[Stoves] Smokeless transition

Crispin Pemberton-Pigott crispinpigott at outlook.com
Fri Dec 12 16:16:57 CST 2014


Dear Paul

 

Yes, and I tried to explain it in a way that agrees with your analysis. If
making char for combustion, you would want to have a low formation
temperature to leave some volatiles (otherwise it is hard to ignite and you
have to light more at a time). If you want biochar it should have a
relatively high final temperature to create the surface area. If you want to
burn it then burn as much as possible during gasification which makes the
transition to burning charcoal gas much easier/less of a system adjustment.

 

I hope you noted the comment about running the primary into the side of the
fuel near the bottom, not through the bottom plate. This reduces damage to
the metal by pushing the heat into the fuel instead of the metal. As the
fuel burns away fuel drops from above. When the holes are small it gives the
heat getting into the metal a chance to move through creating preheated air.

 

Regards

Crispin

 

 

 

Crispin,

For anyone wanting to burn the char in the device, your explanation  is fine
and is much appreciated.

The biggest difference in our positions is that I and some others do NOT
want to burn the char.   Reasons can include wanting it for biochar, or to
burn it in a different device later, or to protect the fuel container for
the high heat of char-gasification, or for some reason of simplified design
such as using less expensive materials of controls, and probably a few more
reasons.

For centuries, one objective of scientifically designed combustion devices
was to obtain the maximum of energy possible, and that meant to leave the
minimum of carbon behind in with the ashes.   But as you pointed out, things
have been changing.  

I got started in 2001 with what has become known as TLUDs by Tom Reed.
Clean combustion was the feature.   The TLUD stoves happened to make
charcoal.   It was a "by-product" that became a "co-product" that for some
is the "main-product".    

Paul



 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20141212/23c80787/attachment.html>


More information about the Stoves mailing list