Hi Kieth,
I think you are touching on an important issue -- balance.
There is often a correlation between cost and efficiency and the
only thing that changes that correlation is innovation (IMO).
Yes indeed, though traditional societies can also be very capable of
that, something we technological folks tend to forget. Though perhaps
not with steam engines. We often "externalise" the costs, which
nonetheless fail simply to vanish, and we have some strange ways of
measuring "efficiency", bit of a movable feast - it doesn't always
pass the "seven generations" test, sad to say.
Mike
Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi Mike
>I haven't seen any discussion on steam powered fans. Have we been
>there already?
>
>Mike
I believe so, yes. Though that could even be integral, with a water
jacket, but how much fuel would be left by the time you'd boiled
enough water to power the fan, and how much smoke would there be in
the meantime?
It reminds me a bit of the WEBB Hot STKŠ In-Tank/Standpipe Fuel
Heater, which uses coolant to "deliver warm fuel directly from the
fuel tank for fast start-ups in cold weather operations". But what
heats the fuel that starts the engine that warms the coolant that
heats the fuel? A coolant heater like an Espar or Webasto, as it
turns out - but it didn't say that, nor that those items cost an arm
and half a leg.
Anyway, you've got me going Mike. I'll dig up those previous
discussions at STOVES and see what they said about steam, and other
things. Our little stove (it's half-size) boils half a litre of water
from 15 deg C in four minutes, a jacket shouldn't need that much, and
a higher starting temp would probably be practical, maybe just a
couple of minutes, which still leaves 28 for cooking. On the other
hand, I haven't a clue how to apply it, never worked with steam. More
thinks. Also about Stirlings, which were also discussed at the time.
Stirly
http://www.eya.ca/index.php?id=88
Best
Hm. Thinks.
Thanks!
Keith
>Keith Addison wrote:
> >If it's not cold outside the building then why is the woodstove operating?
> >The size and temperature of the stove does not create the
building exterior
> >temperature but rather the other way around. Perhaps you didn't understand
> >what I meant by 'building envelope'.
> >m--
>
>You didn't check the link. The woodstove is operating when it's not
>cold outside the building because these are not heating stoves,
>they're small cookstoves for use in tropical countries. There is no
>"building envelope", and Peltier units are not cheap, nor readily
>available in 3rd World rural communities, nor something that can be
>made locally, so as far as Appropriate Technology is concerned
>they're not a good solution even if they worked for this application.
>
>Keith
>
>
> > > Not with these little stoves. They're made of tincanium and they're
> > > small and hot. See, eg:
> > >
> > > http://journeytoforever.org/teststove.html
> > > Cookstove for schools
> > >
> > > Best wishes
> > >
> > > Keith
> > >Usually when a woodstove is operating there is lots of 'cold part' just
> > >outside the building envelope.
> > >m--
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