Durability is an issue. Without a coating some of the bricks are still working after 2 years of daily use ( this is a vermiculite / clay brick that we made) and we are having success wit h the sawdust grog clay brick in Malawi . These are also still in use after a year of service ( Although one prison that we put them in was able to destroy them in two weeks by literally hammering the wood into the combustion chamber!

We have our Malawian team working on a durable coating at the moment.

Lots to experiment with

Here is the latest coating for an insulative brick from Uganda

The coating can actually be porcelain body that matures at 1250C.

This could be coated on the heat face of the brick which can then be fired.

Feldspar 25%

Sand 23%

Kaolin 40%

Ballclay 10%

Whiting 2%

this can be wet milled and coated on one side of the brick. Remember though that this will be vitreous so when parking the kiln the coated side should not touch.

This can be applied to a wet brick so that the brick only needs to be fired once

I have some reports coming out soon that will give more info on our work with ceramics

Peter

Q: How are the ceramic tiles, or baldosas, holding up in service?

Examples:

Onil Stove - HELPS International, Guatemala

Justa Stove - Trees Water and People, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador

A: See Report on Baldosa Tiles for HELPS and Trees Water and People: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador

Q: How are the ceramic stoves holding up in service?

Examples:

Ecolenca - Trees Water and People, Honduras Microenterprise Project

Loa Bucket, Loa Kompong Chhnange, Samaki - Cambodia Fuelwood Savings Project

Myanmar: Loa Bucket Stove at Roadside Tea shop in Taunggyi (Manny Hernandez)	Myanmar (Hernandez)	Myanmar (Hernandez)

Q: How are clay stoves holding up in service?

Examples:

Mulanje Clay stove - IFSP/GTZ clay Maendeleo Christa Roth

Locations:

Myanmar: Loa Bucket Stove at Roadside Tea shop in Taunggyi (Manny Hernandez)	Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia, CFSP	Mulanje, Malawi IFSP/GTZ, Aprovecho

Lira, Uganda, AID Uganda	Rio Bravo, Sololoa, Guatemala, HELPS	Managua, Nicaragua Trees Water & People Microenterprise Project