[Stoves] Dung Berry Fireballs and Indian chracoal

[Crispin Pemberton-Pigott]

Dear Jeff

I am really looking forward to the development of low tech briquetting 
systems for the 'little' company, as opposed to the 'artisanal' individual.

Dr AD has mentioned a couple of times that there are annually 550 million 
tons of waste biomass in the fields of India.  The question about how much 
energy is in them has arisen this week:

Does it take more energy to compress light biomass into a pellet or log than 
it gives back in heat?  I presume not.  So...what is the return on energy 
investment?

Next, what is the return on energy investment (or loss) making charcoal out 
of the boimass instead, and extruding Sarai Cooker fuel?  It takes far less 
energy in the form of electricity, but more in the form of charred biomass. 
Having excess biomass and less electricity, perhaps the best solution then 
is to make charcoal with a low investment of high quality energy, rather 
than to make the same raw material into a high density, uncharred lump.

Regards
Crispin

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Davis" <jeff0124 at velocity.net>


Angle is a useful variable but first lets define two groups of materials
(or feedstock). The traditional material is dust or powder. Here we will
find much information concerning agglomerating this group of material.
Yes, angle is an important variable along with the type of agglomerator,
binder, amount of liquid binder added (and where), dwell time and the list
goes on.
[snip]