[Stoves] Re Alexis Belonio article

[David G. LeVine]

>The interesting difference between the loco and the stove is that we
>primarily want the air for mixing rather than for increasing the combustion
>rate, that is, for creating a well mixed burn instead of higher power from a
>limited physical size.  That leads me to believe (so far) that it is
>possible have an increase in overall efficiency because of the small amount
>of power required to stir things up.

What I saw the steam as was a replacement for an electric fan.  Most 
TLUD units use a fan to get the flow high enough for maximum heat 
out.  Steam meant no electricity needed.

>It may be that people are injecting steam without regard to checking 
>the emissions or the efficiency.

That is quite possible.  Would you (as a person struggling to 
survive) trade off a few extra twigs for another 15 minutes to gather 
food?  I would bet you would rather than not having enough calories 
to stay alive.  If someone gave me a super-hot stove which took an 
extra few twigs, but heated the water in 1/2 the time under those 
conditions, I would, and I wouldn't care about pollution one bit.

In a survival situation the extra time has to be traded off against 
the extra fuel.  A 12 foot high pile of rice husks won't feed me, but 
an extra 300 calories might let me survive an extra day.


David G. LeVine
Nashua, NH  03060