[Stoves] VERY small cooking: How to do it.

[Paul S. Anderson]

Stovers,

(Part Two)
This Subject on "VERY small cooking" is divided into two parts.  One is "What is
it?" and the other is "How to do it."  Although related, the "problem (do people
cook this way?)" and the "solution (stove devices)" each deserve separate
attention.

How to do VERY small cooking.  (The previous message on "What it is" defined
VERY small cooking as something like heating 2 cups of water).

If there is a stove functioning in the household, then VERY small cooking is
simply using some of that heat.  But a continually burning stove (or 3-stone
fire) is consuming fuel and making emissions and requiring attention, and it
might not be hot enough for some of the very small cooking tasks.

To me it appears that the very small cooking is (or should be) done with a
"cold-start" cooking device that is efficient, rapid, low/no emissions, and
quickly extinguished.  An LPG or propane or other fossil-fuel stove has these
advantages.  Why?  Because of the "quality" of the fuel (being refined to have
the desired combustion characteristics.).  But that costs money and
infrastructure.

Biogas also has an advantage here, but it is not easily transported and, to me,
it seems like it will not become a major player in the home-cookstove
situations.

I have recently (this past year) become an advocate of alcohol stoves (ethanol
and methanol).  At ETHOS 2007 I presented the Lily Stove (see the Powerpoint at
the ETHOS website).  I have made additional improvements this past month.  And I
am now using it for meals for just two dieting people (my wife and I.)  Tonight
was a 1/2 cup (dry) of rice in a cup of water, boiled in about 4 minutes from
when the match was ignited, strong simmered about 8 minutes, and into a
retained heat cooker (2 towels plus a South African "Hot-Bag").  Also did
stir-fry of vegetables.  Maximum cooking time was 15 to 20 minutes (I will
watch more closely in future cooking events.).  Probably about 200 grams (about
250 ml) of ethanol.  Cooked it in my garage (ambient temperature about 45 deg
F).  Ignite with one match, extinguish the two Lily burners with an inverted
can (cover) to deprive the oxygen.

What options exist in the realm of renewable fuels from biomass?

You all know that I work with the TLUD gasifiers.  One feature of the TLUD
technology is the one-match ignition (using appropriate fire starter) and the
ability to rapidly extinquish the fire when the pyrolysis stage is completed. 
I can easily get 10 or 20 or 30 minutes of good fire by putting appropriate
amounts of woodchips (or pellets, or cherry pits, or other dry biomass) into
the TLUD.  I have made TLUDs very small and I know they work, but do require
some user attention.  Now I will be looking at them for the intentional use in
VERY small cooking.

I hope that many of you will reply to this "How to do it" aspect of VERY small
cooking.  What works, what does not, and what circumstances can accomplish the
tasks?

Note:  There are no restrictions placed on what you might want to propose.  For
example, the TLUDs use a small amount of starter fuel (like woodchips with some
lighter fluid or alcohol or even "fatwood").  If that is what it takes for other
stoves to perform the very small cooking tasks, please do so.  Use fans, use
ignitors, use whatever makes it work.  The price should not be excessive, but
there is no requirement to be inexpensive concerning the device or the fuel(s).

Maybe this will even get mentioned or discussed at the PCIA meeting next month.

Paul
-- 
Paul S. Anderson, Ph.D., Geography professor - Emeritus
Telephone:  USA-309-452-7072 (residence and office)
Internet site:  www.ilstu.edu/~psanders
For my gasifier stoves info, go to:
http://bioenergylists.org/contributors#Paul_Anderson





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