Davis

Paper Fireballs #1
Jeff Davis

Below you will find five links to short videos of fireballs being produced:

#1 Starting to reduce paper.

ITDG-EA pico-hydro project



Looks like a good way to power electric fanned stoves.

"The two schemes have brought electricity for lighting and small appliances such as radios and mobile phones to over 200 families (around 1,500 people). Villagers are very enthusiastic about the schemes, in particular the opportunity they give for children to study in the evening - exam results are said to have improved considerably."

Pico-hydro

Indigenous communities in rural Viet Nam, such as the Muong, often lack any form of power generation. This provides them with little opportunity to undertake practical and income-generating activities after nightfall. Recently, however, the Muong have adopted a form of hydropower, known as pico-hydro – the smallest scale of hydropower system. The kinetic power of moving water is transformed into electrical power by a turbine and generator. This gives the community valuable light in the evening and the ability to explore new technological avenues.

HydroFan - Pico Water Power (part 1)
Jeff Davis,December 2, 2006

This is a concept model of a water powered stove fan called the HydroFan. The goal of this design is to provide a powered fan for cook stoves which is powered by a few gallons of water placed above, in a container, and to the side of the stove. The water would flow through a tube setting a water wheel in motion. This water wheel would be coaxial with a fan which ultimately provides the stove with forced draft via duct work leading to the stove. The water would be collected by a shroud and drain into a container resting on the floor. Later this water would be emptied into the top container for later use. Possibly a valve like device could be used to vary the RPMs of the fan.

Retted Switchgrass Fireballs
Jeff Davis, September 10,2006

rsf8: Picture 8

Note: Click on image to enlarge.

These fireballs are made from retted switchgrass with some waste vegtable oil (WVO) added. As can be seen in the above picture they burn well in the inverted down draft gasifier thus the Woodgas Camp Stove.

Methods in Paper Fireballing
Jeff Davis, September 5, 2006

OLD METHOD:
1. Soak paper in water.
2. Process through disposal.
3. De-water.
4. Ball in cement mixer.
5. Dry.

NEW METHOD:
1. Soak paper in water.
2. Place wet paper w/rocks in cement mixer (Rock & Roll).
3. Remove rocks after agglomerations have formed and ball some more for
final shape.
4. Dry.

Switchgrass and Paper Fireballs at Stoves Camp
Tom Miles, August 2006

Fireball Switchgrass

Fireball Paper

Jeff Davis June 18, 2006

In order to make my first batch of fireballs I needed some charcoal fines or dust. I charred some switchgrass and leaves to start with. That would be easy to reduce, but was unsure how to go about this task at hand. Having already removed the paddles from the cement mixer, I got the bright idea to place the switchgrass and leave char in the cement mixer plus one large rock, see picture #1. So I gave it a try, not knowing that there is such a device as a ball mill. I learned fast that a lid was in order! Dust cloud anyone? This worked well for the charred switchgrass.

Jeff Davis, June 2006

In the last two years I’ve had good results burning pine firewood in the HeatHut. For the most part it will burn smoke free and give off a good amount of heat. Here’s how I do it.