[Stoves] Other pellet stove fuels

[Thomas Reed]

Dear Paul, Tom and All:

I have tried a number of fuels in my plain vanilla pellet stove:

    * Sawdust pellets are fine
    * Cherry pits (from Travis City, MI) are OK but higher in ash
    * Corn melts and has wrong A/F ratio and flicker
    * Acai seeds have wrong A/F ratio.  Beautiful blue flame, but flickers
    * Distillers dried grain feed from Coors is high in ash and clogs
      the system...

I think the high ash problem could be fixed with a "puffer" which blew 
the ash off into the overflow every 30 seconds or so

Ag residues in general have 2%<ASH<20% and will cause big time trouble 
in standard stoves.

The A/F ratio for wood is about 1.5.  For starch and carbohydrates it is 
probably more, and an oxygen (lambda) sensor on the exhaust might give a 
good monitoring of the flame needs.  I understand that they have them in 
Europe.  Anyone know?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conventional pelleting requires VERY high pressures and strong dies.  
Paper pelleting (paper mache) mostly requires lots of drying.  
Torrifying might work. 

Ed Burton is developing a complete set of tools for making "Chunkettes" 
from 3/4" to 1 1/2" weed tree sticks.  We are experimenting with them 
for gasifier application.

Comments?

Onward   Tom Reed          BEF/BEC




Paul Garton wrote:
> Hi Tom -
>  
> I hope to retire (from I/T) within 10 years (by 55) and would like to 
> pursue biomass opportunities full time, without the pressures of 
> needing to make a living at it.  I'm very interested in the concept of 
> pelletizing native energy grasses, primarily to burn in a pellet stove 
> which is capable of burning such pellets.
>  
> A couple of questions:
>  
> Is it really that difficult to obtain/create a mobile pelleting 
> system, which can pelletize grasses on-site?  What are the costs, 
> challenges and complexities?
>  
> Do you expect increasing availability of flexible pellet stoves which 
> can accommodate grass pellets?
>  
> Thanks for your time.
>  
> - Paul Garton
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     *From:* bioenergy-bounces at listserv.repp.org
>     [mailto:bioenergy-bounces at listserv.repp.org]*On Behalf Of *Thomas Reed
>     *Sent:* Wednesday, August 01, 2007 6:41 AM
>     *To:* Brian Hans
>     *Cc:* Bioenergy at listserv.repp.org
>     *Subject:* Re: [Bioenergy] ENERGYSCAPING
>
>     Dear Brian:
>
>     A pelletizing plant costs a minimum of $200,000 and would have too
>     big a footprint for my garage-lab. 
>
>     Furthermore grass pellets are high in mineral and won't burn in
>     conventional pellet stoves, though they could be burned in many
>     boilers. 
>
>     Other than that its a good idea.  (Better than one could expect
>     from our Department of (no) Energy,  or  the Deparatment of
>     Agribusiness.)
>
>     We could certainly convert grass pellets to agricultural carbon
>     and put back in our clay soil here along with the high mineral
>     content. 
>
>     Just pondering for now.  Haven't convinced my wife yet.
>
>     TOM REED     BEF
>     Brian Hans wrote:
>>     I say grow prairie or switchgrass, pelletize it and burn it for
>>     heat.
>>      
>>     Brian Hans
>>
>>     */Richard Haard <richrd at nas.com>/* wrote:
>>
>>         Sorry Tom 
>>
>>         Jatropa is a subtropical plant at best. 
>>
>>         It is a wonderful oil crop that grows on marginal land.
>>
>>         For a lawn 'oil crop' how about soybeans or rapeseed : )
>>         Anyone know a perennial plant with an oil yield. Oh yes -
>>         there is Rabbitbrush a native to your area (it is an oil
>>         bearing desert perennial) and also the 'oil malee' shrub
>>         species from Ausieland . Not sure though how much land you
>>         would need for significant production.
>>
>>         My choice at our farm is willow coppice as the plant would
>>         have secondary value for us as live stakes and ultimately
>>         basket and furniture material.
>>
>>         Interesting brainstorm topic.  
>>         On Jul 31, 2007, at 6:08 AM, Thomas Reed wrote:
>>         DEAR ALL:
>>
>>         WE ARE THINKING OF REPLACING OUR LAWN WITH "ENERGYSCAPING".
>>         WOULD JATROPHA GROW IN DENVER?
>>
>>         WHAT OTHER ENERGY CROPS SHOULD WE CONSIDER.  (PROBABLY NOT
>>         MISCANTHUS OR SWITCH GRASS, SINCE THEY WOULD BE TOO TALL TO
>>         FIND THE HOUSE.)
>>
>>         TOM REED            BEF
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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>
>     -- 
>     ÐÏࡱá
>

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