The Protos Plant Fuel Stove: Cooking with Coconuts
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.11.06
We've talked before about the Institute for Agricultural Engineering in the Tropics and Subtropics of Hohenheim University, Germany, when highlighting solar food driers. And we’ve brought up the issue of deforestation of the Philippines for palm oil. In this case the two coalesce. The Institute observing that open wood fires using forest timber are less than 10% efficient, worked on a new stove. One that allows for effective cooking, while leaving trees intact. Their creation was a plant oil stove running on coconut oil. The operation of the stove sounds very much like that of modern, multi-fuel, backpacking stoves. It uses some fuel to preheat the stove valve, which releases a vaporised oil/air mixture. Aside from coconut, it is expected the stove will also take other pure plants oils like Jatropha and Canola. Seems that in pinch it will run on kerosene and diesel as well. The prototype (see photo after fold), currently under evaluation in the province of Leyte, Philippines is said to be capable of being made from materials readily available in developing countries. The project is being supported with assistance of Western Europe’s number one appliance powerhouse: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH. (navigate from their home page to the Environment, and thus Society section for more information and pics.) ::Plant Oil Stove, via Television Trust for the Environment’s Earth Report.
I've been using extruded coconut charcoal in my ceramic griller for years. The stuff is great: burns hotter and 2-3x as long as wood charcoal.
http://www.kamado.com/New_Kamado_Charcoal.htm
Basically, they use the discarded coconut husks after the flesh and milk have been processed, burn it in a low-oxygen furnace, and pump it into briquettes.
Wow, that's so cool. So many things can be done with coconuts. What a great idea.
To whom it May Concern:
I work for a development organization - The Foundation for Democracy in Africa. We are in the process of promoting the use of appropriate technology in Africa.I would like to have direct contact with Bosch and Siemens, the producer of burner for the Stove that utilizes coconut oil or plant oil. Do you have the contact address - ie- email address and the contact person? We are interested in exihibiting and populirizing the use of the stove all over Africa, during the Africando conference schedule for September 2008. I would appreciate any assistance we can get and i thank you for your cooperation..
Regards,
Anthony Okonmah
To whom it May Concern:
I work for a development organization - The Foundation for Democracy in Africa. We are in the process of promoting the use of appropriate technology in Africa.I would like to have direct contact with Bosch and Siemens, the producer of burner for the Stove that utilizes coconut oil or plant oil. Do you have the contact address - ie- email address and the contact person? We are interested in exihibiting and populirizing the use of the stove all over Africa, during the Africando conference schedule for September 2008. I would appreciate any assistance we can get and i thank you for your cooperation..
Regards,
Anthony Okonmah