[Stoves] Effect of ambient temperature on low power stove testing

[kgharris]

All,

It appears to me that the effect of ambient conditions on a TLUD-ND operating at low power is quite complex.  The excellent responses to this thread have pointed to several possibilities.

1.  The heat loss from the stove and pot to the atmosphere is reduced because the temperature difference is less.  (Thank you Prof Lloyd)

2.  At higher ambient temperatures the primary and secondary air is effectively pre-heated before it enters the stove.  This leads to a hotter pyrolysis front, faster wood gas production, and a larger secondary flame.  (Thank you Crispin)

3.  Higher ambient temperatures may be accompanied by higher humidity, which reduces evaporation from the pot.  How does higher humidity effect the flame?  (Thank you Crispin)

4.  If I might add another, higher ambient temperatures are often accompanied by higher barometric pressure, which would increase the vaporization temperature so the pot will heat up slightly.  It will also increase the vaporization temperature of the volitiles in the fuel, slightly increasing the fuel temperature.  This may seem very small, but the stove operates on buoyancy pressure differences measured in single digit Pascals, so a change in barometric pressure may be more than the pressure differences that drive the stove.

The total effect of a combination of these could be considerable.

Kirk H.
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