Woodgas Stoves - a question?

[robmac]

As stated in another thread, I have just ordered a new Woodgas Stove. After reading some of the excellent reviews on here, I notice that when using the wood pellets, after about an hour, you are left with an amount of charcoal which can then be burned for a further half an hour or so. What I don't understand, is why does this go out in the first place if it can then be reignited, in other words, why doesn't a stove full of pellets just burn for one and a half hours as either wood or charcoal.

Can anybody explain the science?

[BJ]

Mine doesn't go out, it just burns all of the fuel until there is just a very small amount of fine ash when using wooden cat litter. It does convert some to charcoal but this just continues to burn.

[robmac]

Mine doesn't go out, it just burns all of the fuel until there is just a very small amount of fine ash when using wooden cat litter. It does convert some to charcoal but this just continues to burn.

Thanks, I watched a video post on this where after an hour he showed a pile of charcoal and said that this was left over but he could light it again and it would probably burn for another half hour. If it just burns down to ash, then all the better as I want as long a burn time as possible.

[Whistle]

Mine doesn't go out, it just burns all of the fuel until there is just a very small amount of fine ash when using wooden cat litter. It does convert some to charcoal but this just continues to burn.

Mine doesn't go out either ... though once all the wood gas has been released from the fuel ,

in the primary pyrolytic burn creating the charcoal , the secondary burn from the top pre-heated air jets dies

and the remaining charcoal just continues to burn away like on the Barbie ...

Sometimes you get weak blue flames from the jets , where the charcoal releases carbon monoxide

which gives the blue colour , but you can only really see it in the dark !!!

Love the wood gas stoves for the swirly flame effects , hmmmm cozy ...

but still prefer my alcohol stoves for a stealthy camp ... no sooty pots and no smoky smells either !!!

Cheers Whistle

[robmac]

I see thanks, I must have been confused by the end of the secondary burn. I'm gonna try my woodgas stove inside a logburner. This may sound stupid, but I reckon that if I can get the woodgas stove burning fiercely for an hour or so inside a logburner with a chimney, it would warm up my tent nicely until I turn in for the night without any smoke or emissions from the burner inside the tent, and all for a few handfuls of wood pellets. I currently have a frontier stove which would not be tall enough for the job, so I will probably have to make a lightweight woodburner with ventilation holes to draw air into the woodgas stove.

I will experiment with the logburner at home first, although that is made of pretty thick steel and so will take a lot of heating (will probably retain the heat longer though).

[robmac]

My explanation there was pretty dire! This bloke explains it better;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVY4aiFhkuM

[BJ]

Good idea, I was amazed at how hot the bottom of the woodgas stove got. :cool:

[robmac]

Good idea, I was amazed at how hot the bottom of the woodgas stove got. :cool:

Yes, the only thing that concerns me is that with prolonged use in a confined space, will the extra heat destroy the woodgas burner? Time will tell!

[ian c]

I have the woodgas stove and have burnt anything from twigs to dried dung and the cat litter pellets, I have also found that some of the pellets fall through the bottom grate but have now found a good way of carrying the wood pellets and burning them with without them falling through the grate and that is a paper bag with a wax coating just fill the bag with enough pellets and then seal it with some more wax, then all you need is to carry as many small packs as you think you might need, when you need to use one just put the bag of pellets into the stove peal back some of the paper and light, (I use the paper bags that you put mushrooms into so you will need to wax them and they are free)

[robmac]

I have the woodgas stove and have burnt anything from twigs to dried dung and the cat litter pellets, I have also found that some of the pellets fall through the bottom grate but have now found a good way of carrying the wood pellets and burning them with without them falling through the grate and that is a paper bag with a wax coating just fill the bag with enough pellets and then seal it with some more wax, then all you need is to carry as many small packs as you think you might need, when you need to use one just put the bag of pellets into the stove peal back some of the paper and light, (I use the paper bags that you put mushrooms into so you will need to wax them and they are free)

Excellent tip. Thank you.