Biolite Stove

[clarencebunsen]

I read about this in PopSci, cook your coffee and charge your iPod, all with pine cones & twigs. What more do you need on a camping trip or an urban disaster?







Their Home Stove designed for use in undeveloped countries looks like an interesting and useful bit of tech but I have a lot of questions about economic viability.

biolitestove.com/about/our-story/team/

Years ago I remember Carrier discussing using similar technology to generate enough power from a pilot light to power the electronics of a furnace and then enough from the main burner to power a pump or fan, enabling your gas furnace to work during a power outage. I don't think anything ever came of it.

[virgilgal]

This is the first stove I saw similar to the biolite stove. Called a "rocket stove" I had several friends who cooked most of their meals on them during the summer. The ones they used were made from large coffee cans and they worked incredibly well and lasted several years. You can now purchase them as some of my same friends have done and they are a bit heavier duty.
simplegreenliving.com/rocket-stove-make-one-and-cook-with-twigs/
Rocket Stove: Make One and Cook with Twigs
Zana Hart August 22, 2009
2

Thanks to Emma Holister of www.art-margin.com and www.candida-international.org (neither of which is directly related to rocket stoves) for this illustrated article on how to cook with twigs in a stove made from an old can. If you don't want to make a rocket stove yourself, you can buy one at the first link given below.

rocketstove1If the price of gas and electricity is getting you down, build a simple rocket stove and cook with twigs! It's free and it's sustainable. Cooking with a rocket stove is another big step towards freedom from extortionate energy bills and the multinational giants ransacking our planet and our bank accounts.

A rocket stove can be used outside in the summer, on your terrace or balcony, or indoors in the winter, hooked up to a chimney with a hood. Because of the insulated interior, this stove gives off far less smoke and carbon monoxide than a normal fire. Only when igniting and putting out the fire is there really any smoke worth speaking of. This simple design creates a strong air suction that makes the cooking flame very intense with just a few twigs. Using bigger and more twigs gives a stronger flame which will heat your pans faster than a gas hob. You can reduce the flame by reducing the amount or size of the twigs.

I built this rocket stove in an afternoon, using the information and explanation video at rocketstoves.org