Alcohol Stoves and Integrated

CookingPaul S. Anderson, PhD psanders@ilstu.edu

(A presentation at the PCIA 2007 Conference,

20 – 24 March 2007, Bangalore, India)

Integrated Cooking• Definition: When two or more different

modes of cooking are used to complete one cooking task.

• Modes of cooking include:– Flames for heat

• (alcohol, LPG, kerosene, gases, biomass)

– Solar energy for heat

– Retained heat cooking (RHC) (“Haybox”)– Electricity for heat (uncommon because of high costs)

Notes on Integrated Cooking

• Two or three modes must be present, therefore higher initial costs.

• Savings must come in fuel or time.

• Transition between modes is crucial and needs to be simple/easy/safe.

• Best if minimum movement of the pot.

• User awareness of integrated cooking is extremely low.

Mode 1: Flames for Heat• Flame control is a great advantage in

integrated cooking.

• Sometimes short-time, fast heat is needed.

• Ability to ignite, extinguish, re-ignite, and control flame height gives control to user.

• Therefore, the advantage goes to liquids and gaseous fuels, not to solid biomass fuels.

• Alcohol is the only renewable liquid fuel of quality for cookstoves.

Alcohol as a Fuel• Alcohol has virtually no bad emissions.

• No chimney or ventilation needed.

• Renewable and liquid.

• Ethanol or Methanol or mixed.

• Denatured (not for drinking); safe handling.

• A favorite fuel of backpackers.

• Fuel production costs per unit of energy are already competitive with processed fossil fuels like LPG and kerosene.

• Widely available, but nationally controlled.

Types of Alcohol Stoves• Pressurized: Pump adds cost and maintenance;

often includes stove structure/pot support.

• Non-pressurized:– Dometic-style: Incl. stove structure– Fondue-style: No stove structure

• Self-pressurized: Mainly very small, lightweight backpacker units with minimal stove structure.– Trangia: Brass– “Beverage-can” stove: Aluminum– The “Lily burner”: Steel (as in tin cans)

The “Lily Burner”The white Lily flower is a symbol of purity and is an appropriate name for a clean-burning alcohol stove.

• A steel “tin-can” variation of the aluminum “beverage-can” alcohol burner.

• Created in 2006.

• Many variations in can sizes & number of flame holes.

Principles of Non-Pressurized Alcohol Burners

• The burning flame causes the fuel canister to be warm for sufficient vaporization of the liquid alcohol.

• The “top-to-bottom conduction” of heat is facilitated by aluminum, brass, and metal-to-metal contact of stove parts.

• The steel “tin-cans” of the Lily burner are poor conductors of heat, so vertical aluminum posts are added inside the cans.

Construction of a Lily Burner

• Use two 3-inch (7.5 cm) food cans.

• Fiberglass insulation keeps liquid from spilling out.

• Bolt in top is for refilling.

• Flame holes: variable number and size.

Stove Structures• Many designs of stove structures are

compatible with the Lily burner. Prestige versions for affluent people are possible.

• Mud or bricks plus steel rebar create a stove. • One burner under one pot is usually sufficient

heat.

With tongs or holders, the user slides the needed number of burners under the application (shown is a griddle). The lower gap is important for ignition and intensity control using an ignition device.

Control of the Alcohol• Refilling is via pouring,

pumping, or syringe for ejection.

• The ignition device can be made from a spoon and ceramic fiber.

• All construction is low cost, low tech, and long-lasting.

Mode 2: Solar Energy for Heat• The HotPot (by SHE) is

complete for solar cooking with reflector, glass bottom, inner black pot, & glass lid.

• Or place the black pot and lid into a stove structure for an alcohol burner for morning, evening, or cloudy-day cooking.

Mode 3: Retained Heat Cooking• Remove or

extinguish the alcohol burner, then wrap the entire stove structure and the HotPot with insolating blankets.

• Additional heat can be added (with care) at any time.

Alcohol as a “Thermal Booster”• Alcohol burners can be inserted into or

under (with inlet hole) solar box-cookers. Allow adequate air during combustion, but otherwise the box can be kept closed.

• Alcohol burners will self-extinguish when the fuel ends, so the fuel-load will determine the amount of extra heat.

• The potential for alcohol stoves and integrated cooking is immense, with ZERO harmful emissions!!!

• Participation by others is most welcome!!!

References

• Find out more about “beverage can stoves” at:– http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage_can_stove – http://zenstoves.net

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