Palm Fronds as Fuel in a TLUD (Top Lit Updraft)
Micheal Trevor, Marshall Islands, December 7, 2008
Loaded Chopped Fronds
Remember in the rocket stove I am use very "pulpy" stuff.
In the TLUDS-- XL Woodgas and my tincanium ones--- they make charcoal. As for shell I have not tried it much yet in the TLUDS althought my son burned out the first XLWoodgas unit on it.
I think a mix of broken shell chips with the chopped frond piece may work very well.
The chopped frond pieces work well but the burn is rather short.
In industrial applications like a bakery I am sure shell would be fantastic if you could get enough.I think everyone else would get it first
Introducing the Aprovecho Research Center (ARC) rocket stove to the Marshall Islands
Michael N Trevor, Enemanit , Marshall Islands December 6, 2008
Cooking on Rocket Stove While Still Starting Shell Fire
Hello from the Marshall Islands, thing are progressing just slowly
I thought you might like these attached pictures. Dean Still and his crew John, Todd and Sandra along with Dr Richard Zellar on their (Aprovecho) Board really went the extra mile to help me get the stoves here to test. It took over half a year to accomplish. I complement them for the extra effort.
Initial reaction has been very positive, even right thru the roof. The best appellation was "fabulous", and others say "really good" or its almost like a kerosene stove. This thing really has potential to help people. Even the Ministry of Health has taken an interest for a public health view.
The stove being used next to a "normal" open fire from shell is really illustrative. The entire pot of eggs and potatoes for a picnic salad cooked on pieces of 2 or 3 flower spathes while the other fire was still being built.
The nearly smokeless fire is obvious. The steaming pot shows well right next to the harsh acrid shell smoke. Pollution.Junction !!!.
As for the fuel the difference in labor should be noted, Susan simply walked across the yard
picking up three "utok" from coconut spathes on the ground and lit them. Juli the young man however had to pick up and haul in a partial bad of nuts. Then they were husked, cracked and the meat cut out. Finally he spend the entire time Susan was cooking just getting his fire going,
Please note Susan is not even using the stove correctly as the pot was just big enough the the skirt fell down the outside of the stove. I believe the skirt is not going to be popular even though I carefully explained its importance and use to hold heat against the pot.
Fuel shortage is not an issue here as in some places. Right now I am working our a combination of chopped frond pieces for an XL woodgas stove and then running the midrib sections through the ARC rocket stove. The looks to be a nice usage of what is usually trash that is burned.
ARISTO. The Plant oil stove
Yun Ho Chae, Grupo Ari SA, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic December 3, 2008
Two Burner ARISTO Stove
With the purpose of developing a stove that uses a different fuel to petroleum and other conventional, 4 years ago was initiated the development of an alcohol stove, which presented several problems in its efficiency such as:
A. Under performance in the generation of heat energy
B. High cost of fuel (alcohol)
C. High levels of evaporation of alcohol, which generated a minor use
D. Smell of alcohol due to its evaporation
E. Danger in use because of the high level of inflamability of alcohol in their natural state
With these results has been decided to seek other fuel that could solve these problems.
During 4 years we have researched and developed a stove that is capable of generate the same or better performance that gas stoves have and could solve the drawback of accessibility to gas in rural areas and areas far from cities.
To that end we developed a stove that works with vegetable oil, whose characteristics are presented below.
3. Description
Aristo is a 2 stove burners that operates using all kinds of vegetable oil.
The most known types of oils are Higuereta, jatropha, Camelina, African palm.
They can also be used cooking oils made of soybean, maize, sunflower, although these are not desirable because of its high cost and are also products consumed at home.
Another excellent option is the use of used cooking oil, which has a high performance at low cost.
The stove oil has a good performance on fuel consumption.
Compared with the gas generates a decrease of 40% in costs
Features and Benefits
1. Easy to use and fast ignition
2. High level of heat energy
3. Danger void, because the oil only lights inside the stove
4. Do not emit toxic gases.
5. The oil is not volatile, so you do not need special packaging
6. No need of heavy and expensive storage tanks
7. The oil can be obtained at any point of sale, in small packages
8. In the fields can be sown to extract oil for own use
9. It reduces the import of liquefied gas which would generate large benefits to the country.
10. They can be used as heaters in cold regions.
11. This produces a savings of up to 70% in costs compared with gas.
12. It helps preserve the environment by reducing the felling of trees used as firewood for cooking.
13. The oil stove is much more economical than a gas stove.