergylists.org/contributors#Paul_Anderson



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