June 1998 Gasification Archive

For more information to help people develop better stoves for cooking with biomass fuels in developing regions, please see our web site: http://www.bioenergylists.org

From REEDTB at compuserve.com Mon Jun 1 07:48:38 1998
From: REEDTB at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:54 2004
Subject: Charcoal Ingredients
Message-ID: <199806010756_MC2-3EC8-F154@compuserve.com>

Dear Rock:

We here at the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology,
CREST, the STOVE division, are interested in charcoal primarily for cooking
in 3rd world countries where US Standards don't apply. However, there is
an excellent book, "Industrial Charcoal Making", (FAO Forestry Paper #63,
published by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations,
1985, cost probably $10) that should answer most of your questions. You
can probably find it on the WWW.

Charcoal briquettes typically contain clay or other mineral to moderate
burning rate. Being proprietary, the manufacturers won't tell you a lot
about contents. There may also be industrial standards. Try the American
Society for Testing Materials, ASTM (again on WWW).

I would be interested in learning what you discover. What is the name of
your cooking group? Maybe we should post it to our members. If I can be
of further help let me know. If you get near Golden, look me up at 1810
Smith Rd. and I'll show you a bunch of charcoal samples.

Yours truly, TOM REED

From: RockMc@aol.com
Pardon my intrusion, but I stumbled across your conversation that
you were
having about the contents of commercially made charcoal in September of `97
in
what appeared to be a forum on wood/charcoal burning stoves. I found this
in
an attempt to find information on what all goes into charcoal briquettes by
brand names such as Kingsford, etc.
I noticed that at the time of your conversation, you were at the
School of
the Mines here in Colorado! I live in Colorado Springs, where I have a
mobile
BBQ catering biz called The Rocky Mountain Oinkster. I also am quite
involved
with a couple of BBQ mailing lists where we discuss everything from tough
meat
from ornery cows, to such things as the contents of charcoal briquettes.
Thus
my search...
After reading your post, I was wondering if you might be able to
steer me in
the right direction to where I could find the information I seek? Info
such
as; Government standards for charcoal briquettes, manufacturing process,
list
of fillers and chemicals used in them, etc.
Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, and have a Qlicious Day!
Rock McNelly

From REEDTB at compuserve.com Mon Jun 1 07:48:51 1998
From: REEDTB at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:54 2004
Subject: Combustion "bible"
Message-ID: <199806010756_MC2-3EC8-F158@compuserve.com>

Dear Morten et al:

I ordered the Combustion Handbook, Vol II from Amazon.com on the WWW. When
it came thre was an order blank enclosed saying that the cost of volumes I
and II, 3rd edition, was $55 in U.S., and $85 all others, send order (and
Master Card Visa No. or check) to North American Manufacturing Co., 4455 E.
71st St., CLeveland, OH 44105-5600.

I should warn you that there is very little specifically on wood. But good
stuff on producer gas flame temperatures etc.

I am ordering Volume I today.

Yours truly, TOM
REED

Message text written by Morten Gronli
>Dear Tom

Where can I order the new 3rd edition (Volume I and II ) of the
COMBUSTION HANDBOOK from ?

Best regards, Morten

------------------------------------------------------------------
Morten Grønli, Dr
SINTEF Energy Research
Thermal Energy and Hydropower
7034 Trondheim
Norway
<

From REEDTB at compuserve.com Mon Jun 1 07:49:05 1998
From: REEDTB at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:54 2004
Subject: Ronal
Message-ID: <199806010756_MC2-3EC8-F15D@compuserve.com>

Dear Elsen:

Good news about the conference, bad news about Ron. Hope you get him back
to us rested and raring to do more on stoves.
~~~~
I just re-read your article on Alex's page from Sept. 1997 on your 2 can
stove. I have a few questions.

1) You were very enthusiastic then - are you still as enthusiastic? I seem
to remember you saying that you were making ten test models. What do you
see as further improvements?

2) Do you get a "blue" flame in the chimney or just a turbulent, yellow
one?

3) Any thoughts on how to propogate stove technology when ready to those
that need it?

Yours truly, TOM REED

~~~~

Elsen,
Thank you for the update. Give Ronal my best wishes for a complete
recovery. I hope this will lead to an enjoyable stay in East Africa,
with his wife. He is fortunate to have a friend, like you, there to
assist.

Congratulations on the successful meeting.

Alex

> Great meeting today, with 21 people attending. Lots accomplished & a
local
> network begins- or so it looks. I'll post a list of attendees soon, with,
> hopefully a synopsis. All very upbeat & productive.
>
> Except For:
>
> Unfortunately, Ronal collapsed rather dramatically during the meeting &
is
> in the Nairobi Hospital (a world-class institution).
>
> What a day. Poor Ronal. He was SO exited about this meeting.
>
> Anyway, this happenned at 11:00 this morning, and I last saw him at 7:00
pm,
> he was wolfing down a hearty meal.
> Gretchin, his wife, is making plans to come out. They (as of current
> expectations) will then proceed on a mini African tour for a couple weeks
> before heading back to the U.S.
>
> I reckon Ronal needs a good long break, and it looks like
> he's coming 'round to that point of view as well.
>
> I'll keep you informed.
>
> Regards from a very tired
>
> elk

>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> -----------------------------------------
> Elsen L. Karstad P.O. Box 24371 Nairobi Kenya. Fax (+254 2) 884437 Tel
> 884436, 882375
>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> -----------------------------------------
>
>
>
Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
<

From tmiles at teleport.com Mon Jun 1 20:49:38 1998
From: tmiles at teleport.com (Tom Miles)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Some Events and Publications
Message-ID: <199806020057.RAA19745@mail1.teleport.com>

Events

First Nairobi Stovers Conference. Elsen Karstad has been reporting to us
from the first Nairobi Stovers Conference for stoves@crest.org moderator
Ronal Larson. Ronal fell ill in Nairobi and we wish him well. The Nairobi
event has generated a lot of enthusiasm on the very active stoves list
moderated by Ronal and Alex English.
Archive: <http://www.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/>

June 8-11. Wurzburg is coming up next week. We hope that our friends who
plan to attend will report back on the Bioenergy excitement in Europe

July 8-10. South Bend, Indiana is the site of the 1998 Fuel Ethanol
Workshop. Email etoh85@aol.com

July 16-18. Lake Lawn Resort, Delevan, Wisconsin will be the site of the
upcoming Pellet Fuels Institute Annual Conference. PFI (703) 522-6778.

October 4-8. Bioenergy 98: Expanding Partnerships at Madison, Wisonsin is
not far away. http://www.cglg.org/projects/biomass/bioenergy98

There are others of course. Find listings in the many bioenergy newsletters
and publications. Some good ones in the mail recently include:

PUBLICATIONS

Western Biomass Quarterly, May 1998. Western Regional Biomass Program.
http://www.westbioenergy.org

SERBEP Update. May.June 1998. Southeastern Regional Biomass Energy Program.
Phil Badger, pcbadger@tva.gov

Biologue Bol 15&16 - Double Issue. National Bioenergy Industries
Association asks "Where Will Restructuring Lead Us?" Includes the Regional
Biomasss Energy Program Reports and nice tributes to Dan Moran and Noral
Morey who passed away this year. NBIA (202) 383-2540.

CADDET, IEA Center for the Analysis and Dissemination of Demonstrated
Energy Technologies, has published some recent reports on several European
bioenergy systems. http://www.caddet-re.org

Web:

Common Purpose, The Common Purpose Institute For Energy And Environmental
Solutions, has some good infomration and links on their bioenergy page:
http://www.serve.com/commonpurpose/biomass.html

We have 100,000 visitors each month to the Archives of the Bioenergy Lists:

Bioenergy: http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/bioenergy-list-archive/
Gasification: http://www.crest.org/renewables/gasification-list-archive
Anaerobic Digestion: http://www.crest.org/renewables/digestion-list-archive
Stoves: http://www.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
Bioconversion: http://www.crest.org/renewables/bioconversion-list-archive/

Tom Miles

Publications

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas R. Miles tmiles@teleport.com
Technical Consultants, Inc. Tel (503) 292-0107/646-1198
1470 SW Woodward Way Fax (503) 605-0208
Portland, Oregon, USA 97225

From gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in Wed Jun 3 04:24:15 1998
From: gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in (Priyadarshini Karve(SBO))
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: stovers' conference
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.96.980603130738.4652A-100000@physics>

Dear Stovers,
The following is a note on the stovers' conference that
Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) is planning to organise in
India in the year 2000. I request you to send in your comments. I have
also included the budget estimates. I request those of you who have access
to individuals/organisations that may be interested in funding such
events, to try and generate some funds for the conference. A brief note on
ARTI has also been included to help you in this context. As you can see,
an assistance of about $1000 will become approx. Rs.40,000/- and will be a
sizable contribution towards meeting the conference cost. We have already
approached Association for India's Development (AID) in USA with a request
for funds to meet the cost of publication and field trips. In India, we
are approaching the Ministry of Nonconventional Energy Sources and other
related government bodies as well as several stove manufacturers.

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOMASS-BASED FUELS AND COOKING SYSTEMS
Appropriate rural Technology Institute (ARTI), Pune, India,
proposes to organise an International Conference on Biomass-based Fuels
and Cooking Systems (BFCS-2000) at Pune, in the first week of January
2000.
The emphasis of the conference shall be on new trends of research,
viz., conversion of biomass to higher grade fuels such as charcoal,
alcohol, methane etc. (excluding the biogas technology which has already
been discussed on various international fora), and, stove designs for
efficient utilisation of the higher grade fuels. A number of workshops,
conferences and consultations have extensively explored the issues
involved in designing of wood and biomass burning stoves. Therefore this
topic shall have a lower priority in BFCS-2000. However, the conference
shall include special sessions on important issues such as strategies for
popularisation and commercialisation of efficient stove models and new
biomass-based fuel forms, health-related effects of using biomass and
related fuels for domestic cooking, etc.
It is proposed that the conference should be of five days duration
which would include three days of deliberations and two field trips to
promote direct interaction among the stove users, the stove manufacturers
and the scientists. Exhibitions of stoves and other related
products/technologies would also be organised on the occasion. It is
expected that about 100 delegates (at least ten of whom would be from
outside India) would attend the conference.
The estimated expense of the conference is about Rs. 5,50,000/-
(note:$1 is approximately equivalent to Rs.40/-). A part of the expense
would be covered by the conference registration fee from the delegates.
However, financial assistance would be required to meet the variety of
expenses associated with the conference organisation.
The Budget Estimate (in Indian Rupees)
Publication and despatch of conference announcements,
invitations & programme booklets 20,000/-
Abstract booklets (100 pages, 200 copies) 10,000/-
Conference proceedings (300 pages, 200 copies) 30,000/-
Folders/bags for the delegates,invitees, etc. 30,000/-
Transport within city 15,000/-
Transport for field trips (2 trips, ~200 km distance each) 50,000/-
Food (two teas, one lunch, one dinner, every day for five
days, expense of sealed water bottles included) 2,00,000/-
Rent for the conference hall, exhibition halls, etc. 15,000/-
Contingencies 15,000/-
Administrative overheads (@10% of expenses) 37,000/-
Total Expenditure 5,50,000/-
Estimated income through registration fee
(assuming 100 delegates; 10 non-Indian):Rs.500/- for Indian
delegates, Rs.2000/- ($50) for non-Indian delegates 65,000/-
Amount required (Expenditure - Income) 4,85,000/-
A few words about ARTI
ARTI was established in 1996 by a group of scientists and social
workers with a view to developing and popularising appropriate
technologies in the rural areas. In this context, we are implementing
nearly twenty projects funded by various agencies. Our work is in progress
in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh,
Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Orissa and Tripura. Right from its
inception, ARTI has been acting as the Technical Back-up Support Unit
(TBU) for the states of Maharashtra and Goa for implementing the National
Programme on Improved Chulha (stove) sponsored by the Ministry of
Non-conventional Energy Sources, Govt. of India. ARTI TBU has developed
and promoted a number of improved stove models and our programme of
popularisation of improved stoves is one of the most successful ones in
the country. We also have a project, sponsored by the Department of
Science and Technology, Govt. of India, on conversion of waste biomass
like dry leaves of sugarcane (sugarcane trash) into char briquettes as a
substitute for charcoal.
ARTI routinely organises training courses, workshops, discussion
meetings, etc. for training and dissemination of the various technologies
developed under various projects. Several individual members of the ARTI
staff have a first hand experience of organising national and
international workshops/conferences.
In short, ARTI has the infrasturucture, the manpower as well as
the necessary stature required for organizing an international conference
of stove researchers.

Looking forward to your comments/suggestions,
Priyadarshini Karve.

From elk at arcc.or.ke Wed Jun 3 11:16:58 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E.L.Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Larson Report Number 2
Message-ID: <199806031524.SAA14360@arcc.or.ke>

Message from Ron Larson - not Elsen

1. This may look a little weird - as I was supposed to be home well before
now. I have spent the past 5 days in the Nairobi Hospital. There has been
no diagnosis yet. I put it down to exhaustion - as I slept very poorly for
the previous two nights, prior to passing out at the Friday meeting. I was
diagnosed with double pneumonia, and ended up with a catheterization of the
bladder when that plumbing froze up (complicated by a long-time prostate
condition (benign)).

2. My wife Gretchen would probably disagree, but I think this is the first
time I have ever been this totally out of contact with reality. I was in a
state of euphoria - interrupting everyone with non-sense at last Friday's
Kenya stovers meeting. Fortunately, I passed out early and Elsen was able
to get me admitted into the emergency room at the Nairobi Hospital and get
back himself to much of the meeting. Elsen reports it was a good meeting and
from what I remember, the people present looked first rate Eventually there
were 18 on the attendance list. Elsen said they have organized themselves
and will probably meet again.

3. I leave for Addis tomorrow, then for London Heathrow on Friday and home
either Friday or Saturday. More when I get myself sorted out. The first
step is to get a prostate removal when I get to Denver.

4. Here is the attendance list for last Friday's meeting: - showing only PO
Box and e-mail when available:

1. Jacob Kithinji, U. Nairobi, PO 30197 (Prof. Chem.) 447095
2. David Maina, U Nairobi, PO 30344 student
3. Todd Harris, private, PO 14176; 566272
4. Elsen Karstad, Tamfeeds, PO 24371; 891521 elk@arcc.or.ke
5. Justin Mayhew KWIKCOOK k Ltd PO 46582; kwikcook@iconnect.co.ke, 715215
6. Charles Ngeene, same; 725964
7. Stephen Gitonga, Intermediate Technology, Kenya, PO 39493;
gitonga@itdg.or.ke , 442108
8. M.J. Kimani, GTZ, PO 41607; 575070/1; fax 562671
9. Joseph K. Githnami (?? KEFRI), PO 30513, 761063
10. Enos Jinbale (??) Rural Technology Enterprises, PO 30513, 557946,
554414, 540407; rterltar@nbnet.co.ke ??
11. Max. Kinyanjui, Wood Energy Technology Co. PO 23058 732332, 520403
12. Timothy Ranja, FWD, 566032, fax 561464, 566231
13. (Engineer) Alexander Kiridze, Nairobi Technical Supplies, Ltd, PO
18824, 541309/542918
14. Margaret Owino, Solar Cookers Int. (EA) PO 76406; 714623, fax 720909
15. Charles M. Intundu, Rural Technology Enterprises, Ltd. PO 28201,
554414/557946; fax 540447
16. Robert Bailis, US Peace Corps, c/o Sambirir Sec. School, PO 79, Kapsowar
17. Faustine Odaba, Rotary Solar Cookers Project, Nairobi East, PO 14971;
791304, fax 213287
18. Eric B. Bosire, Forest Action Network, PO 21428,
fankenya@africaonline.co.ke; ph/fax 718398

Elsen and the stand-in facilitator, Todd Harris will be posting a synopsis
of the meeting next week I hope.

Ron
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Elsen L. Karstad P.O. Box 24371 Nairobi Kenya. Fax (+254 2) 884437 Tel
884436, 882375
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------

From REEDTB at compuserve.com Wed Jun 3 15:13:57 1998
From: REEDTB at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Charcoal Ingredient!
Message-ID: <199806030925_MC2-3F08-A111@compuserve.com>

-------------Forwarded Message-----------------

From: INTERNET:RockMc@aol.com, INTERNET:RockMc@aol.com
To: [unknown], REEDTB

Date: 6/1/98 11:31 PM

RE: Re: Charcoal Ingredient!

Dear Rock:
I would be interested in learning what you discover. What is the name of
your cooking group? Maybe we should post it to our members. If I can be
of further help let me know. If you get near Golden, look me up at 1810
Smith Rd. and I'll show you a bunch of charcoal samples.

Yours truly, TOM REED >>

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Tom! Much appreciated!
I'll definitely take a look at the references that you mentioned, and pass
them along the rest of the folks on the BBQ Mailing List. If you'd like to
take a look at it, please do! By heading over to Rick's BBQ Page at:
www.azstarnet.com/~thead/bbq/ and scroll down to the Mailing List subscription
link, and follow it to the subscription information. I'll warn you though,
it's a high traffic list, so you might want to go with the digest version at
first. There's pros and amateurs alike on there, and all are always looking
for that special "edge" to make their BBQ better. Whether through spices,
sauce, time, pit, and especially heat, we're all on that search for the
perfect "Q"! <G><

Thanks again for your help, and if I ever do get up there, you can bet that
I'll stop by and visit a spell!

Rock McNelly

From rmiranda at sdnnic.org.ni Wed Jun 3 22:12:58 1998
From: rmiranda at sdnnic.org.ni (Rogerio Miranda)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: stovers' conference
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SOL.3.96.980603130738.4652A-100000@physics>
Message-ID: <3.0.2.16.19980603074045.555f768c@ns.sdnnic.org.ni.>

Dear Priyadarshini:

At 02:00 PM 6/3/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Dear Stovers,
>THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOMASS-BASED FUELS AND COOKING SYSTEMS
> Appropriate rural Technology Institute (ARTI), Pune, India,
>proposes to organise an International Conference on Biomass-based Fuels
>and Cooking Systems (BFCS-2000) at Pune, in the first week of January
>2000.

It is expected that about 100 delegates (at least ten of whom would be from
>outside India) would attend the conference.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>It seems to me that we should have higher
expectations about attendance from outside India. To really be an
International Conference on Stoves, it will be very interesting if we had
al least 50 delegates from around the world.

> The estimated expense of the conference is about Rs. 5,50,000/-
>(note:$1 is approximately equivalent to Rs.40/-).

>>>>>>>>>>>What Rs.5,50,000 means ? 550 thousand or 5.5 milllion ?

Good luck

Rogerio

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Rogerio Carneiro de Miranda
ATP/PROLENA/Nicaragua
Apartado Postal C-321
Managua, Nicaragua
telefax (505) 276 2015
EM <rmiranda@sdnnic.org.ni>
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

From tmiles at teleport.com Thu Jun 4 00:13:09 1998
From: tmiles at teleport.com (Tom Miles)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Chamber Stoves Info
In-Reply-To: <199806032127.OAA18627@mail1.teleport.com>
Message-ID: <199806040421.VAA11263@mail.easystreet.com>

For Information on Chamber Stoves

Contact one or more of the following:

Macy's Stoveworks. 5515 Alameda Rd, Houston, Tx 77004-7443 or
call 713-521-0934 or fax 713-521-0889.
or
Antique Appliance Trader <stoves@bscsystems.com>
or
jes@west.net

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

If you can add to this list, send information to english@kingston.net

I have, and posted these references at:

http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Chamber.htm

Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage

http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

From tmiles at teleport.com Thu Jun 4 00:48:49 1998
From: tmiles at teleport.com (Tom Miles)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Larson Report Number 2
In-Reply-To: <199806031524.SAA14360@arcc.or.ke>
Message-ID: <199806040456.VAA14431@mail.easystreet.com>

Thanks for the health and attendance report Ron. That was quite an event.

We await the stories (and pictures?).

Regards,

Tom Miles

At 06:24 PM 6/3/98 +0300, E.L.Karstad wrote:
>Message from Ron Larson - not Elsen
<snip>
>Elsen and the stand-in facilitator, Todd Harris will be posting a synopsis
>of the meeting next week I hope.
>
>Ron

From tmiles at teleport.com Thu Jun 4 01:09:18 1998
From: tmiles at teleport.com (Tom Miles)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Welcome Nairobi Conference Attendees
In-Reply-To: <199806031524.SAA14360@arcc.or.ke>
Message-ID: <199806040517.WAA16279@mail.easystreet.com>

Welcome Nairobi Conference Attendees to the Stoves List

New additions are:
Justin Mayhew KWIKCOOK k Ltd kwikcook@iconnect.co.ke
Stephen Gitonga, Intermediate Technology, Kenya, gitonga@itdg.or.ke
Enos Jinbale (??) Rural Technology Enterprises, rterltar@nbnet.co.ke
Eric B. Bosire, Forest Action Network, fankenya@africaonline.co.ke

Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
Stoves Webpage
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

From dstill at epud.org Thu Jun 4 03:41:48 1998
From: dstill at epud.org (Dean Still)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Reply to Peter Verhaart
Message-ID: <199806040755.AAA28298@epud.org>

Dear Peter,

Yes, Aprovecho is still very much involved with stoves. Or should I say
fuel efficient cooking...it was startling to realize that getting the heat
into the pot was much more important than the combustion side of the fuel
efficiency equation. Hayboxes can save more fuel than improved cookstoves.

We have also tried to figure out solar cooking, etc. and the research
center is littered with eco trash attempts. We rebuilt the Icy-Ball, the
original ammonia/water absorption refigerator. Took two years. Looking at
stoves has made the differences between insulation and mass more apparent.
Now we are lucky to have three pyrometers to measure sunlight and are
fascinated looking at the percent of heat from sunlight that ends up stored
in thermal mass. The numbers seem lower than needed to make very successful
passive solar houses but we'll know more by the end of summer.

Larry is doing well and he'll be glad to hear your supportive comments!
Aprovecho runs a small school so things look a bit different here but I
think the same spirit and intention exists. We built a strawbale dormitory
and have grant money to build staff cabins. A grant brought us a 2.2 KW
photovoltaic system to power the campus. Things are lively with 10 staff in
residence. Many of us intend to keep on doing this stuff until we finally
figure it out so we will be here a while! Nice to have real problems to
chew on...

Ianto is very busy with his Cob (earthen) houses and flitters around the
country teaching. He lives near Aprovecho at an eco-village called Cerro
Gordo.

Thanks so much for getting in touch.

Dean Still
Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
Stoves Webpage
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

From dstill at epud.org Thu Jun 4 13:16:43 1998
From: dstill at epud.org (Dean Still)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: reply to Art Lilley
Message-ID: <199806041730.KAA30086@epud.org>

Dear Art,

We once put the icy ball at the focal point of a 10' in diameter parabolic
reflector and did generate enough heat to condense the ammonia. But it took
three hours and wasn't practical for us lazy types. Larry and I played with
an original, at a refrigeration museum in Portland, Oregon and it had a
small cup with a wick to heat the ammonia. We figured that you needed about
6,000 BTU for a cycle. But we used a lot more than that in our models that
are made from a five gallon and a three gallon propane cylinder with a pipe
connecting the two. After about 90 minutes of heating on a rocket stove we
cooled two gallons of antifreeze 45 degrees F. Temperatures get down to 15
degrees F.

Larry is a cautious fellow and we never did solve to his satisfaction the
safety issue. The original icy ball was very well made. It had a weak spot
that would burst before the whole thing exploded. We experimented with A.T.
solutions for a safety release but were never really happy with our
attempts. (On the other hand, after many firings it seemed relatively safe
as long as you didn't leave it on the fire for a pretty long time.)

Larry feels that the Servel is a better road to follow. It also has no
moving parts and is made from tubing. It takes little heat to run it and we
hope to one day spend a couple of years playing around with an A.T.
version. It seems a likely candidate for solar heating! He would probably
recommend the Servel refrigerator as a model for study over the icy ball.

Please keep us informed of your findings. I also feel that the Servel
should be easy to adapt to A.T. uses.

Dean Still

Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
Stoves Webpage
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From REEDTB at compuserve.com Thu Jun 4 19:13:42 1998
From: REEDTB at compuserve.com (Thomas Reed)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Small-Scale Combustion Device Review
Message-ID: <199806041921_MC2-3F3F-47C5@compuserve.com>

Dear Kirk:

I have read your paper "Greenhouse Gases from Small-Scale Combustion
Devices in Developing Countries: Phase III- Charcoal Making Kilns in
Thailand". I initially was put off by the title and the number (10) of
authors with long names at institutions (6) with longer names. However,
the contents and the possibility of making a major improvement soon caught
my attention. I hope you will share my comments with your co-authors.

1) Present charcoal methods, operated by desperately poor "charcoal
burners" are dreadfully inefficient and horribly polluting. This is
because it is operated as a one classical step process in which the initial
heat first dries the charge, producing steam, then pyrolyses the charge,
resulting in a non-combustible mix of steam and fuel gases that can fill
whole valleys with choking smoke.

2) Your figures on emissions, and the fact that the associated charcoal
processes produce twice as much greenhouse gases as using fossil fuels
would, shows that there is a marvellous opportunity here to reduce GHG
while improving the efficiency and yield of the charcoal process.

3) Recently a number of us have been working on TOP DOWN charcoal
making/cooking stoves. If a charge of wood is lit on the top, the
pyrolysis fire moves DOWN through the charge, yielding typically 25%
charcoal and a very combustible gas. Unfortunately, the process requires
moderately dry wood.

4) The top burning stove could have a charge of wet wood mounted above it
and correct combustion of the pyrolysis would provide more than enough
energy to dry the next charge. Result, high yield and lowest emissions,
and higher profit to the charcoal burner.

5) Since you show that charcoal making is so productive of GHG, I hope
that you can raise funds to develop a simple new charcoal kiln that can
displace all the brick, clay and rice hull kilns that you describe.
~~~~~
Specific comments on the paper:

While charcoal making produces a great quantity of greenhouse gases,
allowing wood to rot in the forest and be digested in the gut of termites
also produces lots of methane. You might mention in the pape that CLEAN
combustion of the wood or charcoal is preferable to this.

CO goes rapidly to CO2 in the atmosphere, so you could lump CO-CO2 together
in much of your discussion - or at least point out that they are equivalent
GHGwise.

P 2, PARA 2; enduse => end use

There probably are no good statistics on World Charcoal Production before
1900, but I suspect that the GHG from charcoal situation was worse in the
period 1820-1930 when the industrial countries were depending on charcoal
for both fuel and iron reduction. However, later they began to condense
the pyroligneous acid and tar for various other purposes, certainly
superior to venting them. You might mention a little of this history to
let the worryworts know that things are probably no worse now than a
century ago.

I was glad to read of your sampling successes and problems (condensibles),
and will adopt the former for my summer measurements. They should become
standard in this field.

I was very surprised at how little (3%) of the initial carbon wound up in
the condensibles (Table 8). Typical reports on charcoal making put
condensibles near 1/3 of the wood weight. Could you have missed
significant amounts of condensibles as mist or low temperature
condensate???

Congratulations to you and your co-workers on an excellent report for the
EPA. I hope it leads to improvements in 3rd world charcoal kilns and kiln
worker lives, rather than more handwringing and more reports.

Yours truly, TOM
REED

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From Rkfabf at aol.com Thu Jun 4 21:21:51 1998
From: Rkfabf at aol.com (Rkfabf@aol.com)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Fwd: Swedish Soot Studies
Message-ID: <72a185b1.357749fe@aol.com>

To: owner-stoves@crest.org
Subject: Swedish Soot Studies
From: Rkfabf@aol.com
Date: Thu, 4 Jun 1998 21:12:32 EDT

I'm hoping maybe one of the subscribers to the list will be able to direct me
to some of the Swedish research & studies Tom mentions in the letter below.
If you are aware of the name of the study, paper, researcher or know of where
I might find this information, please contact me either privately
(rkfabf@aol.com) or thru the list.

Many Thanks -
Cathy Flanders
Fax: 972-527-6608
rkfabf@aol.com
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~rkfabf/index.html">Candles and Indoor Air
Quality</A>
http://members.tripod.com/~rkfabf/index.html
<A HREF="http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/iaq">IAQ Listserve (to
subscribe)</A>
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/iaq

============================================================
Dear Cathy
Thanks for your information on candles. I have had some cases involving
candles and other sourses of soot (and other kind of dust). The problem
wasn´t only to identify the soot, if the sourse was candles, wood burning,
traffic er others, it was also to understand why it came (as it appeared)
so suddenly and why only certain materials and certain surfaces became
black. Some research has been done in Sweden, as far as I remember, about
20 years ago and the problem is given a certain name in Swedish. Translated
it could be "Sudden sooting" or something like that.

The sourses was often mixed, including burning candles. The reason to
deposition on plastic materials is not cuite clear but electrical forces
are among the suspected reasons. The reason to deposition on certain parts
of walls and cealings is differences in temperature. It is called (in
Swedish) "termodiffusion", I belive the English name is similar. The
particles are collected on relatively colder surfaces due to differences in
energy (movement of the electrones) between warm and cold air. The
particles are "pushed" in to the relatively colder surfaces and stays there
depending on the same forces and on a higher RH level in the surface of the
colder part of the wall or cealing. The result is black or grey areas on
walls or cealings. You will always find that the surface temperature on the
black area is lower than the surrounding surface temperatures, mostly due
to bad thermal insulation, air leakage or differences in surface
temperature due to cold air streams from support air or warm air behind
electrical equipment. I haven´t had time to read your mail yet, I´ll do
that as soon as possible. Some of what I´ve written above might I find in
your mail when I read it but it may be new for anyone. Thanks for the
information. It is wery important that we, who are solving the problems in
the houses are helping others, so far science have been of little help in
the solutions of IAQ problems.

Regards
Tom F

From elk at arcc.or.ke Fri Jun 5 01:16:29 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E.L.Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Chimneys and Kilns - Carbonising Sawdust
Message-ID: <199806050524.IAA04592@arcc.or.ke>

Now, back to work;

I've been using a 200 litre drum with valves air intakes at the base, plus
a dampered chimney twice the weight of the drum that can be lowered into the
drum (adjustable height), in an effort to find a configuration that produces
charcoal from air-dry sawdust.

A bit premature right now, but the following configuration seems to be
promising:

Full chimney extension (drawing drom the top of the drum)

Partially closed vents (30% open... 4 x 2 inch dia. vents around base)

Open chimney damper

Top lit sawdust contents.

As usual, I'm plugging away in the dark; does anyone have any
comments/ideas/experience on the role(s) of chimneys in charcoaling?

I feel that I might be onto something, because the major difficulty in
carbonising sawdust seems to be airflow through the small particles. By
suing a chimney, the flue draught can pull (or push?) air through the
charge. Obviously, too much air results in combustion though and a balance
must be struck. Is it a knife-edge balance though?

Maybe next attempt should use a plate of the inner diameter of the drum,
attached to the lower inner end of the chimney, that presses down on the
charge and automatically lowers- tracking the reduced voulme of carbonising
sawdust.............

All these trials take time- with this unit I've at least 4 sliding
variables.... that's a lot of permutations.

Help?

elk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Elsen L. Karstad P.O. Box 24371 Nairobi Kenya. Fax (+254 2) 884437 Tel
884436, 882375
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------

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From gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in Fri Jun 5 03:57:18 1998
From: gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in (Priyadarshini Karve(SBO))
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: stovers' conference
In-Reply-To: <3.0.2.16.19980603074045.555f768c@ns.sdnnic.org.ni.>
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.96.980605130544.24961B-100000@physics>

Dear Dr. Miranda,
Thanks for your comments.
We would certainly like more than ten people from outside India to
attend the conference! The number ten is the lowest estimate, based on the
number of responses I received to our initial proposal. Although we are
hoping for an attendance of 100, we would be easily able to handle about
150 delegates.
As far as the amount of money is concerned, it is 550 thousand
Indian rupees which is about thirteen thousand seven hundred and fifty
dollars.
With regards,
Priyadarshini Karve.

On Wed, 3 Jun 1998, Rogerio Miranda wrote:

>
> Dear Priyadarshini:
>
> At 02:00 PM 6/3/98 -0500, you wrote:
> >Dear Stovers,
> >THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOMASS-BASED FUELS AND COOKING SYSTEMS
> > Appropriate rural Technology Institute (ARTI), Pune, India,
> >proposes to organise an International Conference on Biomass-based Fuels
> >and Cooking Systems (BFCS-2000) at Pune, in the first week of January
> >2000.
>
> It is expected that about 100 delegates (at least ten of whom would be from
> >outside India) would attend the conference.
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>It seems to me that we should have higher
> expectations about attendance from outside India. To really be an
> International Conference on Stoves, it will be very interesting if we had
> al least 50 delegates from around the world.
>
>
>
> > The estimated expense of the conference is about Rs. 5,50,000/-
> >(note:$1 is approximately equivalent to Rs.40/-).
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>What Rs.5,50,000 means ? 550 thousand or 5.5 milllion ?
>
>
> Good luck
>
> Rogerio
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Rogerio Carneiro de Miranda
> ATP/PROLENA/Nicaragua
> Apartado Postal C-321
> Managua, Nicaragua
> telefax (505) 276 2015
> EM <rmiranda@sdnnic.org.ni>
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>

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From english at adan.kingston.net Fri Jun 5 07:11:49 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Small-Scale Combustion Device Review
Message-ID: <199806051120.HAA31177@adan.kingston.net>

Dear Kirk and Tom ect.

> Dear Kirk:
>
> I have read your paper "Greenhouse Gases from Small-Scale Combustion
> Devices in Developing Countries: Phase III- Charcoal Making Kilns in
> Thailand".
<snip>
> 1) Present charcoal methods, operated by desperately poor "charcoal
> burners" are dreadfully inefficient and horribly polluting. This is
> because it is operated as a one classical step process in which the
> initial heat first dries the charge, producing steam, then pyrolyses
> the charge, resulting in a non-combustible mix of steam and fuel
> gases that can fill whole valleys with choking smoke.
<snip>

Having read this paper, and also filled a valley with smoke....

Kirk, your procedure for these experiments included "air drying"
the wood to be used, resulting in moisture contents of 14% to 30%
dry basis. No mention is made as to how long this took, or whether or
not this is typical for kiln operators in the field. This may not
have a significant impact on the data for this project, but it would
for a gas flaring kiln such as Tom describes. The same may be true
for the dimensions of the wood.

Tom wrote:
> 4) The top burning stove could have a charge of wet wood mounted above it
> and correct combustion of the pyrolysis would provide more than enough
> energy to dry the next charge.

Sure there may be plenty of energy. Most likely there would be too
much, too fast. Easier said than done.

It should be noted that Dr. J.Judkevich <woodcoal@mailbox.alkor.ru>
of Russia, has informed us of another type of charcoal producing
furnace which burns the gas emissions. See:
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Polykor.htm

Regards, Alex

Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage
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From krksmith at uclink4.berkeley.edu Fri Jun 5 16:59:05 1998
From: krksmith at uclink4.berkeley.edu (Kirk R. Smith)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Indian National Burden of Disease from Indoor Air Pollution
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19980605140952.009d9f7c@uclink4.berkeley.edu>

You may be interested in the press coverage of our study on the above
subject: estimate is about 500,000 premature deaths annually in adult
women and children under 5. Best/K

http://www.timesofindia.com/today/28indi16.htm
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From english at adan.kingston.net Sun Jun 7 08:49:11 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Chimneys and Kilns - Carbonising Sawdust
In-Reply-To: <199806050524.IAA04592@arcc.or.ke>
Message-ID: <199806071257.IAA07203@adan.kingston.net>

Ok Elsen,
Lets have a go on this one. The goal is: carbonized sawdust while
flaring the gasses, right.

> Now, back to work;
>
> I've been using a 200 litre drum with valves air intakes at the base, plus
> a dampered chimney twice the weight of the drum that can be lowered into the
> drum (adjustable height), in an effort to find a configuration that produces
> charcoal from air-dry sawdust.

With dry sawdust, there is a chance of success, without! ......? Any
idea how dry it is? Do you have access to a sensitive scale?

> A bit premature right now, but the following configuration seems
to be
> promising:
>
> Full chimney extension (drawing from the top of the drum)
>
> Partially closed vents (30% open... 4 x 2 inch dia. vents around base)
>
> Open chimney damper
>
> Top lit sawdust contents.
>
> As usual, I'm plugging away in the dark; does anyone have any
> comments/ideas/experience on the role(s) of chimneys in charcoaling?

Short chimneys and micro flow where a major part of the small
gassifier that we fussed with at Queens U this past winter. So I
will comment from that experience. I don't have your sawdust here to
experiment with.
>
> I feel that I might be onto something, because the major difficulty in
> carbonizing sawdust seems to be airflow through the small particles. By
>using a chimney, the flue draught can pull (or push?) air through
the
> charge. Obviously, too much air results in combustion though and a balance
> must be struck. Is it a knife-edge balance though?

The configuration that you describe sounds, (send drawings?)like a
large version of the gasifier I was working with. Except you are
dealing with a higher resistance to flow. This resistance is a
function of the rate of flow. The lower the flow rate the lower the
resistance.

It is not clear to me what success you have had. I think you will
need several meters of chimney for the hot gasses to rise before they
are flared. It is possible that still won't be enough. It would take
10 meters of chimney to match the static pressure of a small $30
blower. It is likely that the higher the moisture content,(15%- 10%
dry basis may be your range from workable maximum to realistic
minimum), of the sawdust the higher the flow rate required, and
therefore the higher the chimney .The first length of chimney will
simple overcome the restriction of the lid. For example: Smouldering
sawdust in an open drum may draw .01cubic meters of air per minute
into the bottom intake valves. A lid with a one meter chimney in it
may do the same.

We have talked before of using a thin plastic garbage bag as a flow
meter. If you reduce down to a single air inlet, then you could
attach an inflated bag to it and time how long it takes to deflate.

A ten or fifteen centimeter diameter chimney should be better than a
larger one. The gas temperature will be higher through the height of
the chimney with a smaller diameter. Insulation would help. A lot of
"stuff" will condense in this portion, further reducing its diameter.
An intake blower would eliminate all this and give you a quick idea
as to what is possible.

Above this you can introduce more air and a
pilot light, and flare the gasses. If you have the chimney in
segments you could rotate the sections from below the flare, to be a
short chimney around the flare so as to burn out the deposits while
stabilizing the flare(flame). If you try to introduce air at the base
of the lower chimney, it will kill the suction on the sawdust.

>
> Maybe next attempt should use a plate of the inner diameter of the drum,
> attached to the lower inner end of the chimney, that presses down on the
> charge and automatically lowers- tracking the reduced voulme of carbonising
> sawdust.............

I don't see an advantage there.

> All these trials take time- with this unit I've at least 4 sliding
> variables.... that's a lot of permutations.

What are you doing for 'start up'?

So give us a blow by blow description of your experiments, and good
luck.

Alex

> Help?
>
>
> elk
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------------------------------
> Elsen L. Karstad P.O. Box 24371 Nairobi Kenya. Fax (+254 2) 884437 Tel
> 884436, 882375
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------------------------------
>
> Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> Stoves Webpage
> http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>
>
Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage

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From elk at arcc.or.ke Wed Jun 10 04:39:20 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E. L. Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Chimneys and Kilns - Carbonising Sawdust
Message-ID: <v01520d00b1a4154d5ab6@[199.2.222.132]>

Apologies for the long delay in responding to your helpful message of
7/6/98, Alex. I've been running through the more likely permutations using
a 200 liter metal drum with chimney and primary (bottom) air vent inlets.
More on the results later.

You ask how dry my sawdust is- air dry. I've determined it to be in the
range of 12 to 15% using a sensitive scale and drying overnight on a ~50'
C. surface (the top of an industrial boiler).

My chimney is 11 cm dia. by 2 m. high at max extension. The damper is
placed near the top. It probably doesn't provide much negative pressure in
the drum in order to overcome the high resistance imposed by the small
particle size and corresponding tiny airspaces of even loosely packed
sawdust.

My idea of allowing the chimney to 'float' on the sawdust via using a plate
or cone with a diameter nearly the same as the inside of the drum is based
on the principal of the 'Casamance' earth mound kiln used in Senegal, where
the loosely covered earthen mound is allowed to collapse inward on the
reducing mass of pyrolysing wood. Additional soil is added to restrict
airflow as cracks appear. This is supposedly a method that signifigantly
increases yield.

The plate or cone inside the drum (attached to the chimney) would similarly
'track' the reducing volume of feedstock sawdust as it pyrolyses and maybe
control airflow thereby reducing the chance of burning the charcoal powder
to ash. The kiln is still being made, so no results yet.

My current experiments have shown that bottom lighting a full charge
(drumfull of sawdust), with or without a perforated grate above the level
of the valved primary air holes, results in a very slow rate of
carbonisation indeed, with quite a bit of material burning down to ash.
Turn your back for a moment & the entire load can burn away once the charge
has dried.

Top lighting also progressed too slowly to be practical, the 200 litre
drumload taking over 24 hours to carbonise, with a poor conversion rate of
8.5%. This is where the taller chimney could help, maybe, though too much
airflow would undoubtably result in combustion to ash. The top-lit method
doesn't allow for much vertical heat transfer, so drying prior to
carbonisation is restricted to the area just below the pyrolysis zone.
Again, maybe the plate or cone in contact with the top surface would
inhibit total combustion to ash.

I'm now running a series of trials without the chimney- just an open drum
with a grate at the bottom placed above the primary air vents. The initial
charge is only a couple cm. thick & ignites almost immediately. Close
attendance is required, as as soon as the entire surface is black
(carbonised) and flames or a hint of white ash is seen, another layer of
sawdust is added. This seems to work pretty well, though the 'close
attendance' has been noteably absent on the first trials, resulting in
vigorous flames & reduced yield. Changing attendants seems to help......

I think this could be scaled up to at least a 2000 litre galvanised steel
watertank. Maybe 4000 litres? I'll get the technique and training developed
on the 200 liter drum first, and if the conversion rates look promising,
I'll scale up.

Has this method of adding material in increments been used before? I'd
appreciate (as always) any input from list members.

I'll work on flaring the volatiles once my carbonisation method has been proven.

Regards;

elk

_____________________________
Elsen Karstad
P.O Box 24371 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel/Fax:254 2 884437
E-mail: elk@arcc.or.ke
_____________________________

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From woodcoal at mailbox.alkor.ru Wed Jun 10 07:25:32 1998
From: woodcoal at mailbox.alkor.ru (Woodcoal)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: I wish to you fast recovery
Message-ID: <199806101133.PAA01587@ns.alkor.ru>

Dear Ron:
I hope, your health will be soon improved. All of us have got used, that
you always at a rudder and make discussion in a network active, interesting
and benevolent. Therefore even for the my interests I wish to you fast
recovery and returning to a steering wheel.
Sincerely Yury Yudkevitch (Rossia)

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From english at adan.kingston.net Wed Jun 10 07:48:31 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: penroche development services & policy research group
Message-ID: <199806101157.HAA10379@adan.kingston.net>

Stovers,
This note came, so I took the liberty of subscribing Mr. Tony
Potterton.

Welcome.
This list discusses issues related to biomass cooking and heating
stoves, and ultimately, the well being of the people who depend upon
them. Check the links at the bottom of this message. I hope that this
mailing list will help good ideas and friendships spread rapidly
through the world.

Cheers, Alex

From: penroche development services & policy research group
<pds.prg@AfricaOnline.co.ke>

To: stoves@crest.org

We would like to introduce ourselves (Penroche Development Services -
PDS) as the distributors of Bellerive Foundation institutional catering
equipment in Eastern Africa.

Bellerive fuel-efficient woodstoves were developed over a period of ten
years, mostly in Kenya and Tanzania. The basic design rapidly
established the accepted standards for institutional woodstoves in the
region. Over one thousand schools and hospitals in Kenya now use
Bellerive equipment.

The basic models disseminated are the "all-metal" SMP 200L, SMP 100L, HD
50L stoves, although brick-lined designs are also available.
Chimney-jacket water heaters are available as supplementaly equipment
other products include 25 and 12 litre two-pot domestic stoves and
free-standing water heaters. All products are factory-made according to
strict quality assurance procedures. Pds undertakes installation of
larger items and conducts user training throughout the region.

We hope this is of interest to the group and would be very happy to
provide more information as required. In turn we would appreciate
learning more about the group.

Yours,

Tony Potterton
Managing Director

--
Please note the change in our email address: pds.prg@africaonline.co.ke
(the word "users" has been removed)

PENROCHE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
P. O. BOX 42994 NAIROBI
TEL: +254 2 570783/92 FAX: +254 2 566020

POLICY RESEARCH GROUP
P.O. BOX 64598 NAIROBI KENYA
TEL: +254 2 570783/92 FAX: +254 2 566020

Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage

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From chwwwt at usit.net Wed Jun 10 09:22:40 1998
From: chwwwt at usit.net (Dr. Charles H. Wilson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Categories of Charcoal
Message-ID: <v03102805b1a43bf9c5fb@[205.241.213.38]>

Does anyone know of any categories for charcoal manufacture, e.g.
"natural," "lump," "low-fat," "etc."? Our company is looking into the
marketing of charcoal made from bamboo in third world countries and for the
U.S., but we do not know if there are any standard categories for charcoal
or if there is any charcoal regulating agency. Any information would be
appreciated.

===============================================================
Dr. Charles H. Wilson
West Wind Technology <http://esi.athenstn.com/wwt/wwt.html>
5 South Hill St. Athens TN 37303
Phone 423-745-5087 Fax 423-744-8689
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

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From gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in Thu Jun 11 09:19:16 1998
From: gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in (Priyadarshini Karve(SBO))
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Chimneys and Kilns - Carbonising Sawdust
In-Reply-To: <v01520d00b1a4154d5ab6@[199.2.222.132]>
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.96.980611170827.11892H-100000@physics>

Dear Stovers,
This may not be useful directly in Dr. Karstad's experiments, but
I think I should mention this as he has talked about testing a prototype
and then scaling up.
Some of you may remember that I had once mentioned a conveyer belt
type kiln wherein we pass bundles of dry biomass (sugarcane leaves in my
case) through a horizontal heated iron pipe. We tried this out and found
that it worked quite well except that the char caught fire as soon as it
was pushed out of the heated pipe. We were burning some of the sugarcane
leaves to generate the heat required for charring. We were putting 5 kg
leaves inside the pipe and burning 10 kg leaves in the stove below the
pipe. Both ends of the pipe were closed with lids during the charring
process. The first batch took 35 minutes and yielded about 3 kg of char.
The fire below was kept going by continuous addition of biomass. The pipe
was immediately filled with the next 5 kg biomass and so on. Once the pipe
was heated, subseqent batches took just 25 min. each. For every 5 kg
batch, we had to burn about 10 kg biomass to generate the heat. Even then,
3 kg char from 15 kg biomass is an efficiency of 20% which is quite high.
Excluding the first batch, we got about 6 kg char every hour.
The drawbacks here were the danger of fire (which we solved by
putting a shower at the outlet of the pipe to wet the char as it came out,
though this may not be possible in actual practice due to scarcity of
water) and the fact that we were venting the gases. So now we have
modified the technique. We have fabricated iron cans with lids. There is a
hole in the lid. Each can is filled with 1 kg sugarcane leaves. The cans
fit into the pipe. The pipe is fabricated out of perforated iron sheet so
that the gases coming out of the can burn in the fire from the stove below
the pipe. This is I suppose a modified form of Dr. Judkevitch's design.
Yesterday, we tested this kiln for the first time. Our present design
comfortably holds four cans at a time. After removing the cans from the
pipe, the small holes in their lids were closed with metal flaps and the
tins were allowed to cool down before opening. I do not yet have
quantitative data, but all four cans of the first batch yielded good
quality char.
We have also designed the Judkevitch type kiln and will now
compare the rate of char output of the two varieties. I think the biggest
advantage of this type of kilns is that it is not necessary to increase
the size of the kiln for large scale char production. The design therefore
is also suitable for a portable kiln, so that one avoids transport of the
bulky loose biomass from its source to the kiln.

Priyadarshini Karve.

On Wed, 10 Jun 1998, E. L. Karstad wrote:

> Apologies for the long delay in responding to your helpful message of
> 7/6/98, Alex. I've been running through the more likely permutations using
> a 200 liter metal drum with chimney and primary (bottom) air vent inlets.
> More on the results later.
>
> You ask how dry my sawdust is- air dry. I've determined it to be in the
> range of 12 to 15% using a sensitive scale and drying overnight on a ~50'
> C. surface (the top of an industrial boiler).
>
> My chimney is 11 cm dia. by 2 m. high at max extension. The damper is
> placed near the top. It probably doesn't provide much negative pressure in
> the drum in order to overcome the high resistance imposed by the small
> particle size and corresponding tiny airspaces of even loosely packed
> sawdust.
>
> My idea of allowing the chimney to 'float' on the sawdust via using a plate
> or cone with a diameter nearly the same as the inside of the drum is based
> on the principal of the 'Casamance' earth mound kiln used in Senegal, where
> the loosely covered earthen mound is allowed to collapse inward on the
> reducing mass of pyrolysing wood. Additional soil is added to restrict
> airflow as cracks appear. This is supposedly a method that signifigantly
> increases yield.
>
> The plate or cone inside the drum (attached to the chimney) would similarly
> 'track' the reducing volume of feedstock sawdust as it pyrolyses and maybe
> control airflow thereby reducing the chance of burning the charcoal powder
> to ash. The kiln is still being made, so no results yet.
>
> My current experiments have shown that bottom lighting a full charge
> (drumfull of sawdust), with or without a perforated grate above the level
> of the valved primary air holes, results in a very slow rate of
> carbonisation indeed, with quite a bit of material burning down to ash.
> Turn your back for a moment & the entire load can burn away once the charge
> has dried.
>
> Top lighting also progressed too slowly to be practical, the 200 litre
> drumload taking over 24 hours to carbonise, with a poor conversion rate of
> 8.5%. This is where the taller chimney could help, maybe, though too much
> airflow would undoubtably result in combustion to ash. The top-lit method
> doesn't allow for much vertical heat transfer, so drying prior to
> carbonisation is restricted to the area just below the pyrolysis zone.
> Again, maybe the plate or cone in contact with the top surface would
> inhibit total combustion to ash.
>
> I'm now running a series of trials without the chimney- just an open drum
> with a grate at the bottom placed above the primary air vents. The initial
> charge is only a couple cm. thick & ignites almost immediately. Close
> attendance is required, as as soon as the entire surface is black
> (carbonised) and flames or a hint of white ash is seen, another layer of
> sawdust is added. This seems to work pretty well, though the 'close
> attendance' has been noteably absent on the first trials, resulting in
> vigorous flames & reduced yield. Changing attendants seems to help......
>
> I think this could be scaled up to at least a 2000 litre galvanised steel
> watertank. Maybe 4000 litres? I'll get the technique and training developed
> on the 200 liter drum first, and if the conversion rates look promising,
> I'll scale up.
>
> Has this method of adding material in increments been used before? I'd
> appreciate (as always) any input from list members.
>
> I'll work on flaring the volatiles once my carbonisation method has been proven.
>
> Regards;
>
>
> elk
>
> _____________________________
> Elsen Karstad
> P.O Box 24371 Nairobi, Kenya
> Tel/Fax:254 2 884437
> E-mail: elk@arcc.or.ke
> _____________________________
>
>
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>

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From elk at arcc.or.ke Thu Jun 11 11:24:36 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E.L.Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: The Nairobi Stovers Forum
Message-ID: <199806111531.SAA03635@arcc.or.ke>

Stovers;

Todd Harris kindly took the chair at the Nairobi Stover's Forum - 29/5/98 -
These are his notes, together with my brief addendum.

elk

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------

Meeting Notes:
Cook Stove Forum
Silver Springs Hotel
29th May 1998

During the meeting several realizations were shared amongst the majority of
the participants.

*Information exchange between designers and various promoters --both private
and those from under the umbrella of organizations-- could be improved.
There appears to be a gap between available and willing intellectual
resources and those familiar with the task at hand. It was recommended that
participants utilize the Internet to bridge this gap. Surly forums such as
this one - people sharing a common interest coming together-- help to bridge
this gap.

*Activities between various organizations often work against each other.
The good-will of one program can unravel the hard work of another. One
origin of the problem, once again, appears to be a lack of coordination
between interested parties.

*Those attending the meeting showed a strong passion for their participation
towards bringing about better solutions for sustainable cooking practices.
Participants involved in information distribution were eager to learn about
the new technologies presented at the forum and to offer services. Those
presenting their new designs and technologies were enthusiastic about their
project.

*It was expressed that because of variations in diet and available fuel
resources, the concept of a "perfect stove" is unrealistic. Rather stove
design is driven by the environment within which it is used. This fact is
of particular importance when considering stove demand and distribution.

New technologies/designs presented at the forum include:
*A gel based fuel made using a sugarcane by-product. This new fuel could be
produced locally. The promoter is searching for a simple, inexpensive, long
lasting or recyclable stove design to suite the fuel.

*A new design for a fuel efficient, low emission stove which uses a
specially shaped, baked-clay fire chamber. Pumice is used as an insulator
and to make a "pumice-crete" containment vessel. The stove is currently
undergoing emissions and efficiency tests by a University of Nairobi student.

*A stove which produces cooking charcoal while cooking food. The idea
behind this stove is to provide a means to generate something useful, even
marketable, while one cooks the meals. This stove is said to be very clean
burning. Some consideration has been given to modify the design to enable
the user to produce fired building bricks as well!

Other Notes
*Promoters of the panel style solar cookers expressed that they are having
trouble with the durability of the cellulose based "oven bags" and the
carton based reflective surface of their cookers. They shared the efforts
being made to remedy these problems

*I feel the meeting was conducted using a format worthwhile of repeating
again. Each participant was given an opportunity to introduce him/herself
at length, to include what s/he felt s/he had to offer the other attendants,
and to express areas within their work in which they would like assistance
-i.e. product promotion, product design, and network contacts. "Two heads
are better than one," somebody else once said, so throwing our problems out
to the others who share a similar interest makes perfect sense.

At the end of the forum, most everyone walked away with the confidence that
the contacts
s/he had made that day would later bear fruit.

Todd Harris
Modern Jua Kali Designs

v
IMPORTANT: Please type in my name in the subject column for easy
identification of my mail. - gacccess@globalaccess.co.ke -

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------

Tod plans to join the list as soon as he sorts out his new laptop.

Another aspect of fuel supply discussed at the forum was tree plantations-
not only for charcoal, but for fuelwood as well. The pastoralist Maasai
tribe has been introduced to the concept of growing quick growing
high-biomass trees in an area of bush & grasslands near Nairobi. This
project looks very promising and is a completely cammercial venture
undertaken by Max Kinyanjui (of the Kenya Ceramic Stove) and outside
investors. This looks promising.

One note made concerning wood-fueled stove designs was that wood comes in
various sizes- lengths and diameters- as well as varied moisture content,
and "improved stoves' generally accept specifically sized, dry, pieces of
wood fuel. A three-stone fire is very flexible in this context.

The future of wood fuel supply may (hopefully) become more focussed on
plantation-based supply. In this case fuel wood may be graded to size and
moisture. Improved wood stoves may then become more widely accepted.

I noted that the established commercial stovers at the meeting were all
manufacturers of institutional-sized stoves. The commercial manufacturer of
single family stoves has yet to appear in Nairobi?

The general concensus was that this meeting should become an annual affair
in Nairobi. A lot of people met one another for the first time after years
of 'hearing' about one another. The informal round-table approach seems to
have allowed for the best rate of information exchange.

It is a great pity that Ronal missed much of the meeting. He was looking
forward to it with such enthusiastic optimism. To quote Ronal "There was
nobody there who shouldn't have been there!".

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From K.K.Prasad at phys.tue.nl Fri Jun 12 10:30:59 1998
From: K.K.Prasad at phys.tue.nl (K. K. Prasad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Chimneys and Kilns - Carbonising Sawdust
Message-ID: <199806121439.QAA09179@silicon.tue.nl>

Priyadarshini and other stovers:

The charring experiment described by Priyadarshini is at best
puzzling. 5 kg of dried leaves result in 3 kg of char.

It is in complete conflict with my knowledge of biomass properties.

How were the leaves dried? I assume they were air dried. If so, it
probably has a moisture content of 10%. I am not surprised if it was
15%. It must be remembered that the moisture content of leafy biomass
can be as high as 90% in its freshly harvested state.

As a first approximation, the ultimate analysis of biomass is Carbon
50%, Hydrogen 6%, Oxygen 42% and Ash 2%. Again to a first
approximation the proximate analysis of biomass is fixed carbon 20%,
volatiles 78% and ash 2%. Yet a third type of chemical analysis
states that biomass has 50% cellulose, 25% hemi-cellulose and 25%
lignin.

The carbonization process essentially tries to produce a fuel that is
carbon rich - probably between 80 and 90%.

What Priyadarshini's equipment produces is a product that is not char
(which in my terminology is fixed carbon in the proximate
analysis), but some form of carbon enriched biomass. It has lot more
volatiles than the conventional charcoal. This opinion is confirmed
by another observation of Priyadarshini - she says the "char" as it
comes out of the pipe it catches fire. This is a clear indication
that the pyrolysis process in her pipe is incomplete. Pure carbon -
according to me that is what char is - is extremely difficult to
light.

There is another aspect to the problem. As far as I can tell leafy
biomass will have very little lignin. It thus can be expected to have
much more cellulose than woody biomass. It is also commonly stated that
the woods that are ideal for charcoal are those that are rich in
lignin. If my guess above is correct leafy biomass are not ideal
candidates for use in the production of conventional charcoal.

This is not to say that the process is useless, but probably produces
a higher grade fuel from an otherwise waste material. This last point
requires confirmation.

Prasad

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From btremeer at dds.nl Sun Jun 14 07:33:00 1998
From: btremeer at dds.nl (Grant Ballard-Tremeer)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Charcoal usage in Asia or S.America?
In-Reply-To: <9804318966.AA896639786@Worldvision.CA>
Message-ID: <000001bd9788$0b811fc0$2f0deed4@blackthorn>

Thanks to all of you who helped me with contacts for charcoal usage in Asia
or South America. The organisers of the project eventually found a
possibility in Peru and are pursuing it themselves. I'll let you know if
there are further developments.

Best wishes
Grant

-------------------
Grant Ballard-Tremeer
btremeer@dds.nl; http://www.energy.demon.nl
-------------------

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From dstill at epud.org Sun Jun 14 14:13:14 1998
From: dstill at epud.org (Dean Still)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: reply to E.L. Karstad
Message-ID: <199806141819.LAA07975@epud.org>

Dear Mr. Karstad-

Thanks for the excellent report on the conference. If possible (please do
not go to any trouble) could you pass on the results of the testing being
done by the University student on the Rocket stove variation? It would be
interesting to compare it to the studies to be done by Professor Mark
Bryden and Alex English.

My class is working on variations of this stove to see if we can improve
combustion efficiency. Raising the chimney height seems to help. We are
also playing around with two other variables: Air holes in the top of the
chimney like a Z-stove and tapering the chimney, reducing the diameter of
the top, creating a "vortex". Will report on findings.

Thanks,

Dean Still
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From elk at arcc.or.ke Mon Jun 15 02:02:47 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E. L. Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Carbonising Waste Biomass - India & Kenya
Message-ID: <v01520d00b1a703c74865@[199.2.222.131]>

Stovers;

Priyadarshi Karve's trials with carbonising sugarcane leaves are looking
quite promising. I agree with the concept of taking the kiln to the
biomass, rather than incurring unnecessary transport expenses by reversing
the order.

A few questions for P.K.:

In the can, five kg of leaves produces 3 kg of char. Is this a high ash
product? The conversion is fantastic!

What is the initial moisture content and how much volume does one kg. of
sugarcane leaves take up? I'm looking for a comparison with sawdust here.

Do you see separate drying and pyrolysis phases? Smoke colour may be an
indicator.

How do you determine when pyrolysis is complete & the char is ready to be
removed?

Would initial shredding or milling the leaves be of benefit? Maybe
mechanical compaction? As you can guess, I haven't handled dried sugarcane
leaves myself- but Kenya is a sugar producing nation, so this work has
direct relevance here. Possibly for sun-dried water hyacynth too...

>From your latest trials, with venting volatiles into the external flame, do
you envision any possibility of modifying the process in order to eliminate
the need for an externally fueled heat source and running the whole process
on volatiles produced from the pyrolysing product?

I like the idea of using 'cans'. In this case, I see little reason for an
external pipe- perforated or not. A logical next step might be to run the
cans along tracks over an initial heating/drying fire, and once the
expanding volatile gasses issueing from the holes in the underside of the
cans ignite, the cans would be self-heating & move along a section of track
with no external heating. Small pilot-light flames may be necessary to keep
the volatiles combusting as long as they are being produced.

I've tried a similar method, as you may recall, using a heated 4" grain
auger to pyrolyse sawdust. The expanding volatile gasses were collected via
a manifold along the top of the pipe and ducted under their own pressure
into the external heating fire under the pipe. The intention was that this
was to be a continous flow-through sytem heated solely by combusting the
volatile gasses once the pipe was sufficiently heated by the external wood
fire.

The result, aside from some very interesting pyrotechnics as the volatile
gasses created impressive foot long flames, was indeterminate. The process
was too easily unbalanced- it was nearly impossible to attain a consistant
output of nicely charred particles of sawdust. Far too much wood was needed
as well. The auger in it's insulating fire tunnel is still in my yard
gathering rust, so I could revive it at any time should anybody have any
suggestions.

I like Priyadarshini's concept of 'bundling' in cans. This could lead to a
continuous flow of cans. A hybrid batch/continuous flow system.

What are your plans for the char?

Please try sawdust sometime!

My sawdust is slowly pyrolysis layer by layer in the drum outside my
(cough) office here. I find that a 2 m. tall chimney helps speed things up
considerably, but it's very easy to allow the carbonising sawdust to 'get
away' and flare.

elk

Note: This message was written prior to Prasad's comments on the same
subject. My server failed me- hence this late posting.

_____________________________
Elsen Karstad
P.O Box 24371 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel/Fax:254 2 884437
E-mail: elk@arcc.or.ke
_____________________________

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From gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in Wed Jun 17 06:14:17 1998
From: gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in (Priyadarshini Karve(SBO))
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: carbonising waste biomass: reply to Dr. Prasad and Dr. Karstad
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.96.980617145543.9919E-100000@physics>

Dear Stovers,
Dr. Prasad is right. The product of my charring kiln is more
properly described by the term carbon enriched biomass. I apologise for
using the word 'char' in a rather loose manner.
The carbon enriched biomass (let's call it ceb for short) is a
very useful product, nevertheless. The main reason for our going for the
charring process was that it is difficult to reduce dry sugarcane leaves
to a particulate form which can be then densified and used as an
alternative to wood. The ceb easily crumbles into a powder. It can be
briquetted using clay or plant mucilage or cowdung as binder. We have made
Grover type briquettes as well as cylindrical stick briquettes (both of
which require the use of moulds). We have also hand-pressed the bec+binder
mixture into balls. All these briquettes burn very well, giving smokeless
blue flame. So I can say that we have been successful in making a higher
grade fuel from a waste biomass.
In our new charring kiln which uses cans, I suppose we can reach
the char state if we allowed the biomass filled cans to stay inside the
kiln till they stopped giving out the volatiles. Of course that will bring
down the efficiency as well as the output rate, but if the resultant fuel
is of a sufficiently superior quality, this may be worthwhile. I will try
this out.
The biomass is sun dried so Dr. Prasad's estimate of 10-15%
moisture sounds right. The denser the packing of biomass in the can, the
better will be the efficiency of the process, though I am not sure how
this will influence the output rate. Because denser packing means you are
processing more biomass in each batch, but the processing time per batch
too will increase. In the case of our 'can' version, we are still trying
out various batch sizes, operation times, etc. so right now I would not
commit myself to any numbers regarding the packing density of the
sugarcane leaves. However, it will definately be much less than the
density of closely packed sawdust.
We did notice a change in the colour of the smoke coming out of
the horizontal pipe in our earlier version- initially it was black and
after some time (about 10 minutes) it became yellowish white. In the 'can'
version, the smoke from the firebox and the smoke from the charring
biomass are all mixed up.
In our primary experiments so far we checked how much time was
required to convert all the biomass uniformly into a black coloured
material that crumbles into a powder upon touching. We removed the cans
after that period had elapsed. Should we continue the process till the
cans stop giving out the volatiles which would probably be an indication
of complete charring?
I have not considered the possibility of operating the kiln on the
volatiles alone. In our experiments so far, this has not really looked
feasible. I will try it out all the same. The external pipe in our case is
only to guide the cans in this conveyer belt like system. We are thinking
of replacing the pipe with two horizontal parralel grates, with the walls
of the kiln acting as the side shields.
I will have more concrete data on the 'can' process by next week.
I think whatever works for sugarcane leaves will also work for any
other dried biomass including sawdust.
Priyadarshini Karve.

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From larcon at sni.net Thu Jun 18 08:35:05 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: Larson re-introduction
Message-ID: <v01540b01b1aea2e7213a@[204.133.28.8]>

Stove list members:
1. I returned about 10 days ago and am now back sharing duties with
Alex again. Many thanks to Alex! (who is continuing as I have promised a
vacation trip to my wife)
2. I had hoped to finish reading all my old e-mail before saying
"hello" again - but that finally proved to be impractical. The following
does not yet include having read all the stoves-digests that I saved up
(I'm still only half-way). I also still have not read all my snail mail.
3. After seeing doctors in the Denver area, I still don't know
what caused my collapse in Nairobi. I am putting it down to the double
pneumonia that was diagnosed, but think that was coupled with a vitamin
deficiency. I had lost about 15 pounds in the previous 6 weeks and was not
eating and sleeping well.
I recommend Elsen to be in charge for anyone wanting to duplicate
my experience. Without his assistance, this would have been a lot worse.
4. In the short time I remember events at the stoves conference, I
was very impressed by the many stoves experts who Elsen had brought
together. I felt the reports of the meeting indicate a lot of insight and
strength for stoves programs in Nairobi.
5. Elsen's stove and charcoaling research program is as good as
his medical expertise. Elsen's regular businesses are in trout farming,
raising chickens and in processing fish meal. (As a diversion, he is into
paragliding.) He is now having a lot of success processing the charcoal
fines into briquettes and I believe three employees are working full time
on this "sideline". His briquette (and other) sales are going well.
6. We talked a lot about charcoaling of sawdust. As Elsen has
indicated in recent notes, this still remains as an unsolved problem. My
recommendation is to try to generate a geometry that resembles the
charcoal-making stoves - lots of small vertical air flow paths. This is an
extension of the multi-channel sawdust combustor design that Priyadarshini
Karve described months ago, but with top-lighting. The need for removal of
a "mandrel" makes this fairly cumbersome - I'm afraid the sawdust
conversion problem still needs new ideas.
7. The trip to Ethiopia was a lot more successful than that to
Nairobi. All went well - but almost none was stove related. The new stove
idea that I had there was related to work I was doing on housing
construction for Kaffa. I believe that some charcoal-making (and maybe
other) stoves could have another co-product (besides charcoal) - in making
bricks.
As we all know, the side walls of all stoves get incredibly hot. I
think there is a chance that this "waste" heat might be used to vitrify
earth dried blocks that are also there to support the pot and to create a
chimney. The brick-making might take several restacking of these "chimney"
blocks, but I think that this might be done willingly by cooks, if the
bricks are income-generating. I will be trying this out, but at my present
rate of progress in getting rid of old priorities this will be next year.
I'd greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who has considered or tried this
idea or who might be able to do so.
8. Somewhat similar is the possible small-scale conversion of
limestone into a cement - again requiring lots of high-temperature heat
(which might be available in a can in the center of the combustion area).
This again is mainly designed to add sources of income for the stove-user.
This "waste" heat is largely recoverable. Any other small-scale
high-temperature thermal possibilities out there? Might this one work?
9. Thanks for several off-list welcome-back messages, which I
believe I have mostly responded to.
10. Its good to be back talking about stoves. More coming later. Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Thu Jun 18 08:35:09 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:55 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <v01540b02b1aeafb322ea@[204.133.28.8]>

Stovers: The following message came in privately many weeks ago and
indicates the continuing need for better ways to make charcoal. I hope
Bjorn (who I have just signed up for the list) will add a little more
through answers to the few questions I have inserted as I make his private
mail public.

(From a message received today:)
>Ron
>Thank you for your reply. Yes, we are still very interested in making
>charcoal.
>Our ignorance is big and we need to make charcoal out of a forest to keep
>our rehabilitation centre afloat.
> Why are stoves better than kilns? We are very interested. For us
>what is simpler is better as your labour is extremely unqualified.
>Bjorn

(Larson today:) Bjorn - I see three main reasons for
charcoal-making stoves being better than charcoal-making kilns.
a). There is about a 2/3 loss of energy in the latter - and
therefore a need to cut three times the number of trees.
b) The gases (CO, methane, H2, etc) released from kilns are about
twenty times worse for global-warming than is carbon dioxide (which is not
a problem as this will occur anyway as the biomass decomposes).
c) Charcoal-making stoves offer advantages of cleanliness and
controllability as well as income generation.

The problem is that these stoves still need further development
effort. They are not yet optimized. What are your organization's skills in
tis area? Can you tell us more about how you are organized.

>
>PS
>What software are you using for graphics. E.mail is far more cheaper than
>faxes but attachments have proven difficult. BB

(larson today:) - Bjorn - I am going to ask Alex to respond to
this. Are you able to access the web? See Alex' stove website at
http://www1.kingston.net/~english/Stoves.html

<snip>

(The following messager came in several months ago, which generated
the above response, as I caught up on mail. Bjorn's request is one that I
hope other list members can offer ideas for. A year ago we had some
discussion on ways to make pit, brick, or metal kilns that would be less
polluting than the traditional kilns. Anyone on the list able to offer any
progress reports on their kiln research?)

>>
>>>Dear charcoal maker
>>>We want to learn how to make charcoal.
>>>We are a charity organization in Swaziland working with rehabilitation of
>>>street children, drug addicts and ex alcohol abusers. We have free access
>>>to a big forest of eucalyptus and pineculata (hardwood not suitable for
>>>other purposes) There is a potential market for charcoal here, where
>>>people are using firewood for heating their houses in open fireplaces
>>>excellent charcoal. I am using charcoal myself which I buying Mozambique.
>>>
>>>We believe we know how to make different types of kilns but the problem
>>>we have is principally to find out when the charcoal is ready. Also to
>>>know when and how to regulate the oxygen. In one place we saw 3 to 10
>>>days cooking time but that is a great difference.
>>>
>>>WE have the possibility of getting a big petrol tank which possibly could
>>>be adapted but how??
>>>
>>>Looking forward to hearing from you.

Bjorn - welcome to our list. Hope you get some new ideas, Good luck in your
efforts. Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Thu Jun 18 21:53:05 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: The Cause?
Message-ID: <v01540b00b1af752d1ff3@[204.133.28.16]>

Stovers: Just after sending out my "re-introduction", explaining my
"collapse", I received this (truncated) message from Elsen. I would not
normally send this type of message into a technical list, but I think there
is an important non-stove message for us all here that was started on this
list, and there is probably at least some lingering curiosity.

From Elsen:
<snip>
> I turned up a packet of Sinutab (Warner- Lambert)
<snip>
>There are three active ingredients; Paracetemol, phenylpropanolamine
>hydrochloride and phenyltoloxamine citrate.
>
>Check this:
>
>Under phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride it states; may cause giddiness,
>nausea, headache, vomiting, sweating, thirst, tachycardia, prechordial
>pain, palpitations, difficulty in micturation, muscular weakness and
>tremors, anxiety, restlessness and insomnia. Hypertension and ventricular
>arrhythmias may occur. In patients with prostatic enlargement it may
>increase difficulty in micturation. Prolonged use may lead to rebound
>congestion.
>
>Wow.
>
>And as for phenyltoloxamine citrate, I won't type out the lot, as it's got
>even more contras than phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, but a few of
>interest:
>- innability to concentrate (lassitude)
>- elation or depression
>- irritability
>- nightmares
>- difficulty in micturation
>- Large doses may precipitate fits in epileptics
>- has anticholinergenic properties and should be used with care in
>conditions such as glaucoma and
>prostatic hypertrophy
>- Symptoms of stimulation in adults include insomnia, nervousness,
>tachycardia, tremors, muscle twitching and convulsions.
>
>Well, well.... I seem to recall you were popping Sinutab tablets like sweets!
>
>Let me know if your doctors concur with my preliminary diagnosis.
>
<snip>

I've started checking with the MDs - but I am personally convinced
Elsen has made the right diagnosis (although I admit only to half a dozen
sinutabs over about two days.
I had almost all these symptoms (and am a user of prostate
medication). Despite the big inconvenience and substantial expense of this
educational lesson, I feel much better knowing that I can avoid repeating
at least this particular comination of drugs. Please pass the warning on!!
In addition, I will for sure start reading the information contained with
such over-the-counter drugs.

Elsen - thanks again. Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From MJury at skm.com.au Thu Jun 18 22:33:17 1998
From: MJury at skm.com.au (Matthew Jury)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Briquetting
Message-ID: <199806190233.WAA27877@solstice.crest.org>

Greetings,

I am not sure if this is the appropriate newsgroup to post this question
to, so I apologize in advance if I am wasting everyone's time. However,
briquetting came up very frequently in this newsgroup when I carried out
a search on the web, so I thought it was worth posting this query.

I am an environmental scientist with consulting firm Sinclair Knight
Merz in Adelaide, Australia. I am currently undertaking a feasibility
study for one of our clients who is interested in producing a plant to
manufacture combustible briquettes from shredded, recycled greenwaste.
The client currently has an operation that collects and processes/shreds
greenwaste (including leaves and branches from municipal gardening and
tree pruning, as well as wood wastes such as pallets, packing crates,
posts and old furniture). The briquettes would typically be produced
from compressing the shredded greenwaste into a cylindrical form (about
250 mm in length and 100 mm diameter) for use in domestic fireplaces and
combustion stoves.

Our client is interested in purchasing an "off-the-shelf" machine to
produce these briquettes, either new or second hand. Our client is
looking to establish a plant as soon as possible and initial
investigations for suitable "off-the-shelf" items in Australia have
proved fruitless to date.

If anyone has any contacts with companies or individuals who may be able
to assist in this, or may have some further information for us, please
respond as soon as possible to the following address :

mjury@skm.com.au

Regards,

Matt Jury
Environmental Scientist

_____________________
SINCLAIR KNIGHT MERZ

215 Port Rd
Hindmarsh SA 5007
Tel: +61 8 8242 3826
Fax: +61 8 8242 3810
Email: mjury@skm.com.au
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From elk at arcc.or.ke Fri Jun 19 00:38:12 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E.L.Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Unutilised Sawdust
Message-ID: <199806190446.HAA05460@arcc.or.ke>

Stovers;

Just a couple quick notes:

I toured the forested uplands around Eldoret over last weekend, and one of
the most common roadside features over hundreds of kilometers of roads were
piles of sawdust.

Over one 8 km stretch along a road near Kaptagat (alt. 2400 m.), I counted
31 piles of fresh sawdust dumped in the roadside ditches. At an estimated
3.5 tons (dry wt.) per pile, that's 108500 kg. I cannot estimate the total
quantity dumped or produced per year in this region, but it must be
subsantial indeed.

Obviously, the sawmills have limited space for storing the collected
sawdust, and there is no significant local use for this material. Several
sawmills I passed were burning layeres of sun dried sawdust spread out on
the ground, creating huge amounts of smoke.

This sawdust was of a large particulate size- more like small chippings-
averaging just under 1 cm long by 3 mm wide (estimated). This is a much
larger particle than the urban woodworking sawdust I have been running my
carbonising trials on. I'm collecting a lorry-load of this rough-cut
material soon, and will run some comparative pyrolysis trials using the
progressive layer method.

--------------------

I have been attempting to gain access to the KCPU 'Kahawa Charcoal' plant
here in Nairobi with little success. The facility seems to be jealously
guarded for some reason. Have any of the list members been involved in this
project? I'd appreciate a description of the process. Wasn't this plant
established with Aid funding? I'd think that KPCU would be less secretive. Pity.

Interestingly, they do say that they are currently producing 7800 kg of
charcoal briquettes per day, and the price per bag for their product is
Ksh 660/- (USD $11.00); over 70% more expensive than a bag of 'bush'
charcoal sold in urban Nairobi. I don't know what market they have, but the
charcoal is not very popular due to it's distinctive odour when burnt. Can a
properly carbonised material smell? Maybe it's the binder (corn starch).

elk

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Elsen L. Karstad P.O. Box 24371 Nairobi Kenya. Fax (+254 2) 884437 Tel
884436, 882375
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------

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From english at adan.kingston.net Fri Jun 19 12:45:03 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
In-Reply-To: <v01540b02b1aeafb322ea@[204.133.28.8]>
Message-ID: <199806191653.MAA12428@adan.kingston.net>

> >What software are you using for graphics. E.mail is far more cheaper than
> >faxes but attachments have proven difficult. BB
>
> (larson today:) - Bjorn - I am going to ask Alex to respond to
> this. Are you able to access the web? See Alex' stove website at
> http://www1.kingston.net/~english/Stoves.html
>
Dear Bjorn,
I am no expert, but I may be able to help. Please let me know what
exactly you want to be able to do. Do you have the Netscape browser
and mail program?

Alex
Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage

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From larcon at sni.net Fri Jun 19 23:18:05 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: charcoal
Message-ID: <v01540b03b1b0b908397a@[204.133.28.21]>

Stovers: This message from another new member is somewhat like that from
Bjorn, but here with an emphasis on US regulations. Again - can anyone
help? Ron

Ryan - could you describe a little more on the scale you are thinking of?
Also - why charcoal is the preferred use for your biomass? Anything more
on location or special constraints will help our list to provide some
ideas. Ron

>From: KIAWEHI@aol.com
>Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 13:26:20 EDT
>To: larcon@sni.net
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Subject: charcoal
>
>TO: R. W. LARSON Phd.
>FROM: RYAN YAMAUCHI
>
>DR. LARSON, I SPOKE BRIEFLY WITH YOU THE OTHER DAY REGARDING CHARCOAL
>PRODUCTION. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD PASS ON ANY
>INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE ON THE SAFE PRODUCTION OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF
>CHARCOAL. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU DO NOT PROMOTE UNDER GROUND PITS, BUT
>RATHER ABOVE GROUND KILNS, I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS. ALSO, DO YOU
>HAPPEN TO KNOW ABOUT THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS REGARDING THE CHARCOAL PRODUCTION
>BUSINESS? I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU, YOU CAN ALSO FAX ME AT
>(808) 259-7442
>
>VERY TRULY YOURS,
>RYAN
>

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Fri Jun 19 23:18:10 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Charcoal Production
Message-ID: <v01540b04b1b0c5f2421b@[204.133.28.21]>

Stovers:

The date below will show you where I am today in catching up on my
old mail. A surprise that we have so much coming in on charcoaling!! As
with the other two recent messages, I have signed Tim up as a list member.
I offer a few comments, questions, and clarifications below as well. Ron

>Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 08:08:21 -0700
>To: larcon@sni.net
>From: Tim Schmidt <gardens@mail.mcn.org>
>Subject: Charcoal Production
>
>Dear Dr. Larson,
>
>I recently ran across the Crest website and followed with interest the
>various communications among you, Tom Reed and others regarding charcoal,
>its use in developing countries as a primary fuel source for cooking and
>its contribution to greenhouse gases during the production process. The
>reason I am writing is to not only pursue this topic in more detail, but to
>inform you of an afforestation project which our company is undertaking in
>Uganda, East Africa, and how charcoal produced in a more environmentally
>acceptable manner might be a component of our project.
>
>My colleague, Curtis Ashbeck, is now in Uganda concluding preliminary lease
>agreements for three government forest reserves totaling 25,000 hectares,
>which we intend to afforest over a period of eight to ten years. The
>existing vegetation will need to be cleared and consists of degraded
>savanna woodland thicket. This activity would present the first
>opportunity for industrial charcoal making on a large scale. Would it be
>economically feasible to combine this process with a co-generation scheme
>is which the products of incomplete combustion or pyrolysis are used to
>supply electricity to the grid and eventually to production facilities
>associated with our project, e.g., a sawmill and furniture factory? You
>mention in one of your notes that there are no real cost-effective
>generators now - do you mean small or large scale?

Larson: I think it should be entirely feasible to have such a
cogeneration (charcoal and electricity) scheme - but I know of none
preently operating. Even the gasification to electricity option is not
very common (see the gasification list also under crest).
If you are ready to use a steam engine option, this may be fairly
reasonable. With internal combustion engines, this is probably not
something to take on at this time.
Any other thoughts from the list?
>
>Part of our plantations will be devoted to fuelwood production and, given
>the preference of most urban dwellers in Uganda to cook with charcoal, this
>could be an important market should we wish to pursue it. However, I think
>the project will be much more attractive to potential lenders and investors
>if we are able to effectively use "waste products" including waste gases in
>our production cycle. Any further information you can provide would be
>most helpful. I am waiting to receive a copy of "Industrial Charcoal
>Making" through the Univ. of Calif. interlibrary loan service, so perhaps
>this publication will enlighten me somewhat, too. I have not been able to
>locate World Bank Energy Issue No. 1, by Robert van der Plas. Is this
>avialable anywhere that you know?

Sorry, I don't have it, but I'll bet someone on the list can help.
Concerning other uses of the waste heat, we have talked here about
bakeries, brick-making and pottery firing.
Another alternative is to package the wood for improved stoves.
What sort of transportation distances are involved?
>
>Thank you for taking the time to answer my queries. I look forward to
>pursuing this topic with you or any other interested parties.
>
>With best regards,
>
>Tim Schmidt
>Sustainable African Forest Industries
>P.O. Box 287
>Cazadero, CA 95421
>U.S.A.
>
>ph. & fax: 707-847-3667
>e-mail: gardens@mcn.org
>

Best of luck. Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From b.brandberg at mail.com Sat Jun 20 03:09:27 1998
From: b.brandberg at mail.com (Bj=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=f6rn_Brandberg?=)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Briquetting
Message-ID: <199806200709.DAA27230@solstice.crest.org>

Dear Matt
There is a company in Sweden making a briquetting machines which works
with a big variety of materials:

BOGMA MASKIN AB
P.O.BOX 71
S-52301 ULRICEHAMN
SWEDEN

TELEPHONE: +46-321 12010
FAX: +46-321 11340

If you need I can ask my contacts in Sweden to get an e-mail address for
you.
Pleas keep me informed about your progress.
Best regards

Bjorn Brandberg

SBI Consulting
P.O.Box 131, Eveni-Mbabane
Swaziland
Tel: +268-40067, 43243, Fax: 268-40067
e-mail: b.brandberg@mail.com

>Greetings,
>
>I am not sure if this is the appropriate newsgroup to post this question
>to, so I apologize in advance if I am wasting everyone's time. However,
>briquetting came up very frequently in this newsgroup when I carried out
>a search on the web, so I thought it was worth posting this query.
>
>I am an environmental scientist with consulting firm Sinclair Knight
>Merz in Adelaide, Australia. I am currently undertaking a feasibility
>study for one of our clients who is interested in producing a plant to
>manufacture combustible briquettes from shredded, recycled greenwaste.
>The client currently has an operation that collects and processes/shreds
>greenwaste (including leaves and branches from municipal gardening and
>tree pruning, as well as wood wastes such as pallets, packing crates,
>posts and old furniture). The briquettes would typically be produced
>from compressing the shredded greenwaste into a cylindrical form (about
>250 mm in length and 100 mm diameter) for use in domestic fireplaces and
>combustion stoves.
>
>Our client is interested in purchasing an "off-the-shelf" machine to
>produce these briquettes, either new or second hand. Our client is
>looking to establish a plant as soon as possible and initial
>investigations for suitable "off-the-shelf" items in Australia have
>proved fruitless to date.
>
>If anyone has any contacts with companies or individuals who may be able
>to assist in this, or may have some further information for us, please
>respond as soon as possible to the following address :
>
> mjury@skm.com.au
>
>Regards,
>
>Matt Jury
>Environmental Scientist
>
>_____________________
>SINCLAIR KNIGHT MERZ
>
>215 Port Rd
>Hindmarsh SA 5007
>Tel: +61 8 8242 3826
>Fax: +61 8 8242 3810
>Email: mjury@skm.com.au
>Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
>http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
>Stoves Webpage
>http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>
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From b.brandberg at mail.com Sat Jun 20 03:09:36 1998
From: b.brandberg at mail.com (Bj=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=f6rn_Brandberg?=)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <199806200709.DAA27231@solstice.crest.org>

Dear list members,
Ron, Thank you for putting me on the list.
Assuming that this message reaches other list members I can inform you
that we are basically a voluntary social organisation working with
rehabilitation of street children, drug addicts and alcoholics from
Mbabane, the capital of the kingdom of Swaziland which has less than
one million people and is squeezed in between Mozambique and South Africa
in southern Africa.

We are presently surviving on private donations but need to generate our
own income as the donations are ad hoc and not reliable. If we make a
serious mistake or any other organisation becomes more popular we will go
bankrupt and close down. It would be a lot better for us to be
economically independent.
One of our assets is free access to a "useless" forest with eucalyptus
and pinecualta and a simple saw mill. The people who are working at the
centre are all volunteers. Full time volunteers get food and housing
while people like me spend some free time like Saturdays and evenings on
the computer to assist as well as we can.
Presently we cannot see many alternatives to charcoal making for the
use of the type of wood we have access to, though we have been looking at
many alternatives including production of sawn timber, glulam lintels and
table-tops. We are some people with technical background. I myself am an
architect and building engineer. Jayson is car mechanic and a draftsman.
George is a workshop mechanic and "Kevin's father in law" (I don't know
his name yet) is a carpenter and an all round skilled person. Kevin
himself is an ex hotel manager, rugby player, preacher and the driving
force behind the whole programme. Sherlie is making the book keeping and
other people are working in the kitchen. The premises where we are belong
to Kevin's father.
If there is a good purpose we can mobilise other resource people for
short term inputs like plumbing and welding. Unskilled labour can be
hired but costs precious money. Our "clients" should be used for hard
labour, which is good therapy, but have problems with skill and
commitment, as most of them has grown up under completely unorganised
conditions and are not used to work at all. Begging and stealing has been
their major source of income since they often at early age abandoned or
were expelled by their respective families.
I see my role as a more enthusiastic than competent adviser on
production, management and technical issues. I earn my living as a
technical adviser (consultant) on latrine building and environmental
hygiene for low income areas (rural and slum areas), principally in
Africa.

Our problem is: How can we get money out of the forest?? Firewood would
not pay for the transport as there are lot of people selling firewood
closer to town and wood is abundant everywhere.
For the charcoal making we need to make a market assessment through
experimental sale. Charcoal is not commonly used here. For that we will
need a simple process to start with and continue with more sophisticated
and possibly better methods.
I understand that stoves may be better in many aspects but it may
require more investments in terms of technology and money. For us just
now the answer is the simpler the better. The amount of wood we consume
is close uninteresting as the forest is growing faster than we can cut.
But experimenting with bad result is very discouraging for people working
without a salary. Our motivation is contribution and result.
Environmental protection is an important factor but we are far from other
people in mountainous forest area where bush fires are so common that
nobody really cares about the smoke. We had a forest fire going on for
two days because of strong wind. The fire people were there but had not
enough water. We had to wait for the wind to calm down. We lost thousands
of tonnes of wood but have still more than we can make use of.

We have tried to explore the internet and various e-mail contacts on
charcoal making etc and have got some information on charcoal making
using kilns, except one critical missing question: How do we know when
the wood is sufficiently carbonised??

We have been offered two petrol tanks from petrol stations. We don't
know the size yet but they should be relatively big underground tanks.

Well, now you have got some background information about our situation
and our needs. Good ideas and knowledge is welcome.

Bjorn Brandberg

For the LightHouse Foundation
P.O.Box 131, Eveni-Mbabane
Swaziland
Tel: +268-40067, 43243, Fax: 268-40067
e-mail: b.brandberg@mail.com

>Stovers: The following message came in privately many weeks ago and
>indicates the continuing need for better ways to make charcoal. I hope
>Bjorn (who I have just signed up for the list) will add a little more
>through answers to the few questions I have inserted as I make his private
>mail public.
>
>(From a message received today:)
>>Ron
>>Thank you for your reply. Yes, we are still very interested in making
>>charcoal.
>>Our ignorance is big and we need to make charcoal out of a forest to keep
>>our rehabilitation centre afloat.
>> Why are stoves better than kilns? We are very interested. For us
>>what is simpler is better as your labour is extremely unqualified.
>>Bjorn
>
> (Larson today:) Bjorn - I see three main reasons for
>charcoal-making stoves being better than charcoal-making kilns.
> a). There is about a 2/3 loss of energy in the latter - and
>therefore a need to cut three times the number of trees.
> b) The gases (CO, methane, H2, etc) released from kilns are about
>twenty times worse for global-warming than is carbon dioxide (which is not
>a problem as this will occur anyway as the biomass decomposes).
> c) Charcoal-making stoves offer advantages of cleanliness and
>controllability as well as income generation.
>
> The problem is that these stoves still need further development
>effort. They are not yet optimized. What are your organization's skills in
>tis area? Can you tell us more about how you are organized.
>
>>
>>PS
>>What software are you using for graphics. E.mail is far more cheaper than
>>faxes but attachments have proven difficult. BB
>
> (larson today:) - Bjorn - I am going to ask Alex to respond to
>this. Are you able to access the web? See Alex' stove website at
>http://www1.kingston.net/~english/Stoves.html
>
> <snip>
>
> (The following messager came in several months ago, which generated
>the above response, as I caught up on mail. Bjorn's request is one that I
>hope other list members can offer ideas for. A year ago we had some
>discussion on ways to make pit, brick, or metal kilns that would be less
>polluting than the traditional kilns. Anyone on the list able to offer any
>progress reports on their kiln research?)
>
>
>>>
>>>>Dear charcoal maker
>>>>We want to learn how to make charcoal.
>>>>We are a charity organization in Swaziland working with rehabilitation of
>>>>street children, drug addicts and ex alcohol abusers. We have free access
>>>>to a big forest of eucalyptus and pineculata (hardwood not suitable for
>>>>other purposes) There is a potential market for charcoal here, where
>>>>people are using firewood for heating their houses in open fireplaces
>>>>excellent charcoal. I am using charcoal myself which I buying Mozambique.
>>>>
>>>>We believe we know how to make different types of kilns but the problem
>>>>we have is principally to find out when the charcoal is ready. Also to
>>>>know when and how to regulate the oxygen. In one place we saw 3 to 10
>>>>days cooking time but that is a great difference.
>>>>
>>>>WE have the possibility of getting a big petrol tank which possibly could
>>>>be adapted but how??
>>>>
>>>>Looking forward to hearing from you.
>
>
>Bjorn - welcome to our list. Hope you get some new ideas, Good luck in your
>efforts. Ron
>
>Ronal W. Larson, PhD
>21547 Mountsfield Dr.
>Golden, CO 80401, USA
>303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
>larcon@sni.net
>
>
>Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
>http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
>Stoves Webpage
>http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>

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From larcon at sni.net Sun Jun 21 00:25:29 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Easy-Lite and other carbonization stoves
Message-ID: <v01540b02b1b23319be6c@[204.133.28.10]>

Stovers:
1. I am getting closer to the end of the un-read messages - this
one came in a week ago - (like the others) from a person (Alexandre
Boursier) who I have also just added to the list..
2. However, unlike the other recent messages I have forwarded,
this one deals with stoves - and also with charcoal-making.
3. See other notes, questions and answers interspersed below.

>Hello Ronal,
>
>I'm presently in Honduras working on charcoal-making issues in a Quebec
>international development project. I have more questions than answers for
>you, but if you could maybe give me a hint on a few subject, it would be
>very kind of you:

(Larson): Alexandre: I'm sure our list would like to hear more
about your project - are you in Honduras for quite a while? By yourself?
Are you to report on activities or are you also supposed to develop
promising options? , etc?
>
>I'm comparing 3 different stoves in terms of productivity in % of the weight
>of charcoal made from a certain weight of wood.

(Larson): I'm afraid this sentence is not clear. It sounds like
all three stoves are making charcoal - but I didn't think there were that
many different types of charcoal-making stoves to test. Alternatively,
maybe you are testing charcoal-making kilns. Or alternatively maybe you
are testing charcoal-using stoves. Could you please clarify - and
especially describe more about these three stoves - and perhaps also what
you are learning.

>Concerning polution, I'm
>wondering if burning wood in a stove to cook food or to burn it to make
>charcoal isn't just the same thing in terms of smoke and other polutants?
>
>Do you know about this? If you do, it would really help. Thanks,
>
>Alexandre Boursier (alexboursier@hotmail.com)

(Larson): This is a topic requiring a much longer answer - and we
have had considerable discussion along these lines for the last several
years on this list. The usual making of charcoal in pits is a highly
polluting activity and all of the valuable pyrolysis gases are almost
always lost. A charcoal-making stove needs also to be compared with the
usual methods of making charcoal - not just with the usual means of cooking
using wood.

However, the usual charcoal-making stove that we have been
discussing on this list also seems to be cleaner than the usual
wood-burning stove (on average - not under optimum conditions). I rarely
see any smoke, and the limited testing that I have done (and heard of)
seems to show low pollutants. In your question above where you say "... or
to burn it to make
charcoal.." should be rephrased to replace "burn" with "pyrolyze". We
usually achieve about 25% conversion efficiency - something that would not
be possible with "burn".

Although you didn't ask about efficiency, it seems to be able to be
as high as with other stoves. One reason is that the ability to control
power output is good - perhaps a turndown ratio of about 3 (by controlling
the primary air supply).

A lot more work remains to be done - and I'm sure that many on the
list would like to hear more about your own work. Sorry for the delay in
getting back to you and look forward to hearing more about your work. Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From elk at arcc.or.ke Mon Jun 22 02:47:33 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E. L. Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Sun-Drying Extruded Charcoal Briquettes
Message-ID: <v01520d00b1b3d3a123bc@[199.2.222.133]>

Stovers;

As winter sets in here in Nairobi, sun-drying the extruded charcoal
briquettes produced by my pilot project for salvaging the waste fines from
urban charcoal vendor's sites, becomes difficult. Drying the clay-bound
briquettes in the hot season takes just over one day on plastic sheets
spread on the ground. Now, with only irregular (and unusual) sun, drying
stretches to five days.

As I'm now exceeding one tonne per day output, there is a lot of area
covered by plastic sheeting, and the amount of crumbles is excessive as the
sheets are folded over the drying material every night and whenever it
rains. The briquettes must be spread out by hand every time the sheets are
opened. The briquettes need about two hours of direct sun or at least one
whole sunless day to harden up to a point where they can withstand this
sort of movement without significant crumbling.

My solution to this is to dry the material on long 1 meter wide
chicken-wire screens built above the ground constructed of 2"X 2" timbers.
Galvanised chicken wire with half inch holes comes in 30 m. rolls and is
relatively inexpensive, being a (locally) mass-produced agricultural item.
Air flow is facilitated around the briquettes on the raised screen, and
drying time is cut to 3 sunless days from 5. The briquettes do not now have
to be moved, as plastic sheeting is simply draped over top along the length
of the 30 m. long trestles. Air drying at night can continue from beneath,
even when the material is covered. When the freshly extruded briquettes are
initially spread out on the screen, a plastic sheet placed temporarily
below catches any crumbles for re-processing.

One square meter (one running meter of trestle) carries an average of ten
kg of dried briquettes piled randomly two-deep.

So- labour is cut drastically, wasteage from crumbling is almost
eliminated, much less plastic sheeting is required, quality is improved by
more even and consistant drying and the grass can grow again.

Now; back to the sawdust carboniser......

Regards;

elk

_____________________________
Elsen Karstad
P.O Box 24371 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel/Fax:254 2 884437
E-mail: elk@arcc.or.ke
_____________________________

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From klunne at ITC.NL Mon Jun 22 04:08:19 1998
From: klunne at ITC.NL (Wim Klunne)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Charcoal Production
In-Reply-To: <v01540b04b1b0c5f2421b@[204.133.28.21]>
Message-ID: <358E0F28.70379119@ITC.NL>

Tim Schmidt <gardens@mail.mcn.org>
> >Subject: Charcoal Production

I have not been able to
> >locate World Bank Energy Issue No. 1, by Robert van der Plas. Is this
> >avialable anywhere that you know?
>
>

This publication is available on the Internet at
http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/energynotes/energy01.html

Regards,

Wim Klunne

===========================================================
ir W.E. Klunne (rural energy specialist)
ITC / rural energy & development (room 4-011)
PO Box 6, 7500 AA Enschede, the Netherlands

phone: +31 53 4874 218 (direct)
+31 53 4874 222 (secretary)
fax: +31 53 4874 399
e-mail: klunne@itc.nl

INTERNET
rural energy & development http://www.itc.nl/ha2/energy/
forest science division http://www.itc.nl/ha2/forest/
personal pages http://www.itc.nl/~klunne/
===========================================================
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From fankenya at AfricaOnline.co.ke Mon Jun 22 06:28:37 1998
From: fankenya at AfricaOnline.co.ke (fankenya@AfricaOnline.co.ke)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
In-Reply-To: <199806200709.DAA27231@solstice.crest.org>
Message-ID: <31C9ACD2.273@africaonline.co.ke>

Björn Brandberg wrote:
>
> Dear list members,
> Ron, Thank you for putting me on the list.
> Assuming that this message reaches other list members I can inform you
> that we are basically a voluntary social organisation working with
> rehabilitation of street children, drug addicts and alcoholics from
> Mbabane, the capital of the kingdom of Swaziland which has less than
> one million people and is squeezed in between Mozambique and South Africa
> in southern Africa.
>
> We are presently surviving on private donations but need to generate our
> own income as the donations are ad hoc and not reliable. If we make a
> serious mistake or any other organisation becomes more popular we will go
> bankrupt and close down. It would be a lot better for us to be
> economically independent.
> One of our assets is free access to a "useless" forest with eucalyptus
> and pinecualta and a simple saw mill. The people who are working at the
> centre are all volunteers. Full time volunteers get food and housing
> while people like me spend some free time like Saturdays and evenings on
> the computer to assist as well as we can.
> Presently we cannot see many alternatives to charcoal making for the
> use of the type of wood we have access to, though we have been looking at
> many alternatives including production of sawn timber, glulam lintels and
> table-tops. We are some people with technical background. I myself am an
> architect and building engineer. Jayson is car mechanic and a draftsman.
> George is a workshop mechanic and "Kevin's father in law" (I don't know
> his name yet) is a carpenter and an all round skilled person. Kevin
> himself is an ex hotel manager, rugby player, preacher and the driving
> force behind the whole programme. Sherlie is making the book keeping and
> other people are working in the kitchen. The premises where we are belong
> to Kevin's father.
> If there is a good purpose we can mobilise other resource people for
> short term inputs like plumbing and welding. Unskilled labour can be
> hired but costs precious money. Our "clients" should be used for hard
> labour, which is good therapy, but have problems with skill and
> commitment, as most of them has grown up under completely unorganised
> conditions and are not used to work at all. Begging and stealing has been
> their major source of income since they often at early age abandoned or
> were expelled by their respective families.
> I see my role as a more enthusiastic than competent adviser on
> production, management and technical issues. I earn my living as a
> technical adviser (consultant) on latrine building and environmental
> hygiene for low income areas (rural and slum areas), principally in
> Africa.
>
> Our problem is: How can we get money out of the forest?? Firewood would
> not pay for the transport as there are lot of people selling firewood
> closer to town and wood is abundant everywhere.
> For the charcoal making we need to make a market assessment through
> experimental sale. Charcoal is not commonly used here. For that we will
> need a simple process to start with and continue with more sophisticated
> and possibly better methods.
> I understand that stoves may be better in many aspects but it may
> require more investments in terms of technology and money. For us just
> now the answer is the simpler the better. The amount of wood we consume
> is close uninteresting as the forest is growing faster than we can cut.
> But experimenting with bad result is very discouraging for people working
> without a salary. Our motivation is contribution and result.
> Environmental protection is an important factor but we are far from other
> people in mountainous forest area where bush fires are so common that
> nobody really cares about the smoke. We had a forest fire going on for
> two days because of strong wind. The fire people were there but had not
> enough water. We had to wait for the wind to calm down. We lost thousands
> of tonnes of wood but have still more than we can make use of.
>
> We have tried to explore the internet and various e-mail contacts on
> charcoal making etc and have got some information on charcoal making
> using kilns, except one critical missing question: How do we know when
> the wood is sufficiently carbonised??
>
> We have been offered two petrol tanks from petrol stations. We don't
> know the size yet but they should be relatively big underground tanks.
>
> Well, now you have got some background information about our situation
> and our needs. Good ideas and knowledge is welcome.
>
> Bjorn Brandberg
>
> For the LightHouse Foundation
> P.O.Box 131, Eveni-Mbabane
> Swaziland
> Tel: +268-40067, 43243, Fax: 268-40067
> e-mail: b.brandberg@mail.com
>
>
>
> >Stovers: The following message came in privately many weeks ago and
> >indicates the continuing need for better ways to make charcoal. I hope
> >Bjorn (who I have just signed up for the list) will add a little more
> >through answers to the few questions I have inserted as I make his private
> >mail public.
> >
> >(From a message received today:)
> >>Ron
> >>Thank you for your reply. Yes, we are still very interested in making
> >>charcoal.
> >>Our ignorance is big and we need to make charcoal out of a forest to keep
> >>our rehabilitation centre afloat.
> >> Why are stoves better than kilns? We are very interested. For us
> >>what is simpler is better as your labour is extremely unqualified.
> >>Bjorn
> >
> > (Larson today:) Bjorn - I see three main reasons for
> >charcoal-making stoves being better than charcoal-making kilns.
> > a). There is about a 2/3 loss of energy in the latter - and
> >therefore a need to cut three times the number of trees.
> > b) The gases (CO, methane, H2, etc) released from kilns are about
> >twenty times worse for global-warming than is carbon dioxide (which is not
> >a problem as this will occur anyway as the biomass decomposes).
> > c) Charcoal-making stoves offer advantages of cleanliness and
> >controllability as well as income generation.
> >
> > The problem is that these stoves still need further development
> >effort. They are not yet optimized. What are your organization's skills in
> >tis area? Can you tell us more about how you are organized.
> >
> >>
> >>PS
> >>What software are you using for graphics. E.mail is far more cheaper than
> >>faxes but attachments have proven difficult. BB
> >
> > (larson today:) - Bjorn - I am going to ask Alex to respond to
> >this. Are you able to access the web? See Alex' stove website at
> >http://www1.kingston.net/~english/Stoves.html
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > (The following messager came in several months ago, which generated
> >the above response, as I caught up on mail. Bjorn's request is one that I
> >hope other list members can offer ideas for. A year ago we had some
> >discussion on ways to make pit, brick, or metal kilns that would be less
> >polluting than the traditional kilns. Anyone on the list able to offer any
> >progress reports on their kiln research?)
> >
> >
> >>>
> >>>>Dear charcoal maker
> >>>>We want to learn how to make charcoal.
> >>>>We are a charity organization in Swaziland working with rehabilitation of
> >>>>street children, drug addicts and ex alcohol abusers. We have free access
> >>>>to a big forest of eucalyptus and pineculata (hardwood not suitable for
> >>>>other purposes) There is a potential market for charcoal here, where
> >>>>people are using firewood for heating their houses in open fireplaces
> >>>>excellent charcoal. I am using charcoal myself which I buying Mozambique.
> >>>>
> >>>>We believe we know how to make different types of kilns but the problem
> >>>>we have is principally to find out when the charcoal is ready. Also to
> >>>>know when and how to regulate the oxygen. In one place we saw 3 to 10
> >>>>days cooking time but that is a great difference.
> >>>>
> >>>>WE have the possibility of getting a big petrol tank which possibly could
> >>>>be adapted but how??
> >>>>
> >>>>Looking forward to hearing from you.
> >
> >
> >Bjorn - welcome to our list. Hope you get some new ideas, Good luck in your
> >efforts. Ron
> >
> >Ronal W. Larson, PhD
> >21547 Mountsfield Dr.
> >Golden, CO 80401, USA
> >303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
> >larcon@sni.net
> >
> >
> >Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> >http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> >Stoves Webpage
> >http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
> >
>
> Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> Stoves Webpage
> http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

--
Forest Action Network
P O Box 21428, Nairobi. Kenya
Tel/Fax: 254-2-718398
E-mail Address: fankenya@africaonline.co.ke
Internet: http://www.ftpp.or.ke/
Physical Address: Magiwa Estate; Hse. No. 34

"Working and Learning with Local Communities"

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 22 11:34:13 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Auke Koopmans on charcoaling
Message-ID: <v01540b03b1b418eec475@[204.133.28.32]>

Stovers: I received this following very useful charcoaling response from
Auke Koopmans (who is with FAO) answering an off-list query about an FAO
report on charcoaling. Because Auke's response is so useful and goes well
beyond my original query, I am assuming that Auke will not mind my passing
it on to the whole 'stoves' list. Auke - If you can also add whether any
of these many techniques you have mentioned are flaring, I think it will
help a lot of list readers.
I decided to include Auke's last questions on list sponsorship as a
way of thanking Auke (and Kirk Smith). Tom Miles has reported separately
to Auke and I (>"Please use the online sponsorship form in the archives and
send fund directly to CREST.")

The rest of this message is from Auke (Auke - Thanks very much):

"Dear Ronal,

FAO Manual # 41 is entitled "Simple technologies for charcoal making" and
basically describes what charcoal is all about as well as charcoal making
methods: Pit method, Mound kilns (Casamanca, Swedish earth kiln), Half
orange Argentine kiln, Brazilian Beehive kiln, Slope type beehive kiln,
Missouri kiln, Transportable metal kilns, etc.

The Brazilian beehive kiln is (was) widely used in Minas Gerais. These are
internally heated, fixed batch type kilns. These kilns are dome shaped and
are lighted from the top. The gases pass downward through the load and are
vented through 6 short stacks built around the circumference of the kiln
(diameter 5 meter with an effective volume of about 45 cubic meters).
Although the manual does not say so, I assume that the gases are just
vented. This is also based on a statement in the text that says: "......the
total number of kilns must be limited to 35 or 42 due to the fumes from the
chimneys as, although not harmful to health (Kirk Smith certainly will not
agree) these fumes irritate eyes and lungs. Charcoal making centres
therefore should be located at least 2 km. away from villages......."

Besides # 41, there is also FAO Manual # 63 "Industrial charcoal making".
This has chapters on Wood carbonization and the products it yields, Modern
carbonizing retort systems (Waggon or Arkansas retort, Reichert retort,
Lambiotte or SIFIC, Fluidized bed, etc.) and other related chapters on
economics , planning, quality control, etc. I can try to get copies of it if
required.

By the way, while looking for Tom's message in the Archive list, I saw that
Kirk Smith and I am sponsoring it. Tom did request sponsors last year. After
I offered to sponsor, I have never heard nor seen anything again about it.
However, this was just before Tom Miles senior passed away. Tom may have
forgotten about it but my offer still stands.

Best regards,

Auke Koopmans (FAORAP) <Auke.Koopmans@fao.org>"

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 22 16:14:37 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Request for report
Message-ID: <199806222014.QAA02618@solstice.crest.org>

id LAA17897
Sender: owner-stoves@crest.org
Precedence: bulk

Stovers:

Last month Tom Miles mentioned Javier's name in connection with
charcoal making in Brazil. I invited Javier to subscribe with the
following response, which I include because it is a partial introduction.

Javier - Two more questions -
1) Would you describe your present organization(s) and its/their
activities (> Latin America & CamBioTec-Canada; > BIOTECanada)
2) Are you aware of any charcoal-making operations where the waste
pyrolysis groups are flared, rather than vented?

Welcome to our group. Ron

>From Javier:
>Ron:
>
>I'd be glad to participate in the improved stoves & related issues list,
>hopefully oriented towards sustainable use of biomass for energy in rural
>areas. Between 1978 to 1986, I was involved in appropriate bio-energy
>technologies in Peru and Latin America: biogas, compost, charcoal,
>briquettes, wood gasifiers (low BTU gas), etc. Thanks.
>
>Javier.

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Dr. Javier Ver·stegui
> Coordinator, Latin America & CamBioTec-Canada
> BIOTECanada
> 420-130 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G4
> Tel: (613) 563-8849. Fax: (613) 563-8850.
> E-mail: javier@biotech.ca <mailto:javier@biotech.ca>
> Website: www.biotech.ca <http://www.biotech.ca>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 22 21:27:05 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Sun-Drying Extruded Charcoal Briquettes
Message-ID: <v01540b09b1b42bc93285@[204.133.28.32]>

Elsen:
Thanks for the detailed information on your briquette drying. I
have several friends at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
who are working on solar drying technologies. They are especially
inetrested in applications such as yours which are needed every day of the
year (many crop drygin needs are over in a few months). I am therefore
passing your full message on to them.

Your design may already be essentially a solar drying operation -
but I didn't see words like solar absorber and collector efficiency. The
issue is whether a higher solar efficiency would save you money - as your
construction costs sound very low already. I suppose that taking up less
space may also be important to you. I suppose dryer experts can give an
idea of whether you can be assured of less than a 3-day stay under all
circumstances.

One of the design parameters for solar dryers is adding a "solar
chimney" which can greatly increase the air flow - and perhaps especially
the night time air flow. The use of a fan may be justified. The proceedings
of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) generally have several
papers on these topics. Craig Christensen is an expert in the use of
unglazed perforated sheets as the collector surfaces - inherently low cost.

Regards Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 22 22:06:27 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Response from Javier
Message-ID: <v01540b06b1b4bf5f0e9b@[204.133.28.9]>

Stovers - Javier's response came through to me rather than the full list,
so I hereby forward it. Ron

>Dear Ron,
>
>Thanks for including my name in the STOVE list. Please see below my answers
>to your last 2 questions:
>
>1) Would you describe your present organization(s) and its/their activities
>(> Latin America & CamBioTec-Canada; > BIOTECanada)
>
>BIOTECanada is the Canadian nation-wide association of biotechnology
>companies, regional associations and main research centres. Its mission is
>to promote the sustainable development of the Canadian biotechnology
>community, particularly by helping to increase its competitiveness in the
>global markets. BIOTECanada is involved in CamBioTec, the IDRC-sponsored
>"Canada-Latin America Initiative for the Sustainable Development of
>Biotechnology", by running the corresponding focal point in Canada.
>CamBioTec also has focal points in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and
>Mexico. CamBioTec activities include the transfer of Canadian expertise on
>policy and regulations issues (thorugh seminars, courses, workshops), as
>well as the promotion of strategic alliances between Canadian & Latin
>American firms and R&D centres (through business missions, partnering
>meetings and brokering services). For more information about CamBioTec
>activities please brouse our page at BIOTECanada's website: www.biotech.ca
><http://www.biotech.ca>
>
>2) Are you aware of any charcoal-making operations where the waste
>pyrolysis groups are flared, rather than vented?
>
>I am sorry but I am not aware of these type of operations.
>
>Regards!
>
>Javier
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Dr. Javier Verástegui
>Coordinator, Latin America & CamBioTec-Canada
>BIOTECanada
>420-130 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G4
>Tel: (613) 563-8849. Fax: (613) 563-8850.
>E-mail: javier@biotech.ca <mailto:javier@biotech.ca>
>Website: www.biotech.ca <http://www.biotech.ca>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: larcon@sni.net [SMTP:larcon@sni.net]
> Sent: Monday, June 22, 1998 11:57 AM
> To: stoves@crest.org
> Cc: Verastegui, Javier - BIOTECanada
> Subject: RE: Request for report
>
> Stovers:
>
> Last month Tom Miles mentioned Javier's name in connection
>with
> charcoal making in Brazil. I invited Javier to subscribe with the
> following response, which I include because it is a partial
>introduction.
>
> Javier - Two more questions -
>
> Welcome to our group. Ron
>
> From Javier:
> >Ron:
> >
> >I'd be glad to participate in the improved stoves & related issues
>list,
> >hopefully oriented towards sustainable use of biomass for energy in
>rural
> >areas. Between 1978 to 1986, I was involved in appropriate
>bio-energy
> >technologies in Peru and Latin America: biogas, compost, charcoal,
> >briquettes, wood gasifiers (low BTU gas), etc. Thanks.
> >
> >Javier.
>
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > Dr. Javier Verastegui
> > Coordinator, Latin America & CamBioTec-Canada
> > BIOTECanada
> > 420-130 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G4
> > Tel: (613) 563-8849. Fax: (613) 563-8850.
> > E-mail: javier@biotech.ca <mailto:javier@biotech.ca>
> > Website: www.biotech.ca <http://www.biotech.ca>
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Ronal W. Larson, PhD
> 21547 Mountsfield Dr.
> Golden, CO 80401, USA
> 303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
> larcon@sni.net
>

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
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From english at adan.kingston.net Mon Jun 22 22:22:36 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
In-Reply-To: <199806200709.DAA27231@solstice.crest.org>
Message-ID: <199806230230.WAA12959@adan.kingston.net>

Dear Bjorn,
Here are a few comments and questions.

> For the charcoal making we need to make a market assessment through
> experimental sale.

Could you estimate how much charcoal, over how much time, you would
need to make this assessment?

>Charcoal is not commonly used here. For that we will
> need a simple process to start with and continue with more sophisticated
> and possibly better methods.

> I understand that stoves may be better in many aspects but it may
> require more investments in terms of technology and money. For us just
> now the answer is the simpler the better.

The stove method which Ronal has referred to is quite simple and a
good way to gain some experience. It might be possible to scale it
up. I have recently tried using a 200 litre oil drum. Nice and cheap.
I need more time, than I have, to run these trials, as two hours only
carbonized a third of the contents.

How possible is it for you to use well dried wood? What is the
range of diameters of the wood from this forest? I have some doubts
about the top lit method working for large material. Perhaps you
could be the one to find out.

> We have tried to explore the internet and various e-mail contacts on
> charcoal making etc and have got some information on charcoal making
> using kilns, except one critical missing question: How do we know when
> the wood is sufficiently carbonized??

This is one of the advantages of the top lit method. When the bottom
begins to glow, it is time to seal the container, and let it cool.

I could give you a step-by-step account if it would help, if Ronal
hasn't already.
>
> We have been offered two petrol tanks from petrol stations. We don't
> know the size yet but they should be relatively big underground tanks.

I think there are some risks associated with using these very large
tanks, or even smaller ones. Trapped gasses from the
carbonizing process can explode. Perhaps another list member
could comment on how often this happens in structured kilns for
making charcoal.

>
> Well, now you have got some background information about our situation
> and our needs. Good ideas and knowledge is welcome.

Check out this web page about making charcoal the "old" way.
http://130.238.108.200/Trekolsmapp/Coaling.html
It is a skill. Which means that there may be only one way to tell
when the wood is carbonized, experience.

Alex
>
> Bjorn Brandberg
>
> For the LightHouse Foundation
> P.O.Box 131, Eveni-Mbabane
> Swaziland
> Tel: +268-40067, 43243, Fax: 268-40067
> e-mail: b.brandberg@mail.com
>
>
>
> >Stovers: The following message came in privately many weeks ago and
> >indicates the continuing need for better ways to make charcoal. I hope
> >Bjorn (who I have just signed up for the list) will add a little more
> >through answers to the few questions I have inserted as I make his private
> >mail public.
> >
> >(From a message received today:)
> >>Ron
> >>Thank you for your reply. Yes, we are still very interested in making
> >>charcoal.
> >>Our ignorance is big and we need to make charcoal out of a forest to keep
> >>our rehabilitation centre afloat.
> >> Why are stoves better than kilns? We are very interested. For us
> >>what is simpler is better as your labour is extremely unqualified.
> >>Bjorn
> >
> > (Larson today:) Bjorn - I see three main reasons for
> >charcoal-making stoves being better than charcoal-making kilns.
> > a). There is about a 2/3 loss of energy in the latter - and
> >therefore a need to cut three times the number of trees.
> > b) The gases (CO, methane, H2, etc) released from kilns are about
> >twenty times worse for global-warming than is carbon dioxide (which is not
> >a problem as this will occur anyway as the biomass decomposes).
> > c) Charcoal-making stoves offer advantages of cleanliness and
> >controllability as well as income generation.
> >
> > The problem is that these stoves still need further development
> >effort. They are not yet optimized. What are your organization's skills in
> >tis area? Can you tell us more about how you are organized.
> >
> >>
> >>PS
> >>What software are you using for graphics. E.mail is far more cheaper than
> >>faxes but attachments have proven difficult. BB
> >
> > (larson today:) - Bjorn - I am going to ask Alex to respond to
> >this. Are you able to access the web? See Alex' stove website at
> >http://www1.kingston.net/~english/Stoves.html
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > (The following messager came in several months ago, which generated
> >the above response, as I caught up on mail. Bjorn's request is one that I
> >hope other list members can offer ideas for. A year ago we had some
> >discussion on ways to make pit, brick, or metal kilns that would be less
> >polluting than the traditional kilns. Anyone on the list able to offer any
> >progress reports on their kiln research?)
> >
> >
> >>>
> >>>>Dear charcoal maker
> >>>>We want to learn how to make charcoal.
> >>>>We are a charity organization in Swaziland working with rehabilitation of
> >>>>street children, drug addicts and ex alcohol abusers. We have free access
> >>>>to a big forest of eucalyptus and pineculata (hardwood not suitable for
> >>>>other purposes) There is a potential market for charcoal here, where
> >>>>people are using firewood for heating their houses in open fireplaces
> >>>>excellent charcoal. I am using charcoal myself which I buying Mozambique.
> >>>>
> >>>>We believe we know how to make different types of kilns but the problem
> >>>>we have is principally to find out when the charcoal is ready. Also to
> >>>>know when and how to regulate the oxygen. In one place we saw 3 to 10
> >>>>days cooking time but that is a great difference.
> >>>>
> >>>>WE have the possibility of getting a big petrol tank which possibly could
> >>>>be adapted but how??
> >>>>
> >>>>Looking forward to hearing from you.
> >
> >
> >Bjorn - welcome to our list. Hope you get some new ideas, Good luck in your
> >efforts. Ron
> >
> >Ronal W. Larson, PhD
> >21547 Mountsfield Dr.
> >Golden, CO 80401, USA
> >303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
> >larcon@sni.net
> >
> >
> >Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> >http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> >Stoves Webpage
> >http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
> >
>
> Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> Stoves Webpage
> http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>
>
Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage

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From b.brandberg at mail.com Tue Jun 23 09:23:19 1998
From: b.brandberg at mail.com (Bj=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=f6rn_Brandberg?=)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <199806231323.JAA05753@solstice.crest.org>

Alex,
Thank you for your message
I have included a message from a friend in UK who has found a guy outside
London using petrol tanks for making charcoal. Seem to be a lot easier
and faster than the "old way". The present owner says he want to cut the
tanks himself because of the risk involved. Because of having been used
for petrol there should be a risk of explosion. We want to think twice,
however, before we cut the big tanks.
I have checked the web-site about the "old way". The number of days the
process takes for some 4-5 m3 of charcoal sound a bit too much. The
method described by Allen seem to be very much faster and safer. Why
there is such a big difference I don't understand.
The method described by Allen and others seem to be bottom lit. You
mention top lit kilns. The top lit kilns I have heard about (Sweden) have
a chimney like opening in the middle, where the fire is dropped to the
bottom. I guess the fire would climb to the top rather quickly. I also
imagine that at centre lit kiln would get a symmetrical flow of hot smoke
cooling down and sinking along the sides returning to the middle and the
fire and hence spreading the heat rather evenly in the kiln. One site
describes the carbonisation process moving in the shape of a funnel shape
from the top to the bottom obviously ending up an the bottom periphery.

You refer to a stove which Ronal should have referred to. I am not clear
of what it looks like. Does it exist on a web site?

You talk about carbonising a third of the content. Allen talks about 1%
not being carbonised. Why is there 67% left? Am I lost?

It would be nice if you or any list member could comment on the method
described below.

Regards
Bjorn

-------------copy----------------
The Epping Forest people were using the tanks as kilns, having cut off
both
ends of the tanks and mounted them upright (with the axis vertical). They
told me that they have learnt by experience how long it takes and
suggested
that the petrol tank size kilns take 13 to 15 hours to burn through. By
the time they are cool the cycle time is just about 24 hours between
cycles.

The initial fire is allowed to burn only until the smoke turns blue. At
that point the top is sealed, the small tubes at the base are closed and
the chimneys removed and the holes sealed. Then it takes 13 to 15 hours
to
burn through and convert all the timber to charcoal.

The open ended tanks are set on some short radial pipes resting on the
bare
earth which admit a limited amount of air at the bottom while the initial
fire gets established. The gap under the bottom edge of the tank and
between the radial pipes is sealed with damp earth after the fire is lit
using an oil-soaked rag under the bottom edge of the tank. At the same
time a loose plate is fitted inside the top of the tank and resting on the
closely stacked timber. The loose plate has a number of holes for the
temporary chimney pipes. The edge of the plate and round the chimneys is
sealed with damp earth. When the smoke becomes blue, the chimneys are
removed and the holes covered with news paper, on top of which is placed
more damp earth. The burn is completed and the whole thing is stripped
and
the charcoal graded as it is removed and bagged. There are always some
timbers that are not completely converted to charcoal, but the amount
appeared to be a very small percentage - perhaps 1% only.

It did not seem to me that the system generated a great deal of heat - the
chap was at great pains to tell me that the newspaper sealing the chimney
holes was sufficient to do the job.

Send me a fax of your sketch and I will send you something about what I
have found out.

Best regards,
Vincent Allen
------------------------------end copy--------------------
>Dear Bjorn,
>Here are a few comments and questions.
>
>> For the charcoal making we need to make a market assessment through
>> experimental sale.
>
> Could you estimate how much charcoal, over how much time, you would
>need to make this assessment?

Bjorn: We are still too ignorant to know that. We have to try and assess
when we can afford to invest in new methods.
>
> >Charcoal is not commonly used here. For that we will
>> need a simple process to start with and continue with more sophisticated
>> and possibly better methods.
>
>> I understand that stoves may be better in many aspects but it may
>> require more investments in terms of technology and money. For us just
>> now the answer is the simpler the better.
>
>The stove method which Ronal has referred to is quite simple and a
>good way to gain some experience. It might be possible to scale it
>up. I have recently tried using a 200 litre oil drum. Nice and cheap.
>I need more time, than I have, to run these trials, as two hours only
>carbonized a third of the contents.
>
> How possible is it for you to use well dried wood? What is the
>range of diameters of the wood from this forest? I have some doubts
>about the top lit method working for large material. Perhaps you
>could be the one to find out.
>
Bjorn: We have a big stock of old eucalyptus with 6-9 inch diameter which
has been laying around for several years. The problem is that they are
heavy and need to be cut to small pieces before we can get them into a
stove. I guess they take quite some time to heat up because of the
diameter.

The forest has everything from very large to tiny. Dead fallen and alive.
Transport is the major problem especially with the big ones.

>> We have tried to explore the internet and various e-mail contacts on
>> charcoal making etc and have got some information on charcoal making
>> using kilns, except one critical missing question: How do we know when
>> the wood is sufficiently carbonized??
>
>This is one of the advantages of the top lit method. When the bottom
>begins to glow, it is time to seal the container, and let it cool.
>
>I could give you a step-by-step account if it would help, if Ronal
>hasn't already.

Bjorn: Please do.
WE also need diagrams to find out what people mean.
>>
>> We have been offered two petrol tanks from petrol stations. We don't
>> know the size yet but they should be relatively big underground tanks.
>
>I think there are some risks associated with using these very large
>tanks, or even smaller ones. Trapped gasses from the
>carbonizing process can explode. Perhaps another list member
>could comment on how often this happens in structured kilns for
>making charcoal.
>
What do oyou mean by trapped gasses? How can the be trapped in charcoal?

>>
>> Well, now you have got some background information about our situation
>> and our needs. Good ideas and knowledge is welcome.
>
>Check out this web page about making charcoal the "old" way.
>http://130.238.108.200/Trekolsmapp/Coaling.html
>It is a skill. Which means that there may be only one way to tell
>when the wood is carbonized, experience.
>

>Alex
>>
>> Bjorn Brandberg
>>
>> For the LightHouse Foundation
>> P.O.Box 131, Eveni-Mbabane
>> Swaziland
>> Tel: +268-40067, 43243, Fax: 268-40067
>> e-mail: b.brandberg@mail.com
>>
>>
>>
>> >Stovers: The following message came in privately many weeks ago and
>> >indicates the continuing need for better ways to make charcoal. I hope
>> >Bjorn (who I have just signed up for the list) will add a little more
>> >through answers to the few questions I have inserted as I make his private
>> >mail public.
>> >
>> >(From a message received today:)
>> >>Ron
>> >>Thank you for your reply. Yes, we are still very interested in making
>> >>charcoal.
>> >>Our ignorance is big and we need to make charcoal out of a forest to keep
>> >>our rehabilitation centre afloat.
>> >> Why are stoves better than kilns? We are very interested. For us
>> >>what is simpler is better as your labour is extremely unqualified.
>> >>Bjorn
>> >
>> > (Larson today:) Bjorn - I see three main reasons for
>> >charcoal-making stoves being better than charcoal-making kilns.
>> > a). There is about a 2/3 loss of energy in the latter - and
>> >therefore a need to cut three times the number of trees.
>> > b) The gases (CO, methane, H2, etc) released from kilns are about
>> >twenty times worse for global-warming than is carbon dioxide (which is not
>> >a problem as this will occur anyway as the biomass decomposes).
>> > c) Charcoal-making stoves offer advantages of cleanliness and
>> >controllability as well as income generation.
>> >
>> > The problem is that these stoves still need further development
>> >effort. They are not yet optimized. What are your organization's skills in
>> >tis area? Can you tell us more about how you are organized.
>> >
>> >>
>> >>PS
>> >>What software are you using for graphics. E.mail is far more cheaper than
>> >>faxes but attachments have proven difficult. BB
>> >
>> > (larson today:) - Bjorn - I am going to ask Alex to respond to
>> >this. Are you able to access the web? See Alex' stove website at
>> >http://www1.kingston.net/~english/Stoves.html
>> >
>> > <snip>
>> >
>> > (The following messager came in several months ago, which generated
>> >the above response, as I caught up on mail. Bjorn's request is one that I
>> >hope other list members can offer ideas for. A year ago we had some
>> >discussion on ways to make pit, brick, or metal kilns that would be less
>> >polluting than the traditional kilns. Anyone on the list able to offer any
>> >progress reports on their kiln research?)
>> >
>> >
>> >>>
>> >>>>Dear charcoal maker
>> >>>>We want to learn how to make charcoal.
>> >>>>We are a charity organization in Swaziland working with rehabilitation
of
>> >>>>street children, drug addicts and ex alcohol abusers. We have free
access
>> >>>>to a big forest of eucalyptus and pineculata (hardwood not suitable for
>> >>>>other purposes) There is a potential market for charcoal here, where
>> >>>>people are using firewood for heating their houses in open fireplaces
>> >>>>excellent charcoal. I am using charcoal myself which I buying
Mozambique.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>We believe we know how to make different types of kilns but the problem
>> >>>>we have is principally to find out when the charcoal is ready. Also to
>> >>>>know when and how to regulate the oxygen. In one place we saw 3 to 10
>> >>>>days cooking time but that is a great difference.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>WE have the possibility of getting a big petrol tank which possibly
could
>> >>>>be adapted but how??
>> >>>>
>> >>>>Looking forward to hearing from you.
>> >
>> >
>> >Bjorn - welcome to our list. Hope you get some new ideas, Good luck in your
>> >efforts. Ron
>> >
>> >Ronal W. Larson, PhD
>> >21547 Mountsfield Dr.
>> >Golden, CO 80401, USA
>> >303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
>> >larcon@sni.net
>> >
>> >
>> >Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
>> >http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
>> >Stoves Webpage
>> >http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>> >
>>
>> Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
>> http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
>> Stoves Webpage
>> http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>>
>>
>Alex English
>RR 2 Odessa Ontario
>Canada K0H 2H0
>Tel 1-613-386-1927
>Fax 1-613-386-1211
>Stoves Webpage
>
>Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
>http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
>Stoves Webpage
>http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>

Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
Stoves Webpage
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

From larcon at sni.net Tue Jun 23 22:58:17 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: El Fadil on Sun-Drying Extruded Charcoal Briquettes
Message-ID: <v01540b01b1b610d89bb5@[204.133.28.26]>

Stovers (and especially Elsen):
El Fadil (possibly Dr. El Fadil) has a good background in solar
drying - one of the specialties of a very strong solar program in Sudan. I
look forward
to hearing more from El Fadil, who I had the pleasure of talking to for
several days in 1995. A few questions - only in part because you asked for
them and thanks for chiming in on a topic where I know you are a lot more
expert than most of us:

1. Can you explain more about the Sudanese agglomeration
technique. I believe it was rotating "drums". What size "balls"? Did you
ever look at extrusion? Can you estimate the production in kg/hour - for
comparison with Elsen's extrusion technique?
2. How about the Sudanese method of cotton stalk carbonization?
What conversion efficiency?
3. I believe that in-field destruction of the stalks is mandated
to prevent the spread of disease. Any other comments on the uses of the
stalks?
4. Do you feel that one can never make a solar dryer
cost-effective for this application? I think the Sudanese drying solution
was about the same as Elsen's. Please identify any differences you can see
in Elsen's description

>
>With regard to Mr. Elsen charcoal briquettes dryer, I would like to
>contribute shortly since I have not read his e-mail concerning the
>design of the dryer. In the Sudan we faced the same problem of
>charcoal drying before. Agglomerated charcoal briquettes (800 tons
>annually) is produced from carbonized cotton stalks in the Rahad
>scheme (Sudan). Due to relatively high capacity of the plant, a
>large area is needed to dry the briquettes. In oder to reduce the
>cost of briquettes production, and make it competitive to wood
>charocal in terms of selling price we have avoided the use of solar
>dryer. The solution was the use of sun drying where the briquetted
>were dried in elevated wire mesh trays of about one meter in hight
>without any collector, absorber, of fans. With this arrangement we
>were able to dry in three days upto less than 5 % moisture
>
>However, the layout of the your dryer might not suit the one in
>the Rahad because it is factor of many things among are: incident
>solar radiation, wind speed, relative humidity of the ambient air,
>whether the drying takes place during the rainy season, form and size
>and density of the briquettes, its initial moisture content etc...
>
>I appreciate any further question
>
>El Fadil Adam
"A. A. B. El Fadil" <ELFADIL@495-simon.agrartech.uni-hohenheim.de>
Organization: ATS, Hohenheim University

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
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From larcon at sni.net Tue Jun 23 22:58:21 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Bjorn and Alex on How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <v01540b02b1b614aa81a7@[204.133.28.26]>

To Bjorn and others interested in charcoaling (especially Tom Duke):
I liked Alex' comments today and I will just add a few thoughts
that I had been meaning to add for a few days.

<snip>
(Alex):
>The stove method which Ronal has referred to is quite simple and a
>good way to gain some experience. It might be possible to scale it
>up. I have recently tried using a 200 litre oil drum. Nice and cheap.
>I need more time, than I have, to run these trials, as two hours only
>carbonized a third of the contents.

(Larson): I think Alex has the right idea. The advantage of the
stove is that you can flare rather than vent. If you are going to try to
flare, start with the stove descriptions on Alex' web page so you can gain
the necessary experience at small scale. The important features are to top
light, and to be sure that you can control the primary air, and that you
have an adequate chimney to get some draft. With big diameters, I have
found it helpful to put a central "disk" in place to force the pyrolysis
gases out near the entering secondary air. Another thing that worked is to
use acentral "pipe" to brng secndary air in to the center. Or do both.
Otherwise you will need a lot of height to get complete combustion. But
when you are flaring this may not be important.

I think that even the drum may not be necessary - it should be
possible to work with a hole in the ground. Several years ago, list member
Tom Duke reported on some charcoal-making stove experiments he had
performed using a hole in the ground (with parallel air supply holes
connected via horizontal intterconnect passages that could be controlled
with plugs). I hope Tom will chime in on what he learned from using holes
in the ground - a concept that I thought was very clever as the stove cost
went to zero! My own experiments have been meagre on this concept.
You still "need" a chimney I think - which means both a solid cover
and a stove pipe. See more below on this.

(Alex)"
> What is the
>range of diameters of the wood from this forest? I have some doubts
>about the top lit method working for large material. Perhaps you
>could be the one to find out.

(Larson): I would agree with this, except that really big material
is already being carbonized with simple pit techniques. I think that you
just need to think in terms of multiple size materials with close spacing.
Don't leave big spaces anywhere. Large diameter material will take a lot
longer to pyrolyze.

(Alex):
>I could give you a step-by-step account if it would help, if Ronal
>hasn't already.

(Larson) I haven't. Bjorn - let us know what you now know about
top-lit, charcoal-making stoves.

(Alex)
>I think there are some risks associated with using these very large
>tanks, or even smaller ones. Trapped gasses from the
>carbonizing process can explode. Perhaps another list member
>could comment on how often this happens in structured kilns for
>making charcoal.

(Larson): Another possibility is to cut the tanks up into something
that looks like the standard metal "ring" kilns (and their tops). I am
thiknking of them as parts just for the necessary tops in a pit system (to
replace the dirt sealing usually used). If these tanks are free, I believe
most traditional charcoal-makers would use them, since it is apparently
very tiring and dangerous to keep the "pit" sealed using dirt rather than
metal. On the sides of a pit, you should not have this problem - only on
the top.

The other recommendation I was going to make is to hire someone
(almost anyone) who has experience in making charcoal using traditional
techniques. Apparently your part of South Africa doesn't have that
background, but I'll bet that there are some immigrants somewhere in your
area with the background you need to get started. There is an art to
traditional charcoal making which I don't claim to have.
Getting more than one experienced person will probably be a help.
Their costs should be more than offset by the production they achieve.
Don't be surprised about their needing multiple helpers (this is a 24-hour
operation) for even up to a week or more. You probably won't be able to
get them to try top lighting and chimneys, but maybe they can help with
your first small-scale experiments in those directions and can become
converts like some of us on the list..

Good luck Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Tue Jun 23 22:58:27 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: charcoal briquettes manufacturing
Message-ID: <v01540b03b1b61d177c51@[204.133.28.26]>

Stovers: The following came in to me personally, but is obviously intended
for others on the list more expert than I in briquetting. Please also send
any responses to Silvia as well as to the full list.

Silvia: I have not signed you up for our "stoves" list, because we are not
a briquetting list. But pleae let me know if I should. Good luck Ron

>Dear Mr Ronal Larson
>
>I found your E-mail related to the above subject. Hope you can send me some
>information about its manufacturing. Barbecue is a very famous food in
>Brasil so it would be quite productive to make and sell briquettes here.My
>main concern is
> about the possibilities and companies that would sell me the technology.
>
>Questions: composition of the briquettes (preferential type of wood, etc),
>possibility to import the machinery, is there a registered mark? If yes can
>I buy it? Can it be used in a barbecue set made with bricks?
>
>Hope to hear from you soon with those and even further information
>including some adresses I can connect.
>
>I am very thankful. Yours faithfully Silvia Jeck
>My E-mail: silviak@pel-cen.yazigi.com.br (in Pelotas/RS/Brasil)

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From elk at arcc.or.ke Wed Jun 24 03:10:59 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E. L. Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:56 2004
Subject: Sun-Drying Extruded and Agglomerated Charcoal Briquettes
Message-ID: <v01520d00b1b676ba9c0f@[199.2.222.136]>

Ronal, El Fadil & all;

Sounds like Kenya and Sudan has arrived at the same technique.

Elevated wire mesh screens. Exactly. I'm guilty of an over-description of
my technique. The plastic sheeting I use is a top cover for night-time and
rainy periods, otherwise the charcoal is exposed directly to sun & air and
not enclosed in any sort of drier-type structure.

Is this a 'solar drier'? Probably not.

Yesterday was a lovely warm and sunny day, and briquettes placed on the
trays first thing in the morning were dried (to less than 10% moisture) by
sunset 11 hours later. That's a loss of 30% moisture- from an initial leel
of approx. 40% water upon extrusion.

I don't know how uniform the agglomerated charcoal balls are in size, but a
non-uniform diameter coupled with the small surface to mass ratio of a
sperical agglomerated briquette could explain why El Fadil's material takes
substantially longer to dry than my cylindrical extruded briquettes (ave.
length 6 cm, width 3 cm) using the same technique.

elk

------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Will the multiple message problem now stop?
> Also the message in question has no content - only redirecting from
>Forest Action Network. Did FAN simply make a mistake? I sent a query
>yesterday but still no response.
> Thanks for the kind words. Ron
>
>Elsen - As you may know, we are getting lots of these - all dated on the
>20th. I sent one message to "Forest Action Network"( Eric B. Bosire?)
>yesterday - but may not be getting through. Could you call Eric and ask
>him to send a revised version? I have received about 10 of these - but am
>hopeful that Tom's message indicates they will stop now. Thanks Ron

I've already been in touch. They say that their software indicates that the
message has not been sent, so they send again. This is a bit odd, seeing as
they also must be receiving the message over and over again.

Anyway- hopefully it's been sorted & the secretary there says 'soory' to all.

elk

_____________________________
Elsen Karstad
P.O Box 24371 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel/Fax:254 2 884437
E-mail: elk@arcc.or.ke
_____________________________

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From Javier at biotech.ca Wed Jun 24 10:13:50 1998
From: Javier at biotech.ca (Verastegui, Javier - BIOTECanada)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Bjorn and Alex on How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <112D5E20C8D2D011B9B300805F29EAA610431A@PROLIANT_SERVER>

Dear Stoveros,

Concerning improved stoves for rural areas in developing countries, one of
the most interesting designs that I have ever seen is the so called LORENA
stove: a stove made from LODO (mud) and ARENA (sand). A mixed sludge of
mud, sand and water is modeled into a kind of thick table of about 25 cm
(the base of 100 cm may be on bricks) where a one-way gallery is worked out
inside the table in order to create a foyer and to convey burned gases from
the foyer to the bottom of 2-3 "burners" or pot places, then to the chimney.
LORENA stoves are cheap; they highly improve the efficiency of biomass
combustion, especially wood; keep the room warm; avoid smoke in the room;
etc. In Latin America, these type of stoves have been improved with other
interesting details and widely disseminated in Guatemala and Central America
by CEMAT (Centro Meso-Americano de Tecnologia) at Guatemala City, during the
1980s. CEMAT has published several manuals and pamphlets for the many
training courses they organized. I only have the following contact data
(perhaps a colleague of the STOVE list may update this):

Dr. Armando Caceres
Director of CEMAT
Centro Meso-Americano Tecnologia Apropiada
4a. Avenida 2-28, Zona 1, Apartado 1160
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Tel: 011-502-2-68-1007

I hope this info could be useful.

Javier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Javier Verástegui
Coordinator, Latin America & CamBioTec-Canada
BIOTECanada
420-130 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G4
Tel: (613) 563-8849. Fax: (613) 563-8850.
E-mail: javier@biotech.ca <mailto:javier@biotech.ca>
Website: www.biotech.ca <http://www.biotech.ca>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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From larcon at sni.net Wed Jun 24 14:34:24 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Introduction from Salimol Thomas
Message-ID: <v01540b01b1b6a3dcb993@[204.133.28.3]>

Stovers: The following is a two-part introduction from new list member
Salimol Thomas in India. At the end I add some answers and a question.

Sir:
I forgot to mention in my previous e-mail that I am working on
emissions from biomass burning stoves...i.e., those stoves specifically
called 'chulhas'in India and burning wood, dried cattle manure and
crop residues..
salimol thomas

> Thanks for your welcoming note to me...Sir, I will introduce myself first
> ...I am a research scholar at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay,
> India, in the department of environmental engineering..I have done my
> graduation in civil engineering and master's in
> environmental engineering...presently I am working on emissions from
> stoves..especially
> polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons..they are carcinogenic compounds...do you
> have any knowledge of anyone previously worked on this aspect....
>
> I would be very happy to get further knowledge regarding stoves
> through this list
>
> thank you once again
> salimol thomas

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miss. Salimol Thomas
Research Scholar
Centre for Environmental Sci & Engg
Indian Institute of Technology
Powai, Bombay 400 076
India
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e-mail : salimol@cc.iitb.ernet.in resi: room no:125,

voice : 091 (22) 578 25 45 Extn 78 64/7865/7869/62 091 (22) 578 1039

fax : 091 (22) 578 34 80
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Salimol: Welcome and thanks for the introductionn.
Much of our collective list knowledge in your "emissions" area
comes from Dr. Kirk Smith <krksmith@uclink4.berkeley.edu>. A PhD candidate
working with Kirk is David Pennise <dpennise@uclink4.berkeley.edu>. Both
seem to be working with other researchers around the world - perhaps mostly
with WHO support.

Recently, we have also been hearing from Dan Campbell
<CAMPBELLDB@cdm.com>, who is managing a list on ARI and stoves - which
comes very close to your area. Make sure to contact Dan, who works at
USAID. In a recent message to his list, he called attention to the fact
that the most recent edition of "Boiling Point" (from ITDG) was on this
health topic.

As you are new to our list, you also may not have seen many
excellent stove messages from someone working full time on stoves close to
Bombay: "Priyadarshini Karve(SBO)" <gpk@physics.unipune.ernet.in>. Ms.
Karve is working on a wide range of stoves and would possibly welcome a
collaborative effort. She has been planning a stoves conference near you to
which many of us hope to come in early 2000.

It was not clear from your message exactly how you are carrying out
your working. Are you doing both measurements and theory? Is your work
designed to identify stove design aspects that will either increase or
decrease the specific carcinogenic emissions?
More than a year ago, we had considerable discussion on available
instruments with which to make these measurements (with emphasis on those
that are low cost). What instruments are you using?
We look forward to hearing what you may have already found out. Ron

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From larcon at sni.net Wed Jun 24 14:34:57 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <v01540b11b1b6e0ff16bb@[204.133.28.3]>

Reply to Bjorn's message of June 23:

You said:

<snip>

> I have checked the web-site about the "old way". The number of
>days the
>process takes for some 4-5 m3 of charcoal sound a bit too much. The
>method described by Allen seem to be very much faster and safer. Why
>there is such a big difference I don't understand.

(Larson): I am not yet sure of the "new" method, but think the difference
in speed is probably due to chimneys in the metal kiln method. There are
usually 8 lower ports with four being used as chimneys and four as air
inlets.; half-way through the "burn", the 4 chimneys replace the 4
air-inlets and vice-versa.
We have found in our charcoal-making stove work that we can get
essentially the same amount of charcoal while changing the power level (the
rate of pyrolysis conversion) by about a factor of three through varying
the air input. Varying is only possible if you have some added draft
possible from the chimneys. In simple traditional earth kilns, there are no
chimneys and therefor no control and the process goes much slower (but
apparently with a higher quality charcoal reulting)
Can you identify this web-site above?

Bjorn:
> The method described by Allen and others seem to be bottom lit. You
>mention top lit kilns. The top lit kilns I have heard about (Sweden) have
>a chimney like opening in the middle, where the fire is dropped to the
>bottom. I guess the fire would climb to the top rather quickly. I also
>imagine that at centre lit kiln would get a symmetrical flow of hot smoke
>cooling down and sinking along the sides returning to the middle and the
>fire and hence spreading the heat rather evenly in the kiln.

(Larson): I don't think so (referring to last hypothesis) - and hope
others will pipe in. My vision is that the primary air flow is from the
sides in to the central fire. As in the charcoal-making stoves, pyrolysis
moves (slowly) against the air flow - propagating radially outwards by
means of radiation from the pyrolysis front. I believe that at some point
the "Swedish" operators usually plug the chimney - probably because
pyrolysis may be proceeding to quickly - and the hot pyrolysis gases
exhaust vertically upward through the dirt roof.

> One site
>describes the carbonisation process moving in the shape of a funnel shape
>from the top to the bottom obviously ending up an the bottom periphery.

(Larson) This sounds somewhat consistent with my view above. Can you tell
us where this site is?

>
>You refer to a stove which Ronal should have referred to. I am not clear
>of what it looks like. Does it exist on a web site?

(Larson) See Alex' web site for work by several list members (a lot on
charcoal-making stoves, but also on other topics).
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

Out of the goodness of his heart, Alex has volunteered to keep this up for
the entire list because the crest web page

(http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/)

does not now have the capability to display photographs. I also sent a
message yesterday (which crossed yours) that identified the key features of
the charcoal-making type of stove.

>
>You talk about carbonising a third of the content. Allen talks about 1%
>not being carbonised. Why is there 67% left? Am I lost?
>
(Larson): Alex with "a third" is referring to the ratio of charcoal
weight to original wood weight. I usually find "a quarter". The comparable
value for traditional kilns can be this high, but is often "a fifth" or "a
sixth". The remainder of the initial weight has been converted to smoke.
The energy values for wood and charcoal are about 18 MJ/kg and 30 MJ/kg, so
you can see that a lot of energy is lost in the smoke in the best of
circumstances.

Allen is referring to being able to achieve 99% of the "third" as
true charcoal - and not as blackened wood ("brands").

The "67%" (or more) is not left - but rather is lost in the vented
gases (and we would hope you can find some use for them - after flaring.
For instance, maybe you can start a co-product sideline of producing bricks
and charcoal simultaneously.

> It would be nice if you or any list member could comment on the method
>described below.
>
>Regards
>Bjorn

(Larson) - I'll keep trying (but mostly with questions), and hope
that others will chime in as well.
This below doesn't sound quite like what I have mentioned above,
where there was a metal conical top (this method below sounds like a clever
way to cut costs by using earth instead of the conical metal top).
>
>-------------copy----------------
>The Epping Forest people were using the tanks as kilns, having cut off
>both
>ends of the tanks and mounted them upright (with the axis vertical).

(Larson): The ends could perhaps be used like the conical pieces I have
been describing, if you can add a mechanism for sealing between the two
parts - not an easy task. My mental image now is just one large cylinder
sitting upright. Can you supply the dimensions of this cylinder? In an
earlier message, I said I thought this could be replaced with just a hole
in the ground. The most primitive charcoaling is apparently done without a
hole - because it is a pain to dig the hole - and it is less work to pile
dirt on the sides and top. If you have a hole, you will need some (piping)
means of getting air to the bottom.

> They
>told me that they have learnt by experience how long it takes and
>suggested
>that the petrol tank size kilns take 13 to 15 hours to burn through. By
>the time they are cool the cycle time is just about 24 hours between
>cycles.
>
>The initial fire is allowed to burn only until the smoke turns blue.

(Larson): I hope we can get clarification on this point. Are we talking
about an initial fire that is started at the bottom? In some descriptions
I have seen, there is an initial fire at the top.
Also ask for the time involved before the "smoke turns blue". In
most traditional charcoaling, the wood is put in wet and the initial phase
is designed to dry out the wood. In top-lit, charcoal-making stoves, the
wood should be already dry enough to have pyrolysis proceed downward.
There is no change in characteristics at any time during the full burn.
The main benefit of this latter (top-lit) approach will be in being able to
flare continuously. In the traditional method, there is too much moisture
at first to be able to flare. In what you are describing, I believe there
is considerable combustion (not pyrolysis) of some of the wood at the
bottom, in order to do the necessary drying.

> At
>that point the top is sealed, the small tubes at the base are closed and
>the chimneys removed and the holes sealed. Then it takes 13 to 15 hours
>to
>burn through and convert all the timber to charcoal.

(Larson): I would change "burn" to "pyrolyze". All of this phase is done
under very low (but finite, leaked) air flow through the supposed "seals".
This next paragraph seems to repeat the above description - is that correct?
>
>The open ended tanks are set on some short radial pipes resting on the
>bare
>earth which admit a limited amount of air at the bottom while the initial
>fire gets established. The gap under the bottom edge of the tank and
>between the radial pipes is sealed with damp earth after the fire is lit
>using an oil-soaked rag under the bottom edge of the tank. At the same
>time a loose plate is fitted inside the top of the tank and resting on the
>closely stacked timber. The loose plate has a number of holes for the
>temporary chimney pipes. The edge of the plate and round the chimneys is
>sealed with damp earth. When the smoke becomes blue, the chimneys are
>removed and the holes covered with news paper, on top of which is placed
>more damp earth. The burn is completed and the whole thing is stripped
>and
>the charcoal graded as it is removed and bagged. There are always some
>timbers that are not completely converted to charcoal, but the amount
>appeared to be a very small percentage - perhaps 1% only.
>
>It did not seem to me that the system generated a great deal of heat - the
>chap was at great pains to tell me that the newspaper sealing the chimney
>holes was sufficient to do the job.
>
>Send me a fax of your sketch and I will send you something about what I
>have found out.
>
>Best regards,
>Vincent Allen

<snip>

(Larson): Bjorn - This sort of detail from Vincent is very helpful. I
may have confused things by talking first about the four outer chimneys,
which are part of the usual metal kiln arrangements. Still, you may want
to consider that approach as well. The chimneys in either case are to give
you more draft to get started. The four moveable outer chimneys should
work with your cut off petrol tanks as well. If you flare, the temperature
will go way up, incidentally.

I hope you will offer Vincent Allen a chance to join our group. I
hope that the added comments above are some help. I still think you are
best off if you can hire anyone around you who has already done a "burn".
There are a lot of different approaches and you will only find the best by
experimenting. I hope that brickmaking can be an option - so that you can
flare and use those gases productively. But be prepared then for a lot of
failed "burns" - it will be at least four times harder to work with two
products.

Regards Ron

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From english at adan.kingston.net Wed Jun 24 22:17:35 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: How to make charcoal
In-Reply-To: <199806200709.DAA27231@solstice.crest.org>
Message-ID: <199806250226.WAA09218@adan.kingston.net>

>
I wrote;
> The stove method which Ronal has referred to is quite simple and a
> good way to gain some experience. It might be possible to scale it
> up. I have recently tried using a 200 litre oil drum. Nice and cheap.
> I need more time, than I have, to run these trials, as two hours only
> carbonized a third of the contents.

There has been some confusion about this statement. I stopped this
trial before completion, after two hours, to find only 1/3 of
the contents carbonized. I didn't give it time to finnish. I had
placed a large (head sized, and similar density?) chunk of dry hard
wood in with smaller dry soft wood to see what happens. The down ward
progression of the pyrolysis, as judged by blackened and partially
charred wood, was well below the large chunk of hard wood which was
only charred on the surface. With this size of material the process
may not be strictly top-down.

I was having modest success trying to flare the gasses. I also used a
circular disk on top of the wood to force the gasses to the edges,
and to prevent fresh air from washing down onto the newly formed
charcoal on top, and combusting it to ash. A second drum without it's
two ends was placed, with a space, on top to act as a chimney and
flaring chamber.
More trials are needed.

Alex

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From english at adan.kingston.net Wed Jun 24 22:17:37 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Sawdust to Charcoal
Message-ID: <199806250226.WAA09232@adan.kingston.net>

Dear Stovers,
I have updated the stoves webpage to include a page on a commercial
sawdust to charcoal operation in Thailand, sent by Auke Koopmans.

Alex
Alex English
RR 2 Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
Tel 1-613-386-1927
Fax 1-613-386-1211
Stoves Webpage

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From english at adan.kingston.net Thu Jun 25 07:52:41 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Sawdust to Charcoal
In-Reply-To: <199806250226.WAA09232@adan.kingston.net>
Message-ID: <199806251201.IAA12474@adan.kingston.net>

Stovers,
Forgive me, the operation is in Malaysia.
Alex

> Dear Stovers,
> I have updated the stoves webpage to include a page on a commercial
> sawdust to charcoal operation in Thailand, sent by Auke Koopmans.
>
> Alex
> Alex English
> RR 2 Odessa Ontario
> Canada K0H 2H0
> Tel 1-613-386-1927
> Fax 1-613-386-1211
> Stoves Webpage
>
> Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> Stoves Webpage
> http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>
>

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From b.brandberg at mail.com Thu Jun 25 09:14:42 1998
From: b.brandberg at mail.com (Bj=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=f6rn_Brandberg?=)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Fwd: Re: How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <199806251314.JAA03121@solstice.crest.org>

Vincent
Her are some reactions on your research. As you can see you are invited
to join a list on making charcoal. I must admit that i am not quite clear
about how the chimneys work. This cold be useful information not only for
me but for other people on this list called "Stovers" on address
stoves@crest.org which i found from the information you sent me. Ronal W.
Larson and a guy called Alex English (both from Canada) seem to be their
gurus. Sanitation seem to be a lot easier.
Thanks again
Bjorn

---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ----------------
Date: 24/06 18:56
Received: 25/06 13:53
From: Ronal W. Larson, larcon@sni.net
To: Stovers, stoves@crest.org

Reply to Bjorn's message of June 23:

You said:

<snip>

(Larson): I am not yet sure of the "new" method, but think the difference
in speed is probably due to chimneys in the metal kiln method. There are
usually 8 lower ports with four being used as chimneys and four as air
inlets.; half-way through the "burn", the 4 chimneys replace the 4
air-inlets and vice-versa.
We have found in our charcoal-making stove work that we can get
essentially the same amount of charcoal while changing the power level
(the
rate of pyrolysis conversion) by about a factor of three through varying
the air input. Varying is only possible if you have some added draft
possible from the chimneys. In simple traditional earth kilns, there are
no
chimneys and therefor no control and the process goes much slower (but
apparently with a higher quality charcoal reulting)
Can you identify this web-site above?

> One site
>describes the carbonisation process moving in the shape of a funnel shape
>from the top to the bottom obviously ending up an the bottom periphery.

(Larson) This sounds somewhat consistent with my view above. Can you
tell
us where this site is?

>
>You refer to a stove which Ronal should have referred to. I am not clear
>of what it looks like. Does it exist on a web site?

(Larson) See Alex' web site for work by several list members (a lot on
charcoal-making stoves, but also on other topics).
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

Out of the goodness of his heart, Alex has volunteered to keep this up for
the entire list because the crest web page

(http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/)

does not now have the capability to display photographs. I also sent a
message yesterday (which crossed yours) that identified the key features
of
the charcoal-making type of stove.

>
>You talk about carbonising a third of the content. Allen talks about 1%
>not being carbonised. Why is there 67% left? Am I lost?
>
(Larson): Alex with "a third" is referring to the ratio of charcoal
weight to original wood weight. I usually find "a quarter". The
comparable
value for traditional kilns can be this high, but is often "a fifth" or "a
sixth". The remainder of the initial weight has been converted to smoke.
The energy values for wood and charcoal are about 18 MJ/kg and 30 MJ/kg,
so
you can see that a lot of energy is lost in the smoke in the best of
circumstances.

Allen is referring to being able to achieve 99% of the "third" as
true charcoal - and not as blackened wood ("brands").

> It would be nice if you or any list member could comment on the method
>described below.
>
>Regards
>Bjorn

(Larson) - I'll keep trying (but mostly with questions), and hope
that others will chime in as well.
This below doesn't sound quite like what I have mentioned above,
where there was a metal conical top (this method below sounds like a
clever
way to cut costs by using earth instead of the conical metal top).
>
>-------------copy----------------
>The Epping Forest people were using the tanks as kilns, having cut off
>both
>ends of the tanks and mounted them upright (with the axis vertical).

(Larson): The ends could perhaps be used like the conical pieces I have
been describing, if you can add a mechanism for sealing between the two
parts - not an easy task. My mental image now is just one large cylinder
sitting upright. Can you supply the dimensions of this cylinder? In an
earlier message, I said I thought this could be replaced with just a hole
in the ground. The most primitive charcoaling is apparently done without
a
hole - because it is a pain to dig the hole - and it is less work to pile
dirt on the sides and top. If you have a hole, you will need some
(piping)
means of getting air to the bottom.

(Larson): I hope we can get clarification on this point. Are we talking
about an initial fire that is started at the bottom? In some descriptions
I have seen, there is an initial fire at the top.
Also ask for the time involved before the "smoke turns blue". In
most traditional charcoaling, the wood is put in wet and the initial phase
is designed to dry out the wood. In top-lit, charcoal-making stoves, the
wood should be already dry enough to have pyrolysis proceed downward.
There is no change in characteristics at any time during the full burn.
The main benefit of this latter (top-lit) approach will be in being able
to
flare continuously. In the traditional method, there is too much moisture
at first to be able to flare. In what you are describing, I believe there
is considerable combustion (not pyrolysis) of some of the wood at the
bottom, in order to do the necessary drying.

(Larson): I would change "burn" to "pyrolyze". All of this phase is
done
under very low (but finite, leaked) air flow through the supposed "seals".
This next paragraph seems to repeat the above description - is that
correct?
>
>The open ended tanks are set on some short radial pipes resting on the
>bare
>earth which admit a limited amount of air at the bottom while the initial
>fire gets established. The gap under the bottom edge of the tank and
>between the radial pipes is sealed with damp earth after the fire is lit
>using an oil-soaked rag under the bottom edge of the tank. At the same
>time a loose plate is fitted inside the top of the tank and resting on the
>closely stacked timber. The loose plate has a number of holes for the
>temporary chimney pipes. The edge of the plate and round the chimneys is
>sealed with damp earth. When the smoke becomes blue, the chimneys are
>removed and the holes covered with news paper, on top of which is placed
>more damp earth. The burn is completed and the whole thing is stripped
>and
>the charcoal graded as it is removed and bagged. There are always some
>timbers that are not completely converted to charcoal, but the amount
>appeared to be a very small percentage - perhaps 1% only.
>
>It did not seem to me that the system generated a great deal of heat - the
>chap was at great pains to tell me that the newspaper sealing the chimney
>holes was sufficient to do the job.
>
>Send me a fax of your sketch and I will send you something about what I
>have found out.
>
>Best regards,
>Vincent Allen

<snip>

(Larson): Bjorn - This sort of detail from Vincent is very helpful. I
may have confused things by talking first about the four outer chimneys,
which are part of the usual metal kiln arrangements. Still, you may want
to consider that approach as well. The chimneys in either case are to
give
you more draft to get started. The four moveable outer chimneys should
work with your cut off petrol tanks as well. If you flare, the
temperature
will go way up, incidentally.

Regards Ron

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----------------- End Forwarded Message -----------------
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From elk at arcc.or.ke Thu Jun 25 10:43:02 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E.L.Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Sawdust to Charcoal Briquettes In Malaysia
Message-ID: <199806251450.RAA00599@arcc.or.ke>

Thank you both Auke and Alex for the weebpage information and photos. This
sort of information exchange is invaluable, and makes this internet group
pretty special!

Oh some day to aspire to even the cute little front end loader shown!

I can imagine the incredible amounts of sawdust available in Malaysia, with
the huge timber industry there. Its good to see that the material is put to use.

Keep up the good work!

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From larcon at sni.net Thu Jun 25 16:40:03 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Koopmans on - RE: Introduction from Salimol Thomas
Message-ID: <v01540b00b1b7f552b98e@[204.133.28.25]>

This just in from Auke Koopmans (Auke: this was diverted because you are
listed with crest as Auke.Koopmans@field.fao.org. Let me know if your new
address will be permanent and we can change you over.) Ron

Dear Stovers and Salimol,

We have provided some limited financial support to Ramir L. Jarabis, a
student from the Asian Institute of Technology, to do work on "Determination
of Benzo-(a)-Pyrene from Household Woodfuel Combustion: A case study in Cebu
City, Philippines" (the tile of his proposed thesis for his Master of
Engineering). This should be available from the Asian Institute of
Technology, School of Environment Resources and Development, P.O. Box 4,
Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand, Fax +66-2-5162126. We probably
have also a copy of the thesis and in case you have problems contacting AIT
we may be able to help.

Regards,
Auke Koopmans Tel.
+66-2-280 2760
Wood Energy Conservation Specialist Fax +66-2-280 0760
FAO-RWEDP
Internet: http://www.rwedp.org
Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road 39, Email rwedp@fao.org
Bangkok 10200, Thailand Email
auke.koopmans@fao.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: larcon@sni.net [SMTP:larcon@sni.net]
> Sent: Thursday, June 25, 1998 1:57 AM
> To: stoves@crest.org
> Subject: Introduction from Salimol Thomas
>
> Stovers: The following is a two-part introduction from new list member
> Salimol Thomas in India. At the end I add some answers and a question.
>
> Sir:
> I forgot to mention in my previous e-mail that I am working on
> emissions from biomass burning stoves...i.e., those stoves specifically
> called 'chulhas'in India and burning wood, dried cattle manure and
> crop residues..
> salimol thomas
>
> > Thanks for your welcoming note to me...Sir, I will introduce myself
> first
> > ...I am a research scholar at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay,
> > India, in the department of environmental engineering..I have done my
> > graduation in civil engineering and master's in
> > environmental engineering...presently I am working on emissions from
> > stoves..especially
> > polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons..they are carcinogenic compounds...do
> you
> > have any knowledge of anyone previously worked on this aspect....
> >
> > I would be very happy to get further knowledge regarding stoves
> > through this list
> >
> > thank you once again
> > salimol thomas
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----
> Miss. Salimol Thomas
> Research Scholar
> Centre for Environmental Sci & Engg
> Indian Institute of Technology
> Powai, Bombay 400 076
> India
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----
> e-mail : salimol@cc.iitb.ernet.in resi: room no:125,
>
> voice : 091 (22) 578 25 45 Extn 78 64/7865/7869/62 091 (22) 578 1039
>
> fax : 091 (22) 578 34 80
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> Salimol: Welcome and thanks for the introductionn.
> Much of our collective list knowledge in your "emissions" area
> comes from Dr. Kirk Smith <krksmith@uclink4.berkeley.edu>. A PhD
> candidate
> working with Kirk is David Pennise <dpennise@uclink4.berkeley.edu>. Both
> seem to be working with other researchers around the world - perhaps
> mostly
> with WHO support.
>
> Recently, we have also been hearing from Dan Campbell
> <CAMPBELLDB@cdm.com>, who is managing a list on ARI and stoves - which
> comes very close to your area. Make sure to contact Dan, who works at
> USAID. In a recent message to his list, he called attention to the fact
> that the most recent edition of "Boiling Point" (from ITDG) was on this
> health topic.
>
> As you are new to our list, you also may not have seen many
> excellent stove messages from someone working full time on stoves close to
> Bombay: "Priyadarshini Karve(SBO)" <gpk@physics.unipune.ernet.in>. Ms.
> Karve is working on a wide range of stoves and would possibly welcome a
> collaborative effort. She has been planning a stoves conference near you
> to
> which many of us hope to come in early 2000.
>
> It was not clear from your message exactly how you are carrying
> out
> your working. Are you doing both measurements and theory? Is your work
> designed to identify stove design aspects that will either increase or
> decrease the specific carcinogenic emissions?
> More than a year ago, we had considerable discussion on available
> instruments with which to make these measurements (with emphasis on those
> that are low cost). What instruments are you using?
> We look forward to hearing what you may have already found out.
> Ron
>
>
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From larcon at sni.net Thu Jun 25 16:40:16 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Carbonising Waste Biomass - India & Kenya
Message-ID: <v01540b02b1b7f8586f62@[204.133.28.25]>

Summary: The following is in response to part of a message from Elsen
Karstad of 15 June. I suggest a different orientation for the cans of
waste biomass (especially sawdust) which will allow the use of the exhaust
gases to drive the process.

Elsen said (with respect to Priyadarshi Karve's trials with carbonising
sugarcane leaves)

<snip>

(Elsen):
>>From your latest trials, with venting volatiles into the external flame, do
>you envision any possibility of modifying the process in order to eliminate
>the need for an externally fueled heat source and running the whole process
>on volatiles produced from the pyrolysing product?
>
>I like the idea of using 'cans'. In this case, I see little reason for an
>external pipe- perforated or not. A logical next step might be to run the
>cans along tracks over an initial heating/drying fire, and once the
>expanding volatile gasses issueing from the holes in the underside of the
>cans ignite, the cans would be self-heating & move along a section of track
>with no external heating. Small pilot-light flames may be necessary to keep
>the volatiles combusting as long as they are being produced.
>
>I've tried a similar method, as you may recall, using a heated 4" grain
>auger to pyrolyse sawdust. The expanding volatile gasses were collected via
>a manifold along the top of the pipe and ducted under their own pressure
>into the external heating fire under the pipe. The intention was that this
>was to be a continous flow-through sytem heated solely by combusting the
>volatile gasses once the pipe was sufficiently heated by the external wood
>fire.
>
>The result, aside from some very interesting pyrotechnics as the volatile
>gasses created impressive foot long flames, was indeterminate. The process
>was too easily unbalanced- it was nearly impossible to attain a consistant
>output of nicely charred particles of sawdust. Far too much wood was needed
>as well. The auger in it's insulating fire tunnel is still in my yard
>gathering rust, so I could revive it at any time should anybody have any
>suggestions.
>
>I like Priyadarshini's concept of 'bundling' in cans. This could lead to a
>continuous flow of cans. A hybrid batch/continuous flow system.

<snip>

Elsen:
Ms. Karve described an approach which used a horizontal movement of
multiple cans inside a pipe. From your description above, it seems like
you are thinking the same - but without an outer "pipe".
My thought is to have the cans drop vertically (oriented as in a
coin-operated soda can dispenser) rather than moving horizontally. This
way, the uppermost cans will be mostly releasing steam while the lower cans
are releasing only gases that can be combusted to drive the pyrolysis.
I believe it will still be valuable to have an outer "tube" for two
reasons. First the chimney effect will help draw in the necessary air.
Probably more importantly, it will serve as a wind shield.
I suppose that the lowest can, when no longer exhausting
combustible gases and pulled out of the queue, should be either put into an
air-tight container or should be dampened to cool down quickly.
This looks something like your auger geometry, but the sealing is
accomplished entirely now by the cans. Your "explosions" should not be
possible. Also gravity is doing much more of the work.
This has some of the flavor of Dr. Jury's "can" geometry, but in
this case, it would seem that all of the flames are directed where desired
and those gases which cannot be flared (too much moisture) are right where
you want them - at the top.
There should be plenty of energy left in the flared gases to boil
(maybe distill?) water as a way to get more monetary value out of the whole
process.
I am thinking of 20-liter cans - maybe 5 or 10 stacked vertically.
The pyrolysis is initiated with an auxiliary starting fire that is not
needed under steady state conditions. The cans must have "plenty" of
holes. Maybe they could have some "wires" to help convey heat into the can
interiors. I have no idea what the residency time of one can might be -
but guess it is a few hours.
What do you think? Ron.

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From english at adan.kingston.net Fri Jun 26 07:31:01 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Fwd: Re: How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <199806261139.HAA04791@adan.kingston.net>

>. Ronal W. Larson and a guy called Alex English (both from Canada)
> seem to be their gurus.
> Thanks again
> Bjorn

It is true that I 'guru' up in Canada, but Guru Ronal is from the
USA.

guy

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From larcon at sni.net Fri Jun 26 08:46:38 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Introductory letter from new member Ryan
Message-ID: <v01540b01b1b8d5ddd17d@[204.133.28.32]>

MY NAME IS RYAN, AND I AM A NEW MEMBER TO THIS GROUP. I HAVE A GENUINE
INTEREST IN PRODUCING CHARCOAL, AND HAVE REALLY BENNEFITED FROM THE
DISCUSSIONS OF THIS GROUP. HOWEVER, IF I MAY, IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW HAS
ANY DIAGRAMS OR PICTURES OF SOME SUCCESSFUL CHARCOAL PIT/KILN'S I WOULD REALLY
LIKE TO GET A HOLD ON THEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL THEM TO ME IF YOU COME
ACROSS THEM. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION.

KIAWEHI@aol.com

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Sun Jun 28 12:11:11 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Fwd: Re: How to make charcoal
Message-ID: <v01540b00b1b9e12f7040@[204.133.28.40]>

Stovers - this is the response from Vincent Allen on making charcoal -
asked for by myself and Bjorn. Vincent: thank you for both your earlier
help and that below. I had envisioned a bigger cylinder - such as diameter
and height near 2 meters, so my earlier remarks should be viewed
cautiously. This size is that which Alex has been looking at. Ron

The remainder from Vincent Allen:

Dear Bjorn & Stovers,

I am here really under false pretences, knowing nothing much about stoves
or charcoal. All I have done to date is report on conversations with some
people making charcoal as part of their firewood log business. They use
timber that is too small to be sold as a log as the feedstock of the
charcoal enterprise.

The most important thing they appear to have said is to "have a go" using
an old 200 litre (50 gallon) oil drum. They seemed to think that much
would be learnt by this. These are horny-handed sons of the woodland - not
intellectuals - and had learnt how to make charcoal by trial and error with
a little advice from someone else, in the same way as they were willing to
pass on to me such information as I requested on Bjorn's behalf.

All the best,

Vincent Allen

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From elk at arcc.or.ke Mon Jun 29 11:35:23 1998
From: elk at arcc.or.ke (E.L.Karstad)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Converting Sawdust to Charcoal
Message-ID: <199806291542.SAA10696@arcc.or.ke>

Stovers- this just in- I'll redirect it to the list;

>Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 11:25:58 +0800
>From: Dr Chai Yoke Loong <ycp@tm.net.my>
>To: "E.L.Karstad" <elk@arcc.or.ke>
>Subject: Re: Sawdust to Charcoal Briquettes In Malaysia
>References: <199806251450.RAA00599@arcc.or.ke>
>
>Mr.E.L.Karstad,
>Who is Auke and Alex?
>The pictures were taken from my factory.
>Do you know George R Breag?
>George R.Breag visited my factory in June1997 and had discussed with me and
obtained
>some informatioms with regard to the process in the converting the sawdust
in to
>charcoal.
>I am curious as how Auke got the pictures and info.
>Perhaps Auke or Alex can answer my questions.
>In fact, I am happy to kep the list know my factory and happy to share info.
>bye
>
>Y.L.Chai

Dr. Chai;

Interesting isn't it? I'd be very curious too if an unknown someone put
photos of my fishmeal plant on the internet!

I found some old photos of my great grandfather on a website posted by an
unknown cousin in the 'States the other day....... Times are changing.

Auke Koopmans is (I think) an Australian working for FAO in the energy
field- an expert on charcoal & related items. He's a stoves@crest.org list
member.

Alex English is in Canada & maintains the web page for crest - his gift to
the 'stovers'. He is also a stand-in moderator for the group. He's employed
at an all-year 'round nursery called Burt's Greenhouse.

I don't know a George R Breag- I don't think he's a list member.

Are you? I note that your message was posted directly to me. If you would
like to join up & participate (there's only about 2 or 3 messages a day at
present), I'm sure we would all benefit from your shared knowledge. At
present, issues relating to charcoal are taking up at least 50% of the
'conversation', the balance being on stoves and health issues.

I will copy this to the group, along with your query.

Regards;

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From english at adan.kingston.net Mon Jun 29 13:24:26 1998
From: english at adan.kingston.net (*.English)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: (Fwd) Re: Sawdust to Charcoal
Message-ID: <199806291733.NAA24464@adan.kingston.net>

I received the same message, and responded as follows.
Alex

> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 11:34:49 +0800
> From: Dr Chai Yoke Loong <ycp@tm.net.my>
> To: english@adan.kingston.net
> Subject: Re: Sawdust to Charcoal

> Heh!
> How did you manage to get those photos of my factory?
> Did you get them Mr.George R.Breag?
> Kindly keep me.informed please.
> I am quite curious to know how my factory informatioms have been given
> out.
> I am keen to share info please contact me directly via the email address
> at any time.
> Thanks
Dear Dr. Long,
The information and images were supplied to me by Auke Koopmans.
I am willing to edit or remove the page. My preference would be
to add to it more information that could help others who seek to
utilize sawmill waste.

Please advise, as I should have. Alex

>
> *.English wrote:
>
> > Stovers,
> > Forgive me, the operation is in Malaysia.
> > Alex
> >
> > > Dear Stovers,
> > > I have updated the stoves webpage to include a page on a commercial
> > > sawdust to charcoal operation in Thailand, sent by Auke Koopmans.
> > >
> > > Alex
> > > Alex English
> > > RR 2 Odessa Ontario
> > > Canada K0H 2H0
> > > Tel 1-613-386-1927
> > > Fax 1-613-386-1211
> > > Stoves Webpage
> > >
> > > Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> > > http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> > > Stoves Webpage
> > > http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Stoves List SPONSORS and ARCHIVES:
> > http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/
> > Stoves Webpage
> > http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html
>
>
>
>
>

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 29 17:18:45 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Alex on 50 gal charcoaling
Message-ID: <v01540b03b1bd89dfa8ce@[204.133.28.7]>

Summary - following up on recent ideas from Alex and Vincent Allen

Alex wrote on June 24 about a 50 gallon "kiln" test:

<snip>

>I was having modest success trying to flare the gasses. I also used a
>circular disk on top of the wood to force the gasses to the edges,
>and to prevent fresh air from washing down onto the newly formed
>charcoal on top, and combusting it to ash. A second drum without it's
>two ends was placed, with a space, on top to act as a chimney and
>flaring chamber.
> More trials are needed.
>
(Larson)
Alex - Congratulations. I don't think we have heard anyone building a
bigger flaring operation - at least with simple backyard techniques.
I think you and/or others (this is out of my scale of operation)
should also combine the above with the ideas in the recent report of
Vincent Allen in which he talked about using clay/dirt and a smaller
chimney at the top of a 50 gallon barrel. Theirs was not your top lighting
approach.

If we could tightly pack your 50 gallon drum (with wood of size
probably about 4 to 8 cm diameter- no head-size pieces at first), and then
use the metal-dirt sealing technique with the smaller diameter chimney
described by Vincent - then I believe we should have a superior approach.
The cost would be lower than using two big barrels, and the loading and
stability for the chimney will be better. But I am guessing that the
chimney could be pulled and the hole plugged more easily so that the barrel
could simply be left to cool down.

One R&D aspect will be in the size and placement of the secondary
air holes (at the base of the small chimney) and the best diameter and
material for the chimney. The temperature may be so high that maybe we
should be thinking of a length of ceramic sewer pipe.

Your thoughts? How did you control the air flow and how did you
turn everything off (when 1/3 complete)?

Regards Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 29 17:18:55 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Auke Koopmans on charcoaling
Message-ID: <v01540b01b1bd4cd751fb@[204.133.28.7]>

Stovers - The following came in off-list, but could be of interest to
others in the charcoaling business. Ron

The remainder from Dr. Chai in response to an earlier message from Auke
Koopmans (and an announcemnt of its existence from Alex English):

Dr.Ronal W.Larson,

http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Kiln.htm

Congratulation to you success in building up such big list of people who are
interested in your charcoal and stoves development.
I have been reading most of the mails interchanged amongst all of you.
The report from Auke Koopman and the photos are from my factory in Malaysia.
Do mail me if I can help up in any way.
Thank you
.
Dr.Chai

Dr Chai Yoke Loong <ycp@tm.net.my>

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 29 17:19:01 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Wim Klunne - More introduction
Message-ID: <v01540b05b1bda819c2f6@[204.133.28.7]>

Stovers: Because I had forgotten Wim's introduction from a year ago, I
wrote off-line to him as follows:

<snip>

> I don't know enough about ITC (but will also look up your web
> site). Can you give those without easy access to the web some idea of ITC
> activities - with emphasis on stoves and charcoaling. What countries are
> you working in - what sort of projects? Perhaps a little more on your own
> background in these areas would be helpful as well.

(Larson): Wim responded (Thanks) a few days ago as follows:

Dear Ron,

After joining the mailing list in June 1997 I have sent a message to the
list to introduce myself. It is in the archive at
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/stoves-list-archive/9706/msg00167.html
As I said in there my knowledge of stoves and charcoal is rather
limited, but I learned quite lot from the discussions on the list.

ITC is involved in training people from developing countries in issues
related to geographical information applications. One of these
applications is rural energy and development (RED). The energy
specialization is (unfortunately) very limited as seen in relation with
the whole institute. Our main area of interest for RED is the spatial
variation in demand and supply of energy, with an emphasis on biomass.
ITC is not involved in conversion technologies at all. My personal
interest however is a bit broader: I am interested in the whole field of
renewable energy sources for rural areas in developing countries,
including wood and charcoal stoves.

ITC as an institute attracts students from all over the world, with an
emphasis on south east Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. As staff member I
lecture on rural energy and supervise students with their research,
including field supervision in their home countries. For that reason I
will visit Botswana and Uganda next month.

To conclude: I am more a sideline listener and learner from the ongoing
discussion, rather then contributor. But in the case of the WorldBank
reference I hope I helped some people.

Regards,

Wim

=======================================================================
ir W.E. Klunne (rural energy specialist)
ITC / rural energy & development (room 4-011)
PO Box 6, 7500 AA Enschede, the Netherlands

phone: +31 53 4874 218 (direct)
+31 53 4874 222 (secretary)
fax: +31 53 4874 399
e-mail: klunne@itc.nl

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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From larcon at sni.net Mon Jun 29 17:19:09 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: John Crouch: Forwarded message
Message-ID: <v01540b06b1bda9ad21d2@[204.133.28.7]>

Stovers: The following in a few days ago from list member John Crouch -
and I think is new.

Ron, you may have already seen this, but I thought I'd pass this along to
you. I monitor several lists.
Like so many abstracts, this one is intriguing, but frustrating, leaving
many many questions.
John Crouch
Hearth Products Association
Sacramento, Ca
"John Crouch" <crouchpa@ix.netcom.com>

arilist@erols.com
ARILIST (Acute Respiratory Infections Mailing List)

Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 10:06:41 +0500

From: Sumeet Saksena <sumeet@teri.res.in>

Subject: a recent paper

Biomass and Bioenergy. Vol. 14 (5/6): 547-559, 1998

EMISSION FACTORS AND THERMAL EFFICIENCIES OF COOKING BIOFUELS FROM FIVE
COUNTRIES

S. Gupta**, S, Saksena*, V R Shankar* and V Joshi+

*Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi, India

+Swiss Development Cooperation, New Delhi, India

(Received 10 June 1997; revised 9 December 1997; accepted 16 December 1997)

Abstract - The aim of the study was to compare the environmental and thermal
performance of cooking biofuels from five countries. The standard water
boiling test was used to determine thermal parameters. The fuels were burnt
in a metal stove in a test chamber in accordance with standard protocol.
Low-flow air samplers were used for particulate matter measurements, both
TSP and RSP. Later, benzo(a) pyrene was determined using the high
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique after extraction from
particulate samples in benzene CO was measured using an electronic
datalogger and HCHO using a passive sampler. The ventilation conditions
during the experiments were manipulated by using different combinations of
doors, windows and fans to ensure minimum stratification of pollutants in
the chamber. The indirect method of deriving emission factors was used.
Levels of most of the pollutants measured was found to be higher than that
reported by previous studies, especially that of benzo(a) pyrene. The
thermal efficiency was found to be in the range 10-15%. The emission per
task of RSP was 0.27-0.77 g and that of B(a)P in RSP was 1.87-4.17 mg. ©
1998. Published by Elsevier Science Ind. All rights reserved.

Keywords - Biofuels, rootfuel; respirable suspended particulate;
wood-stoves; carbon-monoxide; benzo(a)pyrene, emission factors, thermal
performance.

*Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed

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From gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in Tue Jun 30 06:41:56 1998
From: gpk at physics.unipune.ernet.in (Priyadarshini Karve(SBO))
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Stovers conference in India
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.96.980630160317.26086C-100000@physics>

Dear Stovers,
This message is meant specifically for stovers working in
developing countries.
As you are aware, Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) is
planning to organise a conference of stovers, in Pune, India in January
2000. If you are working in a developing country and are interested in
attending the conference, please provide the following information. It
will help us a great deal in planning the conference budget.

Name & Address:
Area of Research:
Brief Introduction to your Organisation:
Whether you need partial/full assistance for travel expenses:
Estimate of your Travel Expenses (please provide this information even if
you do not need travel assistance):

If any of your colleagues/associates/aquantainces who are not
members of the stovers list, are interested in attending the conference,
please provide the above information on behalf of them too.

Thank you for your cooperation. With regards,
Priyadarshini Karve.

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From larcon at sni.net Tue Jun 30 16:10:33 1998
From: larcon at sni.net (Ronal W. Larson)
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:35:57 2004
Subject: Stovers conference in India
Message-ID: <v01540b00b1bedad66ecb@[204.133.28.12]>

Stovers:

Today, Priyadarshini Karve said in a message:

>Dear Stovers,
> This message is meant specifically for stovers working in
>developing countries.
> As you are aware, Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) is
>planning to organise a conference of stovers, in Pune, India in January
>2000. If you are working in a developing country and are interested in
>attending the conference, please provide the following information. It
>will help us a great deal in planning the conference budget.
>
>Name & Address:
>Area of Research:
>Brief Introduction to your Organisation:
>Whether you need partial/full assistance for travel expenses:
>Estimate of your Travel Expenses (please provide this information even if
>you do not need travel assistance):
>
> If any of your colleagues/associates/aquantainces who are not
>members of the stovers list, are interested in attending the conference,
>please provide the above information on behalf of them too.
>
> Thank you for your cooperation. With regards,
> Priyadarshini Karve.

(Larson): Obviously, this request is being put out to help judge
the magnitude of funds needed to support those who might not otherwise be
able to attend. I am going to be there regardless of the availability of
such funds. I can do this because I am retired and I can budget my funds
between now and then. Also, Priyadarshini has previously talked of guest
house availability at $5.00 per night. At such a price, I can't afford not
to attend (intentional double negative).

My point in this message is to encourage list members in every
country to respond, for these reasons:

1. Maybe funds will be available for those in any country, who
could come if funds were available, but who could not come otherwise, for
whatever reason. Your response will be more helpful if you show the need
for funds in addition to strictly travel funds.
2. Maybe the potentional funders will insist on representation
from certain countries or parts of the world - regardless of "development
status".
3. Maybe the potential funders will insist on persons attending
with special stoves credentials or stoves backgrounds.
4. Having a better feel for the overall attendance, regardless of
your need for funds, will certainly help the organizers.
5. You may miss out on the best rooms or best places on the
conference agenda if you don't get in the queue now.

I suggest that we send our responses only to Priyadarshini and we
not clog the list with our responses - but I also assume that Priyadarshini
will be glad to keep us informed about both the number of our responses and
the availability of funds to increase that attendance. One possible way to
help her is to add an item on whether she can use your name in conference
publicity (probably helpful in getting sponsorship).

Small aside - I talked last week with Denis Hayes, who organized
both the 1970 and 1990 Earthday conferences. He is committed to organizing
an Earthday 2000 event, which he believes can be bigger thatn the other
two. I'd like to hear from anyone on the list who would like to help in
Denis' effort - anywhere in the world. I can send back a little more on
what is being planned, but the effort is just getting started - both within
the US and especially worldwide. I am personally committed to helping
create a large Earthday 2000 event and hope that others will consider doing
so as well.

A different question - Is it appropriate to advertise the 2000
stove conference as being part of Earthday 2000 activities? Of course, the
organizers should have the final say on this coupling, but maybe some
comments to myself or the list on this topic could convince them of the
value of doing so. Your thoughts?

Regards Ron

Ronal W. Larson, PhD
21547 Mountsfield Dr.
Golden, CO 80401, USA
303/526-9629; FAX same with warning
larcon@sni.net

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BioEnergy Lists: Improved Biomass Cooking Stoves

June 1998 Biomass Cooking Stoves Archive