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

[Boll, Martin Dr.]

Dear Paul,
Lighting quickliy and smokefree is important. 
How about using a hybrid-technic: Beginning alcohol, followed by small wood?

Regards

Martin

> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org [mailto:stoves-
> bounces at listserv.repp.org] Im Auftrag von Paul S. Anderson
> Gesendet: Sonntag, 25. Februar 2007 06:04
> An: STOVES - Listserve
> Betreff: [Stoves] VERY small cooking: How to do it.
> 
> 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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