[Stoves] Burning charcoal- UMC-CH1 Charcoal Burrner Module

[Lanny Henson]

Stove Friends, thank you for your intelligent and useful comments.
I have added an inner and outer (double wall) shell to the simple two can
burner to make a burner module.
I salvaged an A- outer and B-inner shell from a previous stove to hold E-the
simple two can charcoal burner.
I added two tin can combustion air controls C&D. The F- simple folded bar
grate sits on G- 2 wires from a bucket handle.
This made a burner module. UMC-CH1
I added a bucket lid to the burner and set a bucket on top as a draft body;
this is where a heat-utilizing module will set. It can be a sunken pot, a
grill, a pan, griddle or a water heater.
I used 20 grams of paper (about one full sheet of news print) to fire the
charcoal.  In 7 minutes it began to flame in the hole (X). I heard it ignite
with a puff. Moisture was still being vaporized from the briquettes, as
there was white vapor smoke. I was surprised that there was flame before all
the moisture had been driven out.
In 10 minuets I closed the air controls and left one cracked. In 30 min it
seemed to be burning too fast, I was trying to burn slowly to test it turned
down. The draft body was too powerful so I removed it. The charcoal
continued to burn for 1.5 more hours that is 2 hours total. A heat-utilizing
module could help slow the burn and prevent oxygen from blowing in from he
top of the burner.
I am also pleased with the ease of start and the stable wide base and the
way the grate clears itself with no ash buildup. I have used the same grate
several times with charcoal and it is holding up very well. It is going to
be a lot more durable than I thought.

http://www.lanny.us/umcch1.jpg
http://www.lanny.us/umcch2.jpg
http://www.lanny.us/umcch3.jpg
http://www.lanny.us/umcch4.jpg
http://www.lanny.us/umcch5.jpg
http://www.lanny.us/umcch6.jpg
http://www.lanny.us/umcch7.jpg

So now I need heat-utilizing modules!
A lot of different types of burners could use an outer and inner shell to
make a stable wide base insulated stove/burner body.
Also maybe someone could use some of these parts and methods to make a batch
load top lit burner that will burn small wood or wood chips.
How about a Rocket Burner module?
Also please copy my work and verify my results.

Lanny Henson

-----Original Message-----
From: AJH [mailto:list at sylva.icuklive.co.uk]
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 10:00 AM
To: Lanny Henson
Cc: Stoves at listserv.repp.org
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Burning charcoal


On Sat, 13 May 2006 08:36:59 -0400, Lanny Henson wrote:

>I have often lit my grilling charcoal in a charcoal starter chimney, by
>maintaining a hole in the center. The hole allows airflow otherwise blocked
>by the charcoal and it starts faster. So I have seen fire in the hole many
>times but I have never seen the continuous steady flames before using this
>wire frame. Something is different!
>It could be: the frame simply maintained a larger hole; or reduced the
>friction, or had some sort of catalytic effect or
>It could have just been the wind.

Ok apart from my thought that the heat was liberating something from
the steel that made the flame more luminous you have identified that
the air supply may have increased so increasing the power. This would
move the combustion of the charcoal to favour more CO production which
would then burn as a larger secondary flame.

Alex has pointed out another mechanism and that is that the charcoal
on either side of the hole is re radiating heat back to the other
side, again this is a temperature enhancing feedback effect that would
push the 2C+02 reaction to favour production of CO rather than CO2,
again needing a secondary flame to complete its combustion.

The test is does it consume the charcoal faster, indicating higher
power?

AJH



-----Original Message-----
From: AJH [mailto:list at sylva.icuklive.co.uk]
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 10:00 AM
To: Lanny Henson
Cc: Stoves at listserv.repp.org
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Burning charcoal


On Sat, 13 May 2006 08:36:59 -0400, Lanny Henson wrote:

>I have often lit my grilling charcoal in a charcoal starter chimney, by
>maintaining a hole in the center. The hole allows airflow otherwise blocked
>by the charcoal and it starts faster. So I have seen fire in the hole many
>times but I have never seen the continuous steady flames before using this
>wire frame. Something is different!
>It could be: the frame simply maintained a larger hole; or reduced the
>friction, or had some sort of catalytic effect or
>It could have just been the wind.

Ok apart from my thought that the heat was liberating something from
the steel that made the flame more luminous you have identified that
the air supply may have increased so increasing the power. This would
move the combustion of the charcoal to favour more CO production which
would then burn as a larger secondary flame.

Alex has pointed out another mechanism and that is that the charcoal
on either side of the hole is re radiating heat back to the other
side, again this is a temperature enhancing feedback effect that would
push the 2C+02 reaction to favour production of CO rather than CO2,
again needing a secondary flame to complete its combustion.

The test is does it consume the charcoal faster, indicating higher
power?

AJH