[Stoves] corn cobs and char?

[CHRISTA ROTH]

Ron, we did try corn-cobs, at Stove camp in Honduras in 2011 (see photos taken by Jorge Espinosa below) and in Malawi: 
they are a reasonably predictable fuel good in a natural draft TLUD, but need a wider chamber (the unit below had 20 cm diameter).

in southern Malawi we found that maize cobs were available at farmers level only during a short period of time, especially if people shell the maize shortly after harvest and keep or sell the maize in shelled grain form. 
availability depends on land-holding size. in our old project area it is down to 0,3 ha per household, so the maximum people will harvest will give enough dried cobs to be used during the period of a month or two. 
for other fuels the wider fire chamber was giving too much flame, so we did to pursue this option further. 
but there is potential where the landholding sizes and harvesting methods fit, especially if farmers store the maize on the cob and then shell as needed. 


Am 13.08.2013 um 20:54 schrieb Ronal W. Larson <rongretlarson at comcast.net>:

> List:
> 
>   Anyone have any data on using corn cobs in char-making stoves?  The supply would seem to be large and likely low cost..
> 
> Ron
> _______________________________________________


wide TChar filled with dry corn cobs
 


pyrolysis stage
 


glowing embers after end of pyrolysis, retained in the lower part of the TChar to keep cooking
 

 


the burn was not intended for char-saving, but maximize energy use
 


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