Otto - FYI jatropha presscake (the mealy material left over once oil has been pressed out of the seeds) can be directly pelletized without further processing. It's pretty easy to pelletize, even with a small, cheaper (e.g. benchtop) pellet press. The mealy presscake still contains some of the oil (think coffee grounds) and it pelletizes well without worry over moisture content or having to use a binder.<div>
<br></div><div>The pellets burn in a TLUD similar to wood or other pellets, at least by visual observation and temperature recording. I have colleagues that have tried to make cooking briquettes with jatropha seedcake and had a very smoky, smouldery combustion. I believe there are concerns of some potentially toxic emissions (phorbol esters, other compounds?). I have not tested the emissions from TLUD charring jatropha pellets, but there was no visible smoke and the gasifier seemed to operate fine as it does with other types of pellets. It would be interesting to know if firing jatropha pellets in a TLUD destroys the phorbol esters and other problematic compounds instead of emitting them.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I first tried to char un-pelletized jatropha seedcake in the TLUD - because it is mealy like coffee grounds no draft could get through and it was a total fail - lots of smoke poured out! This brought the fire department to our Colorado backyard during a fire ban. Whoops.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Also FYI char made from TLUD jatropha pellets performed similar for herbicide uptake from simulated natural water as chars made in the same way from pine pellets, bagasse pellets, and bamboo pieces.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Josh</div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jan 19, 2013 at 12:29 PM, Jonathan Otto <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ottojonathan@hotmail.com" target="_blank">ottojonathan@hotmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div><div dir="ltr">
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri">Otto,</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"></font> </p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri">Whole Jatropha seeds can be picked from hedges on-farm and used directly in our jiko safi gasification stove without any further effort (except maybe for some sun drying if harvested during a damp season) … the most decentralized, efficient sustainable fuel system I can imagine.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri">Sure, urban jiko safi users will need to buy their fuel seeds, so a commercial system for transport and retail sale of seed will be needed eventually, likely mimicking some aspects of the charcoal trade. But it’s just whole, unprocessed seed.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"></font> </p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri">Concerning pelletized Jatropha fuel, I would like to understand the advantages you find in going through the costs and effort (including energy losses) of processing seeds to expel the oil, then probably milling the press cake and shells (?) to uniform size/texture, then extruding or otherwise forming the mixture into pellets, and finally distribute the fuel, some of which will go back to the same farmers that grew the Jatropha seed in the first place?</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"></font></font> </p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">I know there are technical advantages to gasification of uniform-sized pellets, but it seems to me that round or ovoid shaped seeds like Jatropha, castor (I know, more poisons!), shea or <span>croton megalocarpus provide this same advantage, without going through the pelletization process.<span> </span>What am I missing?<u></u><u></u><u></u></span></font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span><font size="3" face="Calibri"></font></span> </p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span><font size="3" face="Calibri">Otto, the minor</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span><font size="3" face="Calibri"></font></span> </p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span><font size="3" face="Calibri">P.S. It's too late for me to retire 'on time'</font></span></p>
<div><div class="im">
<div></div>
<hr>
From: <a href="mailto:terra-matricula@hotmail.com" target="_blank">terra-matricula@hotmail.com</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org" target="_blank">stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org</a><br></div>Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:23:37 +0100<div>
<div class="h5"><br>Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel?<br><br>
<div dir="ltr">Jonathan,
<div><br></div>
<div>We have got some samples of pelletized jatropha shells and seeds from Zambia, after the oil has been extracted and we feel that is the way forward.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>We will update you on the progress, so you will be albe to retire "on time".................:)<br>We are not so worried about PM in natural draft gasifiers, but thanks for the concern.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Otto........................<br>
<div>
<div></div>
<hr>
From: <a href="mailto:ottojonathan@hotmail.com" target="_blank">ottojonathan@hotmail.com</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org" target="_blank">stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org</a><br>Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 09:03:35 -0500<br>
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel?<br><br>
<div dir="ltr">Otto-<br> <br>You 'would guess' wrong. <br> <br>'We should be very careful advising people' about such unsupported conclusions.<br> <br>The challenges of gasifying oils found in seeds, notably the oils of Jatropha seed, in a cookstove are far different from working with most pellets formulations. <br>
<br>I keenly look forward to news of your all-fuel stoves that will handle J seeds, and the results of your tests. I sincerely hope you develop this soon, so I can finally retire in peace.<br> <br>Oh, and when you do tests, please include particulates in your emissions testing, so we can finally end all this hand wringing about 'these types of fuel'.<br>
<br>>From the cheeky other Otto,<br> <br>Jonathan <br>
<div>
<div></div>
<hr>
From: <a href="mailto:terra-matricula@hotmail.com" target="_blank">terra-matricula@hotmail.com</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org" target="_blank">stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org</a><br>Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:23:48 +0100<br>
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel?<br><br>
<div dir="ltr">Dear stovers,
<div><br></div>
<div>I would guess that "any" gasifier will burn jatropha seeds or pellets cleanly and efficient, as long as the moisture content are less than 10%.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>We have in the pipeline to test a new design of natural draft gasifiers, using jatropha seeds and pellets, for emmissions and toxcic fumes.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>We should be very carefull adviceing people using these types of fuel, before it has been carefully tested by independent institutions.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Have a nice weekend.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Otto (not the famous one..........:)<br><br>
<div>
<div></div>
<hr>
From: <a href="mailto:crispinpigott@gmail.com" target="_blank">crispinpigott@gmail.com</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org" target="_blank">stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org</a><br>Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:19:11 -0500<br>
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel?<br><br>
<div>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">Dear Jonathan</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">I am interested in the general layout and dimensions of a stove that will burn the seeds well. Are you sharing at this time anything regarding the design?</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">Thanks<br>Crispin</span></p>
<div>
<div style="BORDER-BOTTOM:medium none;BORDER-LEFT:medium none;PADDING-BOTTOM:0mm;PADDING-LEFT:0mm;PADDING-RIGHT:0mm;BORDER-TOP:#b5c4df 1pt solid;BORDER-RIGHT:medium none;PADDING-TOP:3pt">
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">++++++++</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt" lang="EN-US"></span></p></div>
</div>
<p> </p>
<div>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">Dear Joyce and stovers all,<br> <br>My regrets for not responding to this request 6 months ago. I admit that it got lost in my messy inbox which I have now reduced from 6000 messages to a mere 2400, and in the process uncovered Joyce's email.<br>
<br>Burning Jatropha seeds whole or in briquettes in open cooking arrangements is a bad idea. It produces a smoky, smelly fire and probably exposes cooks to toxic emissions. I even question burning Jatropha oil in lamps in enclosed areas for the same reason. Maybe others know of emissions studies.<br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Josh Kearns<br>PhD Candidate, Environmental Engineering<br>University of Colorado-Boulder<div>Visiting Researcher, North Carolina State University</div><div>
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