[Stoves] Making testing equipment for CO and O2

[Paul S. Anderson]

Thanks to all who provided info.

Now, what is the next step to get the needed measurement methods into 
the hands
of stove developers?  (Retorical question that I now struggle to answer.)

1.  I am willing to leave out for the time being the measurement of PM.  Least
expensive was $2000 mentioned by Dean.

2.  Penn Taylor led us to TPI where several units are available:
At $800 USD is the TPI 712, which will get you the same info [as in the 
US$1600
unit the Bacharach PCA (Portable Combustion Analyzer) that he also mentioned]
(as well as temperature and differential pressure). See
http://www.tequipment.net/TPI712.asp     looks good, but $800 still 
seems high,
but maybe within reach of some.

3.  All seem to agree that measuring CO is easy enough and really 
essential, but
the question is still how to do it the least expensive way, such as a unit to
only measure CO.  More thoughts on this please.

4.  Crispin enlightened about measuring 02 directly and then calculating CO2
indirectly, but Tami countered about measuring CO2 directly and calculating O2
indirectly.  Both have good points.  Tami wrote:
********
I'm much more in favor of measuring CO2 because (1) it can be directly
traced to the fuel and (2) if you have a lot of excess air/dilution, as you
do above a non-chimney stove, the O2 quickly approaches atmospheric content
and the calculation of excess air becomes very sensitive to small
differences. The calculation of excess air is fairly robust if you are
measuring 5% or 10% O2, but not very robust at all if you measure 19% O2.
That's why we like to measure CO2 directly, and then the CO/CO2 ratio is
better known. We get our CO2 sensors
(infrared) from Telaire and they do take some wiring and calibration.
These inexpensive CO2 sensors have been available only in the last ~5 years,
and they are slowly making their way into combustion analyzers.
O2 is still far more prevalent, but again, I think it is much less
appropriate to stove applications.
**********
So, Tami and all, how do we handle those Telaire CO2 sensors including the
wiring and calibration?  Sounds like a nice project with possible small profit
(or heaps of praise from all of us) for someone in the professions or
universities.  (Hint, Hint!!  do I need to name you??  I have at least five
people/institutions in mind.  Please respond.)  Or just keep helping us build
toward a solution.

5.  Along with CO measurements, there is even reason to have BOTH CO2 and O2
direct measurements (with interesting comparison of how well the indirect
calculations of CO2 and O2 match with the direct measurements).

6.  I (and probably others) need very specific help with this.  What do 
I insert
into the stream of flue gases in order to get some number that converts to CO
numbers, and similar action to get O2, and similar action to get CO2?  Price
tag for each separately?  Or some shared pieces of equipment like the 
probe? Or even eventually get 2 or 3 measurements together.  NOT 
required to give
continual readings.  Just get meaningful readings when conducted with proper
techniques.

7.  Still no progress on having some institution (or person) acquire 
measurement
equipment and then RENT it or SPONSOR it (like giving a grant) to let 
the stove
developers have use at their local place of work for a couple of weeks.

I have not yet decided how much I will pay, but I am getting ready if enough
guidance comes forth.

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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