[Stoves] Burning coal in cookstoves

[Crispin Pemberton-Pigott]

Dear Kevin

Many thanks for that.

One problem with the downdraft burners is that they clog the grate and go
out.  Having a zero clinker rate is important. If adding the lime/wood ash
is going to melt things, it is a no-go because not blocking is first and
foremost.  Something I noticed about the Nalaikh Coal (which is a closed
mine outside Ulaanbaatar) is that the ash is very fine and has not structure
worth mentioning.  I was unable to make the grate clog.

The air quality problem in UB is an extreme problem require urgent
intervention but in the longer run I feel it is wise to consider all the
alternatives.  Alex English found major problems with glass burning relative
fresh hay.  Roger Samson found leaving hay out for 6 months in the field
vastly reduced the problem.  With only 0.5% sulphur in the Nalaigh coal
(compared with +3% in many North American coals) perhaps the need is either
not there, can be avoided in the short term, or will require only a small
amount of additive that will not lead to blockages of a downdraft grate.

Regards
Crispin

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.12/1203 - Release Date: 30/12/2007
11:27 AM