Next Generation Woodstove Design Challenge

Brookhaven National Laboratory, November 4 - 7, 2014
photos by Dave Misiuk

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

Three stoves were set up for testing in Laboratory 815.
Testing was also conducted in Laboratory 526, which has an EPA dilution tunnel

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

On the right, Tom Butcher, head of the Energy Conversion Group at Brookhaven, instructs an engineering
student in the operation of the Wohler emissions sampler.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

The "Kiwi Valve" stove had a very interesting mechanical controller.
Ben Myren is helping the New Zealand company to develop this stove.
One of Jerry Frisch's Condar samplers, on loan to MHA, is sampling at the top right of the connector pipe.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

I had the opportunity to demonstrate the Condar for Amanda Aldridge from EPA.
Amanda is an environmental engineer, and is in charge of the woodburning boiler program for the agency.
Ben Myren is in the foreground, preparing a kindling load for the Kiwi Valve stove.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

The Kiwi valve (shown upside down).
A thin metal disk rides on the central rod by gravity. As sufficient draft is developed in the stove, the
disk rides up on the rod and reduces the air supply. There is a valve on both the primary and secondary intakes.
The stove still has a regular air control. However, the operator is limited from smoldering the stove by reducing
the air too much before the firebox gets hot.
It is an ingenious device, patented, very simple principle, with no electronics involved.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

The Kleiss stove.
My camera is set up on a tripod to take time lapse photos of the burn.
Note our Condar mounted on the stack.
Wohler sampler is on the blue cart, and Testo 380 sampler is on the left.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

Two stepper motors control the primary and secondary air supplies.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

Electronic controllers with 12v battery backup.
Jack Kleiss has had an extensive career designing control systems for the diesel industry.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

Wittus TwinFire set up on the dilution tunnel in Lab 526.
Once the fire is established, it downdrafts into the lower combustion chamber, producing a
spectacular fire view.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - automated wood stove testing

Weighing the Condar filters.

Check out current research at Lopez Labs

This page was updated on November 9, 2014
This page was created on November 9. 2014