[Stoves] Designation of TLUD gasifier devices.

[Paul Anderson]

Dear readers,

All readers are advised that some people insist on using a valid 
GASIFIER term of TLUD when referring to other types of fires because 
there is ignition at the top of a fuel pile and the air flow is 
upward.   And they do this without regard to the GASIFIER structure that 
allows the creation of the gases to be separate in time and space from 
the burning (or other usage) of the created gases.   The creation and 
the burning of the gases can be very close, but they CAN be separated.   
For example, the top flame (the secondary combustion) can be 
extinguished in a TLUD gasifier (but not in just any old bucket or open 
fire).

Paal Wendelbo observed the Norwegian resistance fighters having top 
lighting of open campfires, and they were not using gasifier devices.   
40 years later he contained that pyrolysis and gas burning processes 
inside metal cylinders and had the start of what is today called TLUD 
gasifiers.

Today, after 30 years of development of TLUD stoves and other true 
micro-gasifiers that now have respectable recognition, it is becoming 
trendy to call other things TLUDs when they are not or are mere shadows 
of what is involved with gasifier stoves.   There are no "terminology 
police" or copyrights on TLUD.   Readers need to be aware of the details 
of the actual operations, regardless of what it is being called.

Readers are encouraged to use as a reference the book on 
Micro-gasification.... by Christa Roth (GIZ publisher) and my article 
"Micro-gasification Terminology...", both of which are available in the 
Quick Picks list on my website   www.drtlud.com

I did not invent TLUD gasifiers, but I did give them that name 10 years 
ago.   People can use the words top lit and up draft to describe other 
things, but the acronym TLUD should appropriately refer to a reasonably 
well defined TYPE OF GASIFIER DEVICE, most specifically as a cookstove 
or char-maker.  Use of that TLUD designation for other devices is a form 
of mimicry and getting on a bandwagon, or worse, which is just to make 
confusion.

Dr TLUD

Doc  /  Dr TLUD  /  Prof. Paul S. Anderson, PhD
Email:  psanders at ilstu.edu
Skype: paultlud      Phone: +1-309-452-7072
Website:  www.drtlud.com