[Stoves] cattle dung

[Frank Shields]

Dear Dr Karve,

My first suggestion is to determine where the ash is coming from and if it can be eliminated. If is sticks to the soil when picked up that could be a major source. Perhaps a base where the cattle are could be prepared so there is less soil picked up? Put down straw or wood chips? 

If you ash a sample and then with your fingers feel around the ash and see if you can feel little sand or stones. If you do that is likely an external source and they may be able to be removed with water and gravity in a cone shaped. Stir and the ash goes to the bottom. That leaves you with a very wet watery material. 

I think in this watery material it is the larger pieces that you want leaving behind the soluble salts and a small amount of soluble organics. I suggest bagging it in a very fine mesh screen material and sloshing it up and down in a tub of water. You are left with a tea in the tub and organics that should look like short straw bits in the bag. You will have lost a (large) part of the original mass but should have better material. And then you need to dry. Not sure this system is ‘workable’ for your location. 

At least this procedure would work for materials I have tested in AD systems. 

If not let us know and we might be able to suggest a ‘Plan B’. 

Regards

Frank
Frank Shields




> On Sep 29, 2015, at 6:25 PM, Anand Karve <adkarve at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dear stovers,
> India is the world's largest producer of milk. The dairy industry also
> produces a huge quantity of cattle dung. Dung cakes are traditionally
> used as domestic fuel and also for cremating dead bodies. But they
> have the disadvantage of not burning as vigorously as wood. Dung also
> has a very high ash content. Can we devise some method of processing
> it to increase its fuel value?
> Yours
> A.D.Karve
> ***
> Dr. A.D. Karve
> 
> Chairman, Samuchit Enviro Tech Pvt Ltd (www.samuchit.com)
> 
> Trustee & Founder President, Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI)
> 
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