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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><FONT color=#000080
size=2 face=Arial><STRONG>Hi Jean,</STRONG></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>Good questions....</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>Yes, as Richard indicated, we have an active
program to determine what it will take to use the waste products from the banana
stalk, the leaf and the stem of the leaf. We are taking two approaches.
</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>First, is to take the live material and chop
sufficiently for aggressive composting. Some parts of the world immediately cut
off the live stalk after the hand has been removed and others just let it stand
and die slowly.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>Secondly, we want to chop and
grind the fronds for immediate processing into a wet biomass.
</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>We thought this was going to be a fairly easy
project but much to our surprise, every step of the path is producing challenges
we didn't count on. It's way too early to go public with the findings
but what we know at this point has caused us to step back and do a more
extensive burn test.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>We are not ignoring the banana peel as a
component to the formula but the peel is not a main focus right now.
Joel has done a good job exploring the peel. It may also be a critical
component to the composting process, not sure yet, but we sure are killing
a lot of banana skins these days toward that
effort.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>The banana tree/stalk has turned out to be one
of the most fascinating plants we have looked at. It is not cellular like
wood but instead all fibers. The fibers are currently being used in
research as a possible fiber for auto body skins like fenders etc.
Possibly better than fiber glass via the traditional method. Also, the
fibers are processed into sanitary pads for women in Rwanda, a huge benefit for
both the women and as a cottage industry. And, at nearly equal performance
to the P&G product here in Cincinnati at less than half the
cost.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>As spring approaches we hope to have a better
handle on this project and be able to say something about the results. We have a
lot of testing to do between now and then.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial>Hope this helps,</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Lee</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Home 513-677-0543</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Cell 513-240-1129</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial><A
href="mailto:lee.hite@fuse.net">lee.hite@fuse.net</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Applied Engineering (One Day at a
Time)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial><A
href="http://home.fuse.net/engineering/">http://home.fuse.net/engineering/</A></FONT></DIV></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=119431602-28012011><STRONG><FONT
color=#000080 size=2 face=Arial></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV><BR>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><B>From:</B> Richard Stanley
[mailto:rstanley@legacyfound.org] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 27, 2011
11:55 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Discussion of biomass cooking stoves<BR><B>Cc:</B> Joel
Chaney; Lee Hite<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Stoves] Banana ag waste, rockets &
TLUDs<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Jean,
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Who are you working with locally ? </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Bananna briquette making and testing has been done by Joel Chaney who
has his groundwork in Rwanda a few years ago (as part of his PhD engineering
studies in Nottingham Uk ). More recently the processing of the whole
stalk is being tackled by Engineers without Borders in the greater Cincinnati
area-- more particularly by Lee Hite, who is developing a practical chopper and
grinder device. (Lee has also developed mini presses for easy entry into
production, demonstration / training etc). Both are ccy'd above to
facilitate your contact.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Now thats two very good wazungu for you I can think of immediately who,
because of same language and access to internet, you will of course tend to go
to directly . However, you are missing the rest of the -perhaps- two
hundred other citisens of our planet whom you will only really discover, if you
are working with someone who is locally based.. </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Please do yourself a huge favor in the long run and explore both
options. </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>We ain't goin' to get there on our own.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Kind regards,</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Richard Stanley</DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.legacyfound.org">www.legacyfound.org</A></DIV>
<DIV>N.W. Obamaland</DIV>
<DIV><BR>
<DIV>
<DIV>On Jan 26, 2011, at 8:36 AM, Jean Kim Chaix wrote:</DIV><BR
class=Apple-interchange-newline>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">Hello, stovers. <BR><BR>I'm going to disappoint
Crispin as I don't have a smart questions this time. It is, instead, purely
practical. Here goes:<BR><BR>Our preliminary biomass energy efficiency
assessment has revealed that conditions appear to be ripe for sustainable,
alternative solid biomass fuel & cookstove program in the community we are
supporting in Rubaare.<BR> <BR>There is a robust local market in bananas
and maize with plentiful byproducts available such as stems, peels, etc. There
is also sawdust available locally. The first phase of our project will focus
on creating a fuel option for the institutional stoves currently in use the
five schools. The stoves are of the Aid Africa type and will need to be
adapted to burn the briquettes. In the second phase of our project we will
seek to the right mix of stove and fuels for domestic consumption.<BR><BR>As
we develop our project,Ie have a couple of questions for you: <BR>1. For
domestic cookstoves, can the above-mentioned fuels be used separately or
together as fuel for TLUDs? <BR>2. If so, is there a type of TLUD that is
particularly suitable? Or is it just a matter of chopping the biomass up into
fine, TLUD compatible particles?<BR>3. Does anyone have experience using
either sawdust and/or banana waste and converting them to fuel-briquettes?
<BR><BR>For the record, I searched the archives of listserv but wasn't able to
come up with the answers.<BR><BR>My gratitude in advance for your considerate
answers and your patience with my ignorance.<BR><BR>Rgds,<BR><BR>Kim<BR>--
<BR><B>J. Kim Chaix</B><BR>Director <BR><IMG
src="http://www.charcoalproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/logo-1-dark.jpg"
width=96 height=16 NOSEND="1"><BR>Green Spaces NYC<BR>394 Broadway, 5th
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