[Stoves] specialty fuels
frank
frank at compostlab.com
Mon Oct 1 13:01:00 EDT 2007
Dear Charlie and stovers,
Thinking of specialty fuels; Over the weekend we went out to a Mexican
restaurant and I ordered tamales. They are made of some thick
past-like substance rolled up and wrapped in corn husks. I had three on
my plate and they looked very, well ... 'stick like'...... They
were good.
Frank
Charlie Sellers wrote:
>My own feeling is that we need to work on a little bit of everything (Who would disagree?). Some specialty fuels address the problem of fuel density - if and when fuel has to be transported then the denser the fuel the better (trucks and such often measure their capacity by volume). I am still struggling with the conclusion that converting raw wood to charcoal can make economic sense when the transportation distance is >X (depending on moisture content, fuel and labor costs, etc.), when so much of the energy is lost in the conversion process. What a painful reality for those of us not particularly fond of charcoal as a primary choice. Particularly when you have waste materials (sawdust, agricultural waste, waster paper, etc.), the low density can be a killer outside the immediate vicinity of it. Densified fuels are a noble goal, and more work on low tech densification devices (and distribution methods) is a very worthy thing.
>
>Speaking of which, does anyone have experience with feeding "loose" fuels into rocket-like IAP (chimney) stoves? Perhaps a chute into the combustion chamber in addition to the normal opening? With a good grate design things can just be pushed in, but still you might have to worry about the fuel characteristics - in Peru I wanted people to burn the corn cobs (tussa) that littered the town, but they turned to charcoal so fast (high cellulose and low lignin?) that they packed the combustion chamber while not generating enough firepower! I had to back off an recommend tussa just for keeping the fire going in between meals, and for warmth. In addition to L/D ratio, the makeup of various possible fuels seems to be important.
>
>Charlie
>
>
>
>Dean Still <dstill at epud.net> wrote: Dear Frank,
>
>I appreciate the intent of your thinking very much. However, I think of the
>following. We are walking. On the ground we see a stick fallen from a tree.
>When it is dry, which often happens as it sits on the ground, the stick
>already is a perfect fuel source. The stick is made by Nature, ready for
>clean burning. With a perfect source of pre-made fuel already made, why go
>to the effort to make a 'specialty fuel'?
>
>All Best,
>
>Dean
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org
>[mailto:stoves-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of frank
>Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 9:52 AM
>To: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves
>Subject: Re: [Stoves] global warming
>
>Greetings Nicky and Stovers,
>
>You bring up a good point about the three stone fire and how hard it is
>to convert users to a new method. The three stone fire does so much;
>heat. light, cooking, drawing the family together, providing busy work,
>atmosphere, tradition and much more subtleties we don't even realize. A
>designed cooking stove can replace the cooking aspect but I don't see it
>replacing the three stone fire because of all the other benefits.
>Eating a hot meal in the cold and dark will not do.
>
>So I am thinking of this: We encourage the use of a good stove for
>cooking in the kitchen that is pollution free, easy to use, quick and
>safe. Then work on a better 'three stone fire' in the family room that
>does all that the three stone fire does now - but safer and more fuel
>efficient. Perhaps a smoke stack with a cone to reflect the heat down
>to those sitting around it and the use of specialty fuels.
>
>Its specialty fuels that act like the real thing we need to work on.The
>pressed wood & wax log I now use in my fireplace is a good example.
>Shaped like a fireplace stick of wood and wrapped with paper that has a
>picture of wood on the outside wrapper fools me every time. So much
>easier to light and much less smoke. We can collect different small
>fuels in an area and analyze for the proximate analysis. Based on the
>analysis and what we know about clean burning we formulate a mix that we
>stick together or press them into cardboard tubes in the same shape as
>the fuel they now use. This can all be collected and pressed on site
>from the same people that once collected the sticks. This same fuel can
>be used both in the rocket or TLUD and also in the evening three stone
>fire. No deforestation and a safer environment with little change to the
>balance of living. Seems so easy : )
>
>Something like that.....
>
>Frank
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>rnv impex wrote:
>
>
>
>>Well Done ADK, ( Karve)
>>
>>I fully endorse this View . So much Quality Brain Power is going into
>>
>>
>making
>
>
>>Stupid Stoves which the poor are not going
>>to use anyways, once, the free gift is over.They will not deviate from
>>their three stone methods ,which works almost
>>equally well. Each Developing Country has devised it's own Cheaper !
>>
>>
>version
>
>
>>of this 3 stone formula in general, with
>>clay wrapped around it in various shapes.
>>
>>Use yr massive Brain Power for discovering other forms of Energy -other
>>
>>
>than
>
>
>>sticks that promote deforestation
>>
>>Nickey Chauhan.
>>
>>On 9/27/07, Gloria Chaonamwene wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>Have a look at this site.
>>>http://environment.independent.co.uk/climate_change/article2675747.ece
>>>Gloria
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "adkarve"
>>>To: "Discussion of biomass cooking stoves"
>>>Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 5:05 PM
>>>Subject: [Stoves] global warming
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Dear Stovers,
>>>>I have some new information about global warming. Now that the ice cap
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>on
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>the Arctic Sea has melted, the rate of evaporation of water from the
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Arctic
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Sea is going to be higher than usual, with greater snowfall in Canada,
>>>>Northern Europe and Siberia. The extra snow would not melt completely in
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>the
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>following summer. This would lead to building of glaciers, which would
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>start
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>moving southwards. It is thus the beginning of the next ice age. As more
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>and
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>more water gets locked up in the glaciers every year, the level of the
>>>>Arctic Sea would fall. Warm water would flow from the Atlantic into the
>>>>Arctic Sea through the gap between Greenland and Norway and from the
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Pacific
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>through the Baring Strait, till these two oceans would also be depleted
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>of
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>water. When the Baring strait and the land bridge between Greenland and
>>>>Norway get exposed, the flow of water from the Pacific and Atlantic into
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>the
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Arctic Sea would stop. Without the influx of warm water, the Arctic Sea
>>>>would freeze again, stopping the process of glaciation. The Glaciers
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>would
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>then start receding. It is a cyclic process, which has nothing to do
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>with
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>green house gases. But the good thing about the global warming scare is
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>that
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>a lot of researchers working on improving stoves would get funding till
>>>>people realise that this is all a hoax.
>>>>Yours
>>>>A.D.Karve
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>Stoves mailing list
>>>>Stoves at listserv.repp.org
>>>>http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_listserv.repp.org
>>>>http://stoves.bioenergylists.org
>>>>http://info.bioenergylists.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Stoves mailing list
>>>Stoves at listserv.repp.org
>>>http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_listserv.repp.org
>>>http://stoves.bioenergylists.org
>>>http://info.bioenergylists.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Stoves mailing list
>>Stoves at listserv.repp.org
>>http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_listserv.repp.org
>>http://stoves.bioenergylists.org
>>http://info.bioenergylists.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
--
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
More information about the Stoves
mailing list