[Stoves] Lowering emissions

[frank]

Greetings

><snip>
>
>Thanks Dean. 
>
>As a general comment we would all benefit if everyone included more detail
>about the fuels they burn, species, moisture content, size, etc. As to fuel
>species, there are differences in the way that hardwoods, softwoods and
>woods of different densities decompose during gasification and combustion
>that affect the design and efficiency of the stove. More information will
>help us understand a particular local application or test.
>
>Thanks
>
>Tom 
>
>  
>
<snip>
I think a classification of fuels and fuel packing is really needed.  It 
would be an easy  thing to do if one was to take a container shaped like 
the fire box being used, fill with fuel much the same as when filling 
the stove fire box then pour in sand to get the particle density, bulk 
density and void space. Numbers you need are:
Volume of fire box (ruler)
Wt sand that fills the fire box (scale)
wt wet fuel in filled fire box (scale)
wt of sand that flows in around fuel (scale)

Calculate:
Bulk density of sand
total void space in fire box
fuel particle density
percent void space

Then adding the other known info about the fuel that Tom suggested along 
with fuel chemistry we can determine things like carbon densities etc. 
First describing the fuel and finding the optimum conditions for it to 
burn is the first step to designing a stove IMO.  If anyone were to send 
me the amount of a type of fuel that would fill a fire box and the 
dimensions of that fire box  (along with extra fuel for testing) I could 
come up with data and we suggestions of what we might include when 
describing natural wood or pressed fuels.


Frank







-- 
Frank Shields
Soil Control Lab
42 Hangar way
Watsonville, CA  95076
(831) 724-5422 tel
(831) 724-3188 fax
frank at compostlab.com
www.compostlab.com