April 2012

Sellers notes re Stove Protocols

25 April 2012 - 12:00am

From Charlie Sellers:

I chased down this protocol in case it would help me with my effort to see how to compare the performance of 2 stoves differentiated by only minor design changes (not predict how they will work in the field - though we keep hoping that lab testing results can be eventually correlated with field performance, once we have figured out how behavioral, educational, and cultural issues can be overcome):
http://cdm.unfccc.int/filestorage/I/Z/X/IZX36AE84V1K5NOYQBSU0TWRHD2FGL/S...
It might be considered a little obscure on the web - since if you search on the title ("Stove Manufacturers Emissions & Performance Test Protocol" - EPTP for short) you won't get much else besides this helpful presentation at NREL last fall:
http://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/events/IRENA_NREL_WORKSHOP/2-4_WI...

A supporting journal article cited is "Influence of testing parameters on biomass stove performance and development of an improved testing protocol", written by L'Orange et al at Colorado State University and published in the March 2012 issue of Energy for Sustainable Development: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S097308261100086X
and it is worth a read. For those of you who are not yet familiar with it, Google Scholar is an excellent tool for ferreting out the, hopefully, highest quality technical information - and it has no superfluous information or ads, yet. I am not sure that I am allowed to attach a copy of it here - but the authors should be able to. Note that an older, but similarly oriented, journal article from India "Effects of selected parameters on performance and emission of biomass cookstoves" - was published in 2002 by Bhattacharya et all (Thailand), in the journal Biomass and Bioenergy (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0961953402000624).

Saving Cooking Energy with Metal (Technical Working Paper 10)

24 April 2012 - 12:02pm

Read Saving 50% Cooking Energy with a Metal Improved Cooking Stove (ICS)

by Sjoerd Nienhuys.

In this Technical Working Papger, he generously shares his experience improving specific technical problems with stoves in Tajikistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In this report, he presents and improved pot skirt, stove, and chimney design for street vendors and restaurants. And he considers the multiple challenges faced by poor people in the Himalayas, where it is very cold, and there is very little wood available. This paper includes plans for a modified bread oven that can be used as a space heater in the winter time, as well as carefully considering the many factors that go into building and using the new design.

In addition to the attached paper, Sjoerd has drawings and other information on his web site: http://www.nienhuys.info

MIT Paper Randomized Improved Cooking Stove paper

21 April 2012 - 1:24pm

MIT has recently published the paper "Up in Smoke" by Rema Hanna, Ester Duflo and Michael Greenston which studies the a randomized installation of the Chullah in India. The study participants received skilled help in installing the Chullah stove and minimal help in maintaining them.

The Study is published Here:
http://www.charcoalproject.org/2012/04/news-clean-cookstoves-draw-suppor...
this link is shorter http://bit.ly/IfI0ZL

Hot Water Heating in South Africa

19 April 2012 - 11:55am

Jordaan, Quintus

A Geyser, is a hot water heater in South Africa. There are many houses that are not connected to conventional utility grids, and heating water with electricity and natural gas is expansive and/or impractical.

Tankless, batch hot water heaters directly connected to the shower etc, are a great single-use application for an efficient stoves.

Ecostove (Ecofogão) in Brazil

10 April 2012 - 2:20pm

Carnerio de Miranda, Rogerio

Rogerio Carneiro de Miranda shared his new video that highlights the features of the Ecofogão in Brazil.

It is is a rocket style stove that uses wood to heat a cast iron griddle and an oven. It is an efficient stove that also includes an chimney, and the option to build it into an attractive and functional kitchen island. They also have an option that heats water (for washing or bathing).

For more information, and pictures, and to buy the stove, see their website:
http://www.ecofogao.com.br/

Congratulations Legacy Foundation for being part of the Great Energy Initiative

5 April 2012 - 4:37pm

The Legacy Foundation has been been recognized by the National Geographic's Great Energy Challenge Initiative for their work bringing biomass briquettes and rocket stoves to Guatamala.

ETHOS 2012 Video

5 April 2012 - 12:10pm

Dennis Hartley

Dennis Hartley, who volunteers for Aprovecho put together a nice video about the
2012 ETHOS Conference.

Biomass Stoves from Indonesia

5 April 2012 - 11:30am

Nurhuda, Muhammad

Muhammad Nurhuda from the Physics Department, Brawijaya University
in Malang, Indonesia

They have developed a various biomass stoves ( Kompor Biomass ) The fuels also vary from chopped woods/twigs, pellet, palm kernel shell, hazelnut kernel shell, corncob, etc..

And they have a nice collection of YouTube videos:

UB-03 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sty_pdFYr44
UB-02 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4r5U18s_OY
UB-03 with Palm Kernel Shells http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7TZn6YGOcI
Using the UB-03 Stove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOba6FobfrQ
UB-03 Jumbo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b70z9-0nK6E

All stoves presented above are of TLUD types, but the combustion is improved by using pre-heating and counter-flow burning mechanism. The one intended for palm kernel shell utilizes diffused-combustion mechanism, in addition to pre-heating and counter flow mechanism.

The latest one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b70z9-0nK6E

is devoted for institutional cook stove or small restaurants.

Very recently, we have also developed a new rocket stove. The combustion in this new rocket stove is improved by introducing counter-flow burning mechanism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kID0YL6TyqA