[Stoves] Reports from ETHOS meetings: the future of TLUD research

[Nolbert Muhumuza]

Dear Julien,

You make very important points regarding collaboration between laboratories
and field researchers. I wish there would be someone to get people like
Bill Gates, Clinton etc to read such suggestions. Its highlights how small
financial contributions towards already progressing efforts (especially by
motivated individuals) could drive the industry forward.

I hope you will live to see some of these suggestions in place, sooner may
this happen!

Regards,

Nolbert.

-- 
Nolbert Muhumuza
President & Chief Operations Officer

*Awamu Biomass Energy Ltd.*
P.O. Box 40127, Nakawa
Kampala - Uganda.
Mobile: +256-776-346724
           +256-701-346723
Skype: nolbertm
www.awamu.ug
www.facebook.com/awamubiomass

*SEED Award 2013 Winner.
<http://www.seedinit.org/awards/all/awamu-biomass-energy-ltd.html>*

2015-01-29 16:07 GMT+03:00 Julien Winter <winter.julien at gmail.com>:

> Hi Alex;
>
> Thanks for you vote of confidence in people like me and Kirk Harris.
>
> I think you raise an interesting point about grass-roots level research.
> While it is vitally important to have state of the art research using very
> expensive gear to characterize the molecular composition of gases, etc.,
> and use computer simulation modeling, it is also important to foster
> research in the field.
>
> There is a lot to be said for people who run hundreds of trials to get
> stoves to work for their particular situations.  They will see things and
> test ideas that will not have been thought of in the laboratory.  Kirk's
> stove is an excellent example.   Many of these people put in their own time
> and money.  If they got small amount of support and encouragement, I think
> will bring a huge payback on the investment.  Not only would they make
> discoveries, but they would become a pool of technically adept people
> around the World.
>
> There are a few things that I think would be helpful.
> 1) Establish an on-line library on the basics of combustion science with
> topics on buoyance, turbulence, gas combustion, and reaction kinetics,
> etc..  Tutorials on instrumentation and measurement and calibration are
> vital to make sure that good quality observations and interpretations are
> made.  The basics of how to run an experiment are also important.
> Understanding the social science of cookstove use and dissemination is
> vital.
> 2) Provide access to academic papers behind the pay-wall:
> 2a) Pay journals to make some key articles open access.
> 2b) Allow developers to apply for funding for a membership to a university
> library.
> 3) Have a source of funding which innovators can submit proposals to
> get basic gear such as thermocouples and CO meters.
> 4) Establish good lines of communication and mentoring between combustion
> scientist at universities and field researchers.
> 5) Provide mentoring and a means for them to publish their findings.  The
> Journal of Humanitarian Engineering is a good example.
> 6) Help fund travel to present their finds at conferences like ETHOS.
>
> There are just a few ideas.  I think that this kind of support would have
> a huge impact for stove developers in countries where the stoves are to be
> used.  For information exchange, "Dr. TLUD" and bioenergylists are already
> very helpful.
>
> Above, I have focused on science and technology.  However, a similar
> argument could be made for social science, and it is vital that workers
> from different disciplines have a basic understanding of whole picture.
>
> I come to stoves from the agricultural sciences.  We have a saying: "every
> farm should be an experimental farm."  In other words, science should not
> be just top-down from institutions, but should also be bottom-up.
>
> Thanks again for your vote of encouragement, Alex.  One of these days, I
> should make a trip out the Burt's Greenhouses.
>
> Cheers,
> Julien.
>
> --
> Julien Winter
> Cobourg, ON, CANADA
>
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