[Stoves] Re Alexis Belonio article

[Ron Larson]

Alexio (cc "Stoves")

On Saturday, 31 March, you said:

1.  I would like to submit an article re our latest development on super turbo
rice husk gasifier for small-scale industry use.  The technology is very
much promising in terms of utilization of hydrogen gas from water when
injected at a very high temperature into a burning chamber of the stove.

See: http://www.bioenergylists.org/en/beloniosupermar07

Alexis Belonio

2.  I found this article most interesting.  Congratulations.  Because I have been away from "stoves" for some time,  I apologize if some of my following questions are old ones.  I have also just  read your very complete 155 page manual on an earlier fan-powered model and congratulate you on that.  

3.  Q1.  I was very surprised that this larger power, hydrogen-forming unit did not have a blower (apparently);  it seems to be natural convection (True?).  Is this (presumably an advantage) directly related to your introduction of the "steam tank"?  Is this a brand new invention - or based on some earlier product?

4.  Q2.  You state that your efficiency is 15.2%.  From your longer 2005 manual, it seems to me that your efficiency computation is not taking account of the energy in  the "waste" charcoal (which is in this case 25% [or I also see 35% in the manual]).  I think you are thereby appreciably understating the efficiency of both the older model and perhaps the new one.  Might I have missed something?

5.  Q3.  My own interest is in the use of the "waste" charcoal - for "terra preta" purposes.  Any tests yet in that direction?  

6.  Q4.  There is a large pipe coming out to the right of your diagram about half way up - but no labeling.  What is its function?

7.  Q5.  It appears that you are able to have continuous feed with your two conical shapes, and the (very clever it appears) means of clearing the char.  But it is not obvious what is happening to allow this continuous feed of fuel. A bit more description possible?

8.  Again - thanks for sending in this most interesting new approach to achieving a clean burn.  I am veryn impressed by the caliber of your work.

Ron