[Stoves] Retted Switchgrass Fireball Test

[lannych]

Jeff, don't forget I am on your list for fireballs.
How much does a bucket or can full (of your choice) of fireballs  weigh, 
like a 1 gal paint can or a 5 gal bucket? So I can estimate the density.
Lanny Henson

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Davis" <jeff0124 at velocity.net>
To: <stoves at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 11:00 AM
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Retted Switchgrass Fireball Test


> On Tuesday 05 September 2006 10:58 am, Roger Samson wrote:
>> In Ohio, you should be able to late fall cut the switchgrass and winter
>> bale it on frozen ground or in the spring.
>
> Here's my harvest story: Fall, the floods come on for about 3 weeks. Lots 
> of
> silt on switchgrass. Next the chilly winds and miles of snow cover the 
> ground
> and flatten the switchgass out. Next in, the spring, the snow melts and 
> the
> floods cover he switchgrass, once more, for 3 weeks. About in April/May I
> raked it, with lots of fine dirt, in windrows. It cuts it's self, you just
> need to rake it. One could rake it by hand. Next with the aid of my 
> electric
> golf-cart, hay fork and trailer I stacked up my retted swichgrass. That's
> five acres BY HAND. Need to write an article if I can find the time.
>
> I have made some major purchases for this year, haybine, rake and baler. 
> Will
> harvest in fall before the floods!!!!
>
> I need to get this old Farmall M on suction-gas. It was my grandfather's. 
> I
> bought it at his auction, when he sold-out.
>
>> I have had some feedback from commercial boilers users that herbaceous
>> fuels like switchgrass need to be fairly dense to burn effectively. Some
>> have suggested a bulk density range of 35-50 lbs/cu foot or 550-800 kg/m3
>> is required.
>
> If you soak your firballs in some WVO you'll have some of the fines fuel
> around. I need to write and article!
>
>> It maybe that herbaceous fuels, unlike wood are too quick to
>> release their gases and then it's difficult to control the combustion
>> process.
>
> This retted stuff seems to burn more like charcoal hence glowballs. That's 
> the
> non-oil enriched ones.
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Jeff Davis
> Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie, USA
> http://www.velocity.net/~jeff0124
>
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