global air pollution solutions

[rogerandbridget]

Hello fellow pyromaniacs Roger here posing a question for us all. Due to my work in the "miniaturizing"wood stoves field, I have come by some information which is most disturbing. In Mongolia for example there are 1,300,000 yurt dwellers living in the capitol city. These modest homes use low grade coal which is abundantly available and affordable to the local people who have an average income of $120.00/month. These households are burning 4 metric tones of this coal per 9 month heating season. There seems to be no way to stop the use of this fuel, and these people are so uneducated that they seem to have no idea that this is why the sky is black during the day. As I view this as a problem for us as well I think we need to address it. Sooner or later these issues (Amazon Rain Forest depletion, etc) will kill us all. Can we develop technology which can be made affordable to poorer nations, and greatly reduce the consumption while doing so in a smoke free fashion much like the phase II stoves have done in Western Washington. After all it's not all about money, but no matter where you urinate in a swimming pool, we all swim in piss.

Thanks.....Roger Kimberly Stoves

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Interesting discussion here. I am interested in gasifying wood burning appliances- some of which are incredibly simple. One design is made from 2 coffee cans, another from 9-10 bricks. These boost the efficiency of fuel combustion GREATLY, which is a real boon for people in parts of the world with dwindling fuel. In fact, people are exposed to less violence as they do not need to walk great distances for wood through lawless or war-torn areas. The byproduct of this burning is normally charcoal, which can then itself be used.

Looking at reburning/secondary air systems in EPA wood burners, as well as "rocket stove" and gasifying tech- I am sure that simple coal systems could be produced. The 2 issues then become- making systems and getting them to people for cheap, and getting people to warm up (pun intended) to the new idea.

Should put this in the green room.

edit: cool demos discussion
One hour burn time on 500 g pellets http://www.ecopunk.org.uk/2007/01/wood-gasifier-test-run.html
Downdraft coffee can gasifier in operation:



6 brick rocket stove

 

[rogerandbridget]

Thanks for the response. We have created and will soon be releasing a wood burner www.kimberlystove.com which is basically a gasifier on the bottom and a re-burner on the top. It will burn up to 12 hours on one extruded presto log. I am wondering if the same technology would work on low grade coal (indigenous to this region in great supply). You are completely correct about the process of getting the technology to proliferate the average household in regions like this. I feel that we must do this, if not for them......for our grandchildren.
How does this get into the green room, as I am new to this site....and not very geeky ( I try!) again, Thank you for responding!

 

[begreen]

There is a great project that is working on this. Volunteers and donations welcome

http://www.burndesignlab.org/

 

[Adios Pantalones]

There is a great project that is working on this. Volunteers and donations welcome

http://www.burndesignlab.org/

Those look like quality versions of the coffee can etc DIY stoves. Good project. I have seen very simple cardboard/tinfoil reflector cookers that concentrate a surprising amount of heat. Amazing- no fuel solutions.

The Kimberly stove looks interesting as well- I'd like to see more about the operation/design (haven't had time to look through that manual), and where could I find one? Do they operate on a normal charge of wood as well?

edit- can't see more than the first page of the manual

 

[rogerandbridget]

Thank you very much for such quick responses. I in fact know of this group as they are my neighbors here on Vashon Island. I will get in contact with them and get an update as to what might be new in the lab. Last I met with Peter Scott (head of this project) they were making great strides on the premise of the Rocket Stove. The aim was to burn wood really hot and concentrate the heat only to where it was to be used (food prep). Our programs are a bit different as we are trying to heat a home in cold regions or cold seasons. Most of (from what I know) the regions they are working in are temperate or hot and need little domestic heat. I firmly believe our missions need to merge as we could learn much from one another's work.

Again, Thank you.....Roger

 

[rogerandbridget]

Hello Adios Pantalones/inferno

Your questions are good ones. The first one (fuel type) is answered easily.....YES! The stove was a complete accident really. We were living on a cold boat in the Seattle winter. It was cold and wet. I could not find anything in the market which would give us a burn time of over two hours and ability to cook while having clearances tight enough to install on a crammed for space 30 foot bayliner. I also needed to reduce flue size to 3", and being a 26 year veteran in the stove industry selling awesome products like Pacific Energy, Lopi, Avalon, Vermont castings, Regency to name a few, It had to burn clean. My first prototype was actually made from a piece of EXCELL chimney pipe, modified. I started getting up to 6 hour burns on salt water driftwood, ergo the all stainless construction.
The reason the website is not complete, nor are there any pictures of anything other than the last prototype, is that the first run of finished product is slated for august 24th this year. I will tell you that we have found ways to increase burn times up to 12 hours using Virginia's Home Fire Prest Logs ( these things are the best in the industry, 8500 btu/lb at 8% water weight and the extrusion process just makes a better log). We have also gotten up to 16 hours at lower temperatures burning standard charcoal (summer use, low simmering cooking). The best part is that during normal running conditions with almost any fuel loaded into the firebox, there is no smoke at the chimney top.
As I see this whole "accident" as an inspiration from a higher power, I feel moved to apply this technology to area's like Mongolia. Here we might be able to change heating practices which left unhampered will kill us all. We need to ensure that future generations will have clean air, water, and soil....it must be done, now how do we get er done!

 

[allhandsworking]

I was recently at Thomas Jefferson's plantation Montchello with the family. I was surprised to see that his kitchen was outfitted with several brick rocket stoves plus ovens and a smoke house. The plantation probably fed a hundred or more at times! I didn't know they had the technology 300 years ago! Although his home was more advanced then mine in many ways. I have tinkered with the tin can stove and have used it on camping trips. You can boill water with a few sticks or bark!

 

[begreen]

Hello Adios Pantalones/inferno
As I see this whole "accident" as an inspiration from a higher power, I feel moved to apply this technology to area's like Mongolia. Here we might be able to change heating practices which left unhampered will kill us all. We need to ensure that future generations will have clean air, water, and soil....it must be done, now how do we get er done!

Not that this isn't a noble cause, but ya might want to talk to the Chinese. Their coal fired plants make Mongolia's emissions look like a fly's fart.