[Stoves] Why TLUDs are not mass produced
Paul Olivier
paul.olivier at esrla.com
Wed Oct 24 17:25:46 CDT 2012
Paul Anderson,
Mass production is absolutely critical in reducing costs.
It involves shears, molds, jigs and presses that are capable of stamping
out parts quickly and precisely.
Try to make tin cans or glass bottles one at a time by hand.
This would be impractical even in countries where labor is cheap.
The same applies to most of the parts of a TLUD.
So far we have spent about $20,000 US so far in an effort to make all of
the parts (except for the reactor) shown here:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/22013094/150%20Gasifier/Jpegs/JP6/150%20Gasifier%20Parts.pdf
To mass produce the reactor itself, we need a continuous pipe forming
machine that costs about $100,000.
We will invest in this machine only after we have sold a few thousand units.
But this pipe forming machine is absolutely necessary in the long run.
It knocks about $10 US off the price of the reactor.
With the mass production equipment that we have lined up so far,
we are in a position to make about 500 gasifiers per day.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/22013094/150%20Gasifier/Pic/2012-10-21%2006.14.11.jpg
So far we have six depots where gasifiers will be made available to small
retailers.
These depots are located in Vietnam from Cau Mau in the Mekong to Dak Lac
in the central highlands.
The units (all in stainless steel) will wholesale for about $30.
This includes a small profit margin for the manufacturer.
The retailer will resell for about $37.50.
Also the retailer has to assist the household in setting up a countertop to
enclose the gasifier.
Under no conditions should the gasifier be operated as a stand-alone unit.
Here you see the construction of a countertop:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/22013094/150%20Gasifier/Pic/IMG_1154.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/22013094/150%20Gasifier/Pic/IMG_1195.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/22013094/150%20Gasifier/Jpegs/JP6/024%20-%20Within%20Countertop.pdf
It costs about $10 US to build such a countertop.
Most households in Vietnam have countertops made in brick and mortar.
The height of these countertops matches perfectly the height of the 150
gasifier.
The company that will mass produce the gasifiers has also begun to design
and make pellet machines.
When rice hulls are formed into pellets, the burn time increases five- to
six-fold.
If long burn times are not needed, then the height of the reactor could be
greatly reduced.
We are quite excited about the idea of forming rice straw into pellets.
Thanks.
Paul Olivier
On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 8:29 PM, Paul Anderson <psanders at ilstu.edu> wrote:
> Dear Stovers (and a few friends who might find this summary interesting).
>
> On 10/23/2012 11:38 AM, Crispin Pemberton-Pigott wrote:
>
> Why do you think the Peko Pe is not in (mass) production in Uganda? Is it
> not a low cost and effective stove?
>
> Dear Stovers,
>
> Honestly, I do not ask Crispin or others to ask such questions, but I
> thank him for this great opening.
>
> The reply is not just about the Peko Pe, but about TLUD gasifier stoves in
> general. And the overall response is "the lack of any substantial
> backing." But here are some details.
>
> The largest TLUD mass production thus far has been the Oorja stove in
> India. Forced air, pellet fuel, and massive expenditures by BP. 400,000
> units as of a 2009 when BP pulled out and the business was re-organized as
> First Energy. I suggest Stovers see their website:
> www.firstenergy.in New design (not sure when it came to the
> market). Go to the "About" tab (then "Overview") on the menu. And
> also see the About/Team tab for info about Mahesh Yagnaraman. I met him
> in Delhi a few years back. Very capable. I remember that his background
> was (is) in the production of automobile parts in Pune. Solid business
> connections in metal fabrication is clearly a key to making mass produced
> TLUD stoves. I hope that he and First Energy are represented at the GACC
> Forum in Cambodia next March, including demonstrating the Oorja for
> commercial kitchens (nice product).
>
> Another corporate push to mass production is just beginning to be seen.
> Philips has produced a natural draft TLUD stove. (I do not consider the
> Philips forced-air unit to be a TLUD. It is a "fan-jet" stove with
> enhanced turbulence like the forced air Lucia by Worldstove, and the
> Ecococina from El Salvador, and now the Biolite stoves with TEG technology,
> but that is a different discussion.) Going into production in Lesotho, I
> believe. But not with the Philips name on it.
>
> Summary thus far, big business with big money can give you mass production
> when the bosses decide to do it.
>
> There are a few other TLUDs made with "industrial quality" where mass
> production would be a matter of having larger markets to keep the machines
> and workers busy.
>
> The Reed Woodgas Campstoves are "mass produced" in India and sold mainly
> to recreational campers in affluent societies. I think it has passed 5000
> (maybe 10,000) units sold.
>
> The Nurhuda stoves in Indonesia are well into the thousands and are true
> TLUDs. We just need more information.
>
> And the Servals "Champion" TLUD is well known, but does not have yet the
> financial backing or large orders to push it into "mass" production.
>
> Oh, and in China the Daxu company had a TLUD reported to have had 25,000
> made, but I believe that stopped when the heavy subsidy stopped.
>
> NOTE: If I have left anybody out, it is because your information has not
> reached me. If you are out there and with mass production of a TLUD stove,
> let us hear from you.
>
> All the rest are small to tiny operations. A few thousands of units.
>
> So why no mass production of the Peko Pe? Do people think that Paal
> Wendlebo is a wealthy man or in control of a company to pay the bills?
> There is some action about Peko Pe in Zambia and maybe elsewhere. But I
> do not have sufficient information to make much of a report on it.
>
> There is also the recently completed World Bank BEIA project for the Mwoto
> TLUD stove in Uganda. (see www.mwotostove.com ) About 2500 TLUDs in the
> "Mwoto Classic" design have been produced with 100% tinsmith labor. The
> BEIA project showed that sufficient and accepting markets for the Mwoto
> stoves exist in Uganda. Production was not able to meet fully the demand
> created in this pilot study.
>
> As an offshoot of the BEIA project, I am personally involved in a start-up
> company called Awamu Biomass Energy (ABE) in Uganda, with the "Mwoto Quad"
> as its first product. (A report of test results on the Quad stove is
> available at my website: www.drtlud.com ). It has the TLUD
> operational characteristics and dimensions of the Mwoto Classic, but is
> designed for mass production via labor intensive processes, not
> machine-made. But we are just starting (following the end of the BEIA
> project). Please stay tuned, or (better yet) please volunteer to assist.
>
> End note: I have great hopes that the GACC Forum in Cambodia (March
> 2013) will include a wonderful and the largest ever gathering of people who
> are working on the TLUD micro-gasifier cookstoves.
>
> Paul
>
> Paul S. Anderson, PhD aka "Dr TLUD"
> Email: psanders at ilstu.edu Skype: paultlud Phone: +1-309-452-7072
> Website: www.drtlud.com
>
>
>
>
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--
Paul A. Olivier PhD
27C Pham Hong Thai Street
Dalat
Vietnam
Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
Mobile: 090-694-1573 (in Vietnam)
Skype address: Xpolivier
http://www.esrla.com/
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