We have shared “beta” aesthetic designs for our new hybrid,
and we also plan to share “beta” test results for those who are
interested. This is the first of what
will be several posts about beta emissions/efficiency testing for our new (and still
nameless) Model 211 Hybrid, which is scheduled for EPA emissions testing in
January, 2016.
EPA is planning to gradually transition from testing with
Douglas Fir “cribs” to testing with cordwood, in order to generate test results
that are closer to “real world” results.
Part of the change to cordwood testing contemplates “cold
start” testing. This would help to
define emissions produced at start-up, when a fire is initially kindled.
The industry has produced a “cold start protocol” which we
used to generate the results below.
We’ll have a lot to say about the protocols suggested by the industry
for cordwood testing in the near future.
Admittedly, the proposals put forth by industry are very much a “work in
progress” to put it kindly.
Anyway, the focus on cold starts is probably a good thing,
since we can learn how to start stoves cleanly, with low emissions.
We have conducted a variety of cold start tests with our
newest hybrid (scheduled for emissions testing in January 2016). Here are some recent results (arranged in
order of duration, shortest to longest):
Since the test data likely won’t mean anything to most
people, we suggest watching the video(s) at the bottom. They are very short (about 3 minutes each)
and cover the very beginning of a cold start.
Basically, we take about 9-10 pounds of relatively small
split wood, and stack it crosswise on the bottom of the firebox. We put a couple pieces on the bottom that go
front to back, to improve airflow around the load. On top of the split pieces, we put a small
stack of kindling (consisting of three or four 6” pieces of 1” x 4” dimension
lumber) with paper in the middle. We
have experimented with stacking this little pile as a “college bonfire” and as
a “tee-pee” and as an “octagon”.
Next, we light this little stack of kindling, which is
able to ignite both our secondary combustion and catalytic combustor in
the first 3 minutes, as the video shows. The kindling burns and coals from the
kindling fall down into the split pieces, which are subsequently ignited and
burn merrily for about an hour (on high, with all the air controls wide open),
producing a nice coalbed and very low emissions.
We’ll post more results in a few days.
Video: Cold Start 11/24/15
Video: Cold Start 11/27/15
