[Stoves] Clay % as a binder in biomass pellet

[Áurea de Andrade]

On Stoves Digest, Vol 23, Issue 12 - 'Discussion of biomass cooking stoves'
Message: 2 Re: Manually-operated biomass pelletizer - clay as a binder?
Charlie Sellers asked: 
"Does anyone have simple notes (before I collect and post my own data) on the
impact of the major variables, assuming a basic clay - water needed, weight
percent of clay added, end density (biomass, so energy content, or total),
and pressure?".
I´ve read that "The most frequent proportion is 20% clay and 80% biomass (per weight). 
(...) The finesse of the biomass plays an important role in briquetting, as well as the quality of the clay used. Before mixing, the clay must be set in water for at least 1 day, in order to collapse its internal structure and destroy clots formed in dry clay. " (...) "The Solid Fuel Brick reportedly has a calorific value similar to that of moist firewood. It successfully replaces most of the firewood in burnt clay brick production, and has also been used for cooking purposes. In comparison to wet firewood, the SFB produces less smoke, and the flame is more consistent, apparently because of the clay present in the block. The ash resulting from burning the SFB at high temperatures (for instance in a fired clay brick kiln) has proven to be an enhanced pozzolana. " (Cooking stoves and brick production - a burning problem. Fernando Martirena, Tom Miles, Kurt Thyner - EcoSur Micro Concrete tiles, mud bricks, pozzolanic cement)

I´ve asked them "On briquetting biomass waste to be used in ecostoves for combustion, may I use the shredded grass when this is still green, fresh, or shall I first wait it to dry before mixing it with wet clay ? The  answer was: "You can use non-dry grass, but you have to make tests to find the appropriate mixture due to the humidity content of the green grass.
Regards. Paul Moreno Arteaga
Communications officer - Customer Service - EcoSur Network
P.O. Box 0601-1404, Riobamba, Ecuador - Tel/Fax ++593.32940574 - Cel: ++593.9.7642740
Skype: paulcoyote www.EcoSur.org"

I´m learning a lot reading all your msgs. Thanks.

Aurea de Andrade olar at itelefonica.com.br