[Stoves] Stove Niche Specifications and Guidelines Was: Re: Comments about T-LUDs

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Paul

I think you are very correct to state that there are multiple niches that 
Stover's could address.

The question is: How do we identify and define the various Stove Niche 
Opportunities?

I would suggest that the following factors would be relevant parameters in 
defining the capabilities which a given stove must provide, in order to 
reasonably satisfy a potential niche:

1: Fuel type available
2: Maximum stove power
3: Turndown ration required
4: Cooking System (Pots, griddle, oven, water heating, grill, frying pan, 
slow cooker, etc)
5: Is space heating required, neutral, or disadvantageous?
6: General food types to be cooked (Beans, stew, rice, potatoes, etc.)
7: Is a chimney acceptable?
8: Is an exhaust hood acceptable?
10: Is the required cooking mode batch or continuous?
11: Is an "automatic stove" (no attendance during operation), 
"semi-automatic" (some attendance) or "fully manual" (frequent or almost 
continuous) attention required?
12: What is the major stove improvement characteristic of the stove system 
being proposed? (Efficiency, improvement to living space environment, 
safety, ease of use, low cost, etc)
13: What is the maximum permissible installed cost of the total stove system
14: What safety considerations must be met? (Tipping, surface temperature 
hazards to children, etc)
15: Ergonomic considerations to be addressed... working height, etc
16: Cultural considerations....
17: Training requirements, and the cost of their provision
18: Maintenance and "maintainability" considerations
19: Required minimum life, when operated as instructed.
20: Dimensional considerations and constraints
21: Weight constraints
22: Spacing constraints (How far must the stove be located away from walls, 
combustible floors, and ceiling to eliminate fire hazards?)

Perhaps there are other relevant features that should be respected when 
developing a stove product to satisfy a niche need?

There is no such thing as "the perfect stove". Perfection in some parameters 
must be sacrificed so that an optimal solution can be found.

Best wishes,

Kevin


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul S. Anderson" <psanders at ilstu.edu>
To: "adkarve" <adkarve at pn2.vsnl.net.in>
Cc: <stoves at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 12:30 AM
Subject: [Stoves] Comments about T-LUDs


...del...
>
> Second, thus far, the Reed, Anderson, Philips, and any other T-LUDs are
> certainly not even a minor threat.  We and others are still trying to get 
> a
> significant and sustainable experience going in a developing country. 
> Some
> activities in the near future might turn the corner, but we are not there 
> yet.
>
> Third, the enormity of the task for implementing improved cooking
> systems is so
> large that I doubt that any type of wood burning stoves would be much of a
> threat to the innovative biogas system that you have developed.  We need 
> all
> the solutions that are possible.  There are multiple niches that could use
> literally millions of the diverse heat-energy systems that we discuss on 
> this
> Listserv.
>
> So, fourth, am I missing something in your comments?  What is your
> assessment of
> the potential of the T-LUD devices?  What are the major obstacles to their
> success for significant niches of stove users?  All suggestions and
> observations are appreciated, including those by other readers.
>