[Stoves] Suggested New test procedure for stoves (frank)

[Boll, Martin Dr.]

Frank,
I like your "fuzzy-logic"- boiling test because of its simplicity in use.
There is another problem in stove testing, due to the receipt cooked. The
beans get ok with all different temperatures. There are only required
cooking time changes, by different stove-temperatures.
When you assume cooking-procedures like for French fries or hot prepared
wok-dishes, the cook will not succeed with RHC (retained heat cooking), -a
procedure which I like, when possible!-

The problem of diversity of dishes in different regions, and far different
types of fuel afford so many different types of stoves. And comparing them
is difficult. We will not change eating habits, and therefore the stove to
compare, must first fit with the receipts.

Before you built the kit for stove-testing, have a look to Chris Adams stove
testing proposal. Naturally it is far more complicated in handling, because
you must measure temperature every minute and not only controlling the flag
by your test-method. But I think it is simply enough to manage easily.

Chris Adam's proposed test fits as well for the low-temperature range. And
that fascinates me, with the look in direction of low-temperature cooking.
Have a look to Chris's proposal! 
I am interested to hear your meaning about that.

Regards

Martin


> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 10:21:13 -0700
> From: frank <frank at compostlab.com>
> Subject: [Stoves] Suggested New test procedure for stoves
> Cc: Stoves-List <stoves at listserv.repp.org>
> Message-ID: <45098F89.8080009 at compostlab.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
> 
> Suggestions for a new test.
> 
> The purpose of the test is to help fine tune a stove so it will cook
> food using the least amount of fuel.
> 
> Step one:
> 
> Define cooking. We need to agree on a 1) temperature and 2) time such
> that when they are met the food is cooked. Example: If the temperature
> is 100 deg for one hour the beans are cooked. Or if the temperature is
> 80 deg. for two hours or 60 deg. for three hours the beans are cooked
> and the test complete. This represents different types of cooking. The
> 60 deg represents the RHC insulated box. So if when testing a stove
> temperature drops below the 100 deg. but remains above 80 deg. you
> continue the test for the two hours and report fuel used for that type
> of cooking. We need to come up with these temperature and time as
> standard goals.
> 
> Step two: This step is done in the lab to standardize the test
> equipment. We have the standard pot and now need a controlled heat
> source. I suggest an electric stove with a good control knob. We fill
> the pot with water and beans and adjust the stove setting to maintain
> temperatures of the water at 99.9 deg., 80 deg, and 60 deg. And mark
> those settings on the dial.
> 
> Step three: Another in-the-lab step. We dump out the beans and place in
> the pot a heat sink. I suggest this could be a circle disk made of the
> same metal that makes the heat sinks in a computer or other electrical
> equipment. The disk would be contoured and sized to fit the bottom of
> the test pot. Perhaps screwed to the pot? It would have fins like spokes
> on a wheel that start off low on the edge and is about two inches high
> in the center. In the center, connected to all the fins, is a vertical
> rod that transfers the directed heat from the fins up. The rod is long
> enough, thick or made of a material such that the top is always cold no
> matter how hot the stove gets. Along the length of the rod we place
> three of those spiral metal temperature gages (without the gage). It has
> a red flag that points up when the heat has reached that point. We place
> the test disk into the empty pot and adjust dial to the predetermined
> setting that will heat the water to the 60 deg. temperature. Once
> stabilized we slide our hand down the rod until we find where the heat
> is and fix the first temperature spiral at that location. Increase the
> setting to the 80 deg. and do the same with the second spiral and again
> at the 100 deg setting. The heat sink acts as the water to take the heat
> away from the pot as it is produced and the rod is a fine setting to
> measure that.
> 
> Step four: The above equipment is sent into the field for testing a
> stove. The empty pot with heat sink inside is placed on the stove. When
> the first flag flies the RHC cooking method kicks in and can be
> maintained for the three hours to complete the test. Or if it moves up
> to the second flag the second method of cooking can be used if the
> second flag stays up for the two hours. And we do the same for the top
> flag that represents boiling.
> 
> So if I had the time, equipment and skills to build this, this is what I
> would try.
> 
> Frank