[Stoves] Charcoal production, improved

[Tom Miles]

Chris,

The fundamental problem with replacing the earth kiln is that the wood and kiln are usually obtained for "free" using the labor of the operator. It is what we call "sweat equity." You exchange your labor for a product you can sell for cash. That's what makes it hard to replace with capital like a retort kiln that you have to pay for.

Making the more efficient kiln attractive to someone who has no means to obtain the capital for a kiln is a challenge. We need to find solutions. 

Regards,

Tom
 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org [mailto:stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of adam u partner
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 1:26 PM
To: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Charcoal production, improved

Tom Miles schrieb:
> Chris,
> Dan and Rob still advocate more efficient charcoal production and
> combustion. Few people seem to be interested in charcoal or understand its
> potential impact.
>
> What's the typical investment and production of an Adam+Partner kiln? What's
> the fuel input/charcoal output compared to a typical kiln?
> Tom 
>   
Dear Tom
let me make some rough calculations:
We calculate first on the base per day. In this calculation we want to
know how much charcoal can be produced per day from 1m3 volume:

*retort : *3m³ gives *~0,233 tons charcoal per 2,3 days* (=3 times
per week, =7days divided by 3 = 2,3days)
follows
1m3 gives 0,078 tons charcoal per 2,3 days
follows
*1m3 gives ~0,034 tons charcoal per day*
*
**_Which is favorable towards a retort kiln_**_

_**earth mount kiln: *9m³ gives *~0,405 tons charcoal* per 7 days
follows
1m³ gives 0,045 tons charcoal per 7 days
follows
*1m³ gives ~0,006 tons charcoal per day*
*
(Concerning our calculations, (*we take a medium size earth mount kiln
with about 9m3 volume)
and we also use a yield of 18% which might be less in reality.
Volume of earth mount kiln 9m3 x 250kg tons of wet wood bulk weight
=2250kg of wood loaded. Charcoal received after one week: 405kg)
-----------------------------

Now we calculate production costs and profit retort kiln per month:

1 ton of wood costs about 900 rupees (Rps) in India = 16 Euro
(1€ (Euro) =56 Rps, (1Rps= 0,0179) Indian rupees, (2004))

1 ton of charcoal can be sold for about 7000 Rupies in town
lets assume it can be sold at 6000 rupees at the spot of production

Retort kiln production per 4 weeks = 1 month
the retort can be loaded per week with 2250kg of wood = 9 tons per month
= 8100 Rps = 145 Euro

charcoal sold:
233kg x 3 times per week : about 700kg or about 2800kg per month
2800kg x 6 Rps = 16800Rps = 301 Euro
Profit: 156 Euro per retort kiln and month, from this 1 worker must be
paid and investment for the retort and other costs.
The operation with the retort looks profitable
--------------------------------------------------
Production costs earth mount kiln
earth mount kiln production per 4 weeks = 1 month
the earth mount kiln can be loaded per week with 2250kg of wood = 9 tons
per month
= 8100Rps = 145 Euro

charcoal sold:
404kg per week : or about 1616kg per month
1616g x 6 Rps = 9696Rps = 173 Euro
Profit: 28 Euro per retort kiln and month, from this 1 labor must be paid
the operation is more or less not profitable- unless the wood is received
at a cheaper price! (or more unlikely the charcoal sold at a higher price?)
- - -
Best
Chris ADAM

-- 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

adam + partner
Appropriate Technology + Industrial Design

Bahnhofstrasse 13
82467 Garmisch
G E R M A N Y 

mobile: +49-(0) 175 528 96 24
Fax: 	+49-180 5060 3488 7969
www.biocoal.org



_______________________________________________
Stoves mailing list
Stoves at listserv.repp.org
http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_listserv.repp.org
http://www.bioenergylists.org