Just my 2 cts... under tropic circumstances, it should be easy to produce biogas from the expeller and use this as a safe and clean fuel for heat and cold and light.
The slurry is a good fertilizer and brings the N back to the earth where it belongs. Not that this was a terribly new idea... Rolf On Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:27:40 +0100 Otto Formo <[email protected]> wrote: > > Jonathan, > The presscake, I mentioned from Zambia, was the leftover after exstracting > the oil.The oil was used locally, to replace kerosine in lamps etc. and > production of soap. > During our stay in Zambia, kerosine could hardly be found, even nearby the > refinery in Ndola, Copperbelt and the price was almost the double of diesel. > In your Jiko Safi stove, you are "wasting" the oil for cooking, only. > We are in favour of haveing multi use stoves (MUS), when it comes to fuel, > but we feel there are to much worries about the toxic content in Jatroha > worth while to gamble on. > We feel the processing of seedcakes to pellets is done in a "simple" way, > like in Zambia, due to the fact of high content of oil working as a binder. > If the Jatropha seeds, can be used as fuel in suitable gasifier stoves, I can > "garantee" you that no fruits will be laying on the ground and rot, people > are not stupied, but the fruits are considered as toxic by most people in the > tropics............ > Good luck. Otto > > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:23:36 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel? > > > > > > Hey Richard, > > > > Not sure why you feel my briquetting education has been neglected, since that > kind of fuel is not mentioned in any of my postings; but I certainly > subscribe to Dean's comment: we all have a lot to learn about such > alternative fuels. I would add: and the stoves that burn them in a truly > clean way. Which brings up the question: if a briquette or pellet is burned > in an open charcoal brazier, do we have a clean energy source? To put in > another way, there are no 'clean' or 'dirty' fuels; it's combination of fuel > and stove that must be evaluated together for emissions and other performance > parameters. > > > > My densified fuels question to Otto the Senior or anyone else who can > enlighten me concerning the logic of pelletizing Jatropha presscake. If > farmers grow their own energy-dense, uniform-sized fuel, i.e., whole Jatropha > seed, why complicate matters by processing that ready-to-use fuel into > another fuel? No matter how efficient the pelletizing process, it must > require time and energy. Why not burn these seeds directly in a micro > gasifier stove, such as our jiko safi? > > > > Let me try to head off some likely comments. I know that there are companies > in many African and Asian countries engaged in commercial scale production of > Jatropha (and other biofuel crops) for export of biodeisel. Land grabbing and > other nefarious activities of some of these players are obscene, as once > again the global north exploits tropical countries for cheap/free land and > cheap labor to meet its own needs. > > > > Yes, those Jatropha oil export ventures produce presscake as a by-product > which they pelletize and market for fuel. And yes, some smaller operations > in a few countries like Uganda, are trying to make a go of producing > Jatropha-based biofuels for local and regional energy markets. But for all > the publicity, most of it appropriately negative, in the 'food vs. fuel' > analysis, there's a lot more to Jatropha than current attempts to put the oil > in European cars and jet engines. > > > > Far apart from all these recent commercial Jatropha ventures, many of which > are unprofitable for reasons we can discuss another time if anyone's > interested, are many millions of farmers in over 110 countries who use > Jatropha as a living hedge and for medicianl uses. Seems it's grown in every > frost-free area of the world. I've found it from Cuba -- it's native to the > neo-tropics -- to Mali, which has thousands of kilometers of hedges, to > Bhutan where villagers were obliged to pay a Jatropha tax to monks for > lighting in floating wick lamps. > > > > My guess is that over 99% of all Jatropha seed fall to the ground and rot, > unused. (One study in a district of Tanzania where Jatropha seed is a traded > commodity found that only 6% of seed is harvested.) As we all search for > renewable, sustainably harvested biomass to fuel our favorite stoves, can we > afford to overlook seeds of this ubiquitous, multi-use species? > > > > The point of importuning my stove list colleagues on a fine Sunday morning is > to interest other stove makers to look at Jatropha and other energy-rich > seeds as a category of fuel worth consideration for new stove designs. We > are modestly pleased with the performance of the jiko safi, but we also know > that some of you with far deeper understanding of gasification and far more > experience in stove design could produce a much better model. Anyone want to > take up this challenge? > > > > Over to you, > > > > Jonathan > > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 20:46:53 -0600 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel? > > > Dear Ottos, > Seems you both need training in briquettemaking . Jon you know where to go in > nchi yeti but Otto, where are you based? Seriously, the blends you are > finding smelly smokey etc suggests that you get in touch with any of hundreds > of others who can train you. > Richard Stanley > Monte Rico, > Guatemala > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jan 19, 2013, at 18:10, Otto Formo <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Josh and Jonathan (Otto), > > > Yes, we are talking about the presscake of Jatropha and it was processed into > pellets localy in Zambia, quite easily and with "simple" tools - (no waste of > energy) > > We had the same experience as your colleagues using briquettes made out of > ricehusks and sawdust. > They even started to glow like charcoal early in the gasification process and > produced smoky and smouldery combustion. > > > Thast why we prefer to use pellets of best possible quality. > > > I hope you are correct about the gasification of jatropha pellets will > destroy the phorbol esters and other problematic compounds instead of > emitting them. > Iam a bit worried about the forced draft units, while they seems to blow some > parts of the ash and gases into the open air or room. > > > May be the char from Jatropha could have a pestecide effect as well? > > > Otto > > > > > Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:23:35 -0500 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel? > > 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. > > > 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. > > > 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. > > > 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. > > > Josh > > > > > > On Sat, Jan 19, 2013 at 12:29 PM, Jonathan Otto <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > Otto, > > 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. > > 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. > > 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? > > 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 croton megalocarpus provide this same > advantage, without going through the pelletization process. What am I > missing? > > Otto, the minor > > P.S. It's too late for me to retire 'on time' > > > > > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:23:37 +0100 > > > Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel? > > > Jonathan, > > > 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. > > > We will update you on the progress, so you will be albe to retire "on > time".................:) > We are not so worried about PM in natural draft gasifiers, but thanks for the > concern. > > > Otto........................ > > > > > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 09:03:35 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel? > > > Otto- > > You 'would guess' wrong. > > 'We should be very careful advising people' about such unsupported > conclusions. > > 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. > > 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. > > 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'. > > >From the cheeky other Otto, > > Jonathan > > > > > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:23:48 +0100 > Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel? > > > Dear stovers, > > > 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%. > > > We have in the pipeline to test a new design of natural draft gasifiers, > using jatropha seeds and pellets, for emmissions and toxcic fumes. > > > We should be very carefull adviceing people using these types of fuel, before > it has been carefully tested by independent institutions. > > > Have a nice weekend. > > > Otto (not the famous one..........:) > > > > > > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:19:11 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Stoves] Jatropha fruit as fuel? > > > Dear Jonathan > > 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? > > Thanks > Crispin > > > ++++++++ > > > Dear Joyce and stovers all, > > 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. > > 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. > [snip] > > _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a > Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to > UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a > Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to > UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a > Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to > UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a > Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to > UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > _______________________________________________ > Stoves mailing list > > to Send a Message to the list, use the email address > [email protected] > > to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > > > > > > -- > Josh Kearns > PhD Candidate, Environmental Engineering > University of Colorado-Boulder > Visiting Researcher, North Carolina State University > > > Director of Science > Aqueous Solutions > www.aqsolutions.org > > > Mobile: 720 989 3959 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 720 989 3959 > end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting > 720 989 3959 end_of_the_skype_highlighting > Skype: joshkearns > > > > > _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a > Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to > UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > > _______________________________________________ > Stoves mailing list > > to Send a Message to the list, use the email address > [email protected] > > to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > > > _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a > Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to > UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > > _______________________________________________ > Stoves mailing list > > to Send a Message to the list, use the email address > [email protected] > > to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: http://www.bioenergylists.org/
