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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Dear Alex<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>>></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>This is interesting news. The grate looks great, and if there is a pile of char that is maintained in front, we must conspire to burn it.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>Not so fast. I rather like the idea of a naturally formed biochar venturi:)<br><br></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>I agree and want to see it in action – it might have a good mixing contribution to make.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>>></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>I presume at the moment the ash is blown into the larger chamber of the stove. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>I see the odd spark or glowing particle fly into the stove. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>I noticed that on the video. The flames looked like they needed more tube length, actually. You can see them chilling as they enter they open space.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>This is what you see in most pellet stoves which do tend to have relatively low PM emissions. In part that has to do with the way the size of the particles in the pellet ('sawdust' is really tiny wood chips) and how they tend to hold together. When the hopper does runs out of fuel the added air flow literally blows whole charred pellets into the stove. A chimney draft is nothing to sneeze at, so to speak. <br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'>That is good news. How about turning the tube supplying air through the grate upwards?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>>></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>Is there any reason you can think of that the hopper, feed tube and burning chamber should be round?</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>No.<br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'>OK. Might assist in suppressing CO sneakage in the corners.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>>></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>How deep is the fuel in the hopper?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>40 cm. I have materials to go up to 100cm, and I could take it up to near the ceiling with some stove pipe, though I might have to counter balance the stove:)<br><br></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>Interested to know if it will feed that whole tube. If so, it could have a large hopper with a low slope. If you want, bring material and I will cut and weld it for you.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>These pellets are highly resistant to bridging. On the other hand I have seen chips defy gravity:) <br><br></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>Are they noticeably slippery to the touch?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>It is difficult to measure but the pellet flow is in fact air (wind) assisted. However they are more bullet than sail. Small dry wood chips are sails and if they make it down through the hopper, they blow right out of the tube.<br><br></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>There are just so many advantages to using pellets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>>></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>Using wood, I can report that I have seen flames reaching more than 24 inches along the tube so you may get better combustion efficiency by lengthening the one you have.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>Yes, a view of the flame is useful for understanding the process but is not ideal for combustion.<br><br></span><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>It seems from the look and the layout, that adding more flame tube</span><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'>would/could bring CO down to zero, or at least undetectable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>>></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>Thanks for an interesting (tiny) burner idea. If you bring it here I have some 5mm switchgrass pellets I have had difficulty burning it anything yet. Maybe…</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>I suspect the ash would bung it up, but maybe...not.<br><br></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>Ask is not the problem that I see, it is that it is so dense it will not breathe properly. TLUD’s it chokes immediately. It would need a fan to get much air through it. But if dropped from above it would certainly flow, if it is dry. I would like to try it. Ask Roger Samson to drop off some different sized pellets when he next passes by your place, which is quite often.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><br></span><span style='color:#1F497D'>Thanks</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Crispin<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>