[Stoves] New type of sawdust stove in Gambia

Wed Aug 10 07:27:41 CDT 2011

Dear Rok

This is really worth thinking about - it is a compound fuel stove, using a
small amount of wood to regulate the power and control the smoke. Very
interesting. And most important as you note, makes a poor fuel into a good
one for a very low investment in management.

Will try to write more later addressing your questions.

Regards

Crispin

From: stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Rok Oblak
Sent: 10 August 2011 02:08
To: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves
Subject: Re: [Stoves] New type of sawdust stove in Gambia

Hi Crispin, very interesting application for briquettes as well

I was using a similar technique, where the sticks were inserted from
underneath of the horizontally laid briquettes with the vertical hole in the
middle (same thing as a sawdust stove). It kept the flames going all the
time. 

http://holeyroket.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/img_62071.jpg
http://holeyroket.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/img_62021.jpg

In that case in Malawi this was used for 2 reasons; one being the poor
quality briquettes that weren't burning well and the other that with more or
less sticks pushed in, you were able to regulate the fire output as with the
3-stones fire that people were already used to cook with.. Check these
photos for a reference. Very little help was needed, but it was quite
essential to prevent the smoke - same as you're saying

I also found myself pushing a stick right through a briquette sometimes with
the new side-fed briquette stove, its good for keeping up the fire with no
smoke at the startup.. you think it could be beneficial making bigger holes
higher up the combustion chamber or it would cool the air in the combustion
chamber too much maybe when the sticks would not be inserted? Worth trying
though

Cheers
Rok

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 10:21 PM, Crispin Pemberton-Pigott
<crispinpigott at gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Friends

Cecil in Banjul has reported (and I hope has pictures) of a sawdust stove
that uses a novel method of keeping the flame running throughout the burn.
Sawdust stoves, like some gasifiers, are notorious for making a lot of smoke
if anything goes wrong.

The cylindrical stove is a 22 cm diameter can with a height of about 25 cm.
There is a side hole that is made by cutting a D-shaped flap. The curved cut
is started about 4 cm from the bottom, curves down and then up again to make
an opening about 8 or 10 cm wide and 4 cm from the bottom. This allows
access to the central hole which is produced by an inverted Coke bottle.

After pounding in the sawdust, the opening provided by the side hole is
scooped out using a small stick until the central vertical hole is reached.
The sawdust is lit a the bottom using (in this case) a piece of Styrofoam.
Small sticks are kept burning in the side hole throughout the cooking
period. This is the unusual part.

This very small side-fed fire continuously provides a flame to ignite the
smoke that evolves from the sawdust.

Later on they put in one larger stick, late in the burn if they want to push
the power up.

A full charge will burn for about several hours if allowed to smoulder. A
typical cooking session is about 2 hours. They use huge aluminum pots. It
boiled about 8 litres of tea in 30 minutes later on in the burn.

The use of the small sticks as flame providers ensures there is very little
smoke at all during the burn. Quite amazing, apparently.

I will send pictures once they arrive.

He also reports that there is not a single pot in the Gambia that has no lid
on it, and people look at you as if you are daft to ask whether or not they
use. Good for them. We are daft to ask such a question.

Regards

Crispin

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-- 

Rok Oblak, MAA Design

+1 604 710 1615
rok.stoves at gmail.com
www.holeyroket.com <http://www.holeyroket.com/> 

1605-1255 Pendrell Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 1E7

Canada

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