[Stoves] MUST CHARCOAL BE A CAUSE FOR CONCERN?

[Anand Karve]

Dear Stovers,
I once again remind everybody that it is possible to make charcoal from leaf
litter and agricultural waste by using a top-lit downdraft kiln. This char
must be briquetted before it can be used as fuel in a stove or a furnace. We
are currently testing a locally made patented machine, in which light
biomass can be charred with simultaneous condensation of the volatiles. The
condensed volatiles represent mainly tar, but if the tar can be sold at the
present market price of tar, the char becomes a by product.
Yours
A.D.Karve
2010/10/12 <Carefreeland at aol.com>

>  In a message dated 10/11/2010 8:27:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> carneirodemiranda at gmail.com writes:
>
>
> DD: Dan Dimiduk comments
>
> Stovers:firs
> I found the following quote on a FAO publication
> (http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y4450e/y4450e10.htm), and I
> wonder if this is a correct statement responding to the question :
>
> "Must charcoal be a cause for concern?
>
> The shift from fuelwood to charcoal, even if it lasts only a few
> decades, could have major ecological consequences if it is not kept
> under control. However, since charcoal stoves are more efficient than
> wood stoves, the ratio of primary energy to usable energy is almost
> the same as with fuelwood. Thus with adequate supervision, management
> and support, the shift does not need to disrupt present levels of
> resource use."
>
> What do you think?  Can at the end, with actual stoves and charcoaling
> efficiencies, be the wood consumption the same?
>
> Rogerio
>
>  DD If one produces the charcoal in a charcoal making stove than the fuel
> can be used twice to produce heat.
>
>     Dan Dimiduk
>
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>
>


-- 
***
Dr. A.D. Karve
President, Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI)

*Please change my email address in your records to: adkarve at gmail.com *
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