| Line 45: | Line 45: | ||
'''Low cost: $20-$50''' | '''Low cost: $20-$50''' | ||
* Currently, carbonized cobs are crushed by stepping on them or hitting them with heavy objects like cinder blocks. Inhalation of charcoal dust is reduced by placing carbonized cobs in a rice sack lined with a plastic garbage bag that is lined with another rice sack. The plastic garbage bag develops holes during the crushing process and must be replaced after each batch. If an entrepreneur makes 5 batches of charcoal per day, he will use 25 plastic bags per week or about 1250 bags per year (if he works for 50 weeks per year). If a box of 25 bags cost $2, a year's worth of bags will cost $100. In order to encourage users to buy our device, we are designing a device that is half the cost of the current alternative. | * Currently, carbonized cobs are crushed by stepping on them or hitting them with heavy objects like cinder | ||
blocks. Inhalation of charcoal dust is reduced by placing carbonized cobs in a rice sack lined with a plastic | |||
garbage bag that is lined with another rice sack. The plastic garbage bag develops holes during the crushing | |||
process and must be replaced after each batch. If an entrepreneur makes 5 batches of charcoal per day, he will use | |||
25 plastic bags per week or about 1250 bags per year (if he works for 50 weeks per year). If a box of 25 bags cost | |||
$2, a year's worth of bags will cost $100. In order to encourage users to buy our device, we are designing a device | |||
that is half the cost of the current alternative. | |||
''' | '''Fast: 6 pounds in 10 min.''' | ||
* | * Each batch of carbonized cobs is about 6 pounds, and can be crushed by stepping on it in 10 minutes. Our | ||
device is designed to be just as fast. | |||
'''Safe: minimizes inhalation of charcoal dust''' | |||
* The device | * The device limits the user's exposure to the charcoal dust that is harmful when inhaled. Charcoal dust | ||
consists of super fine particles of charcoal that are thrown into the air when the carbonized cobs are being crushed | |||
or when the charcoal powder is being transported or agitated. To minimize transfer of the charcoal powder from one | |||
receptacle to another, the device deposits charcoal powder directly into the container where it is mixed with a wet | |||
binder. After the user deposits carbonized cobs into the device's hopper, the lid prevents the charcoal dust from | |||
escaping. | |||
Revision as of 06:18, 5 August 2008
ABSTRACT
MIT's D-lab developed a method to turn agricultural wastes into affordable smokeless fuels, such as sugarcane charcoal and corn cob charcoal. This agricultural waste charcoal has the potential to combat deforestation and reduce the dangerous effects of indoor cooking fires. One limiting factor in the adoption of this technology is the need for a charcoal crusher.
Burning carbonized cobs produces less smoke than regular biomass fuels, but the carbonized cobs produce a hazardous level of carbon monoxide. D-lab developed a device to turn charcoal powder into a dense compact briquette that burns safely, but it is difficult to crush the carbonized cobs into a charcoal powder without inhaling dangerous amounts of charcoal dust. Our team's charcoal crushing device addresses the gap in this alternative fuel process.
For further information contact the team at: mailto:crushers@mit.eduTeam Information
- Joshua Cholobesa, Mumbwa District Councilor, Zambia
- Nathan Cooke, Product Design, Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, USA
- Bernard Kiwia, Mechanic and Electrician, Instructor of Appropriate Technologies at Global Alliance Vijana Centre, Tanzania
- Sumit Pahwa, Manufacturing Engineering, Sant Longowa Institute of Engineering and Technology, India
- Jessica Vechakul, Mechanical Engineering, MIT, USA
Introduction
Problem Definition
More than two billion people use wood, charcoal, dung or agricultural residues as the primary fuel for their cooking and heating needs, leading to significant health, economic and environmental consequences:
- Almost 2 million deaths each year are caused by breathing smoke from indoor cooking fires
- Respiratory infections are the leading cause of death of young children worldwide
- An estimated 50 billion hours are spent collecting firewood each year
- In some areas where wood and charcoal are scarce, more than a quarter of a family’s income is spent on fuel
Understanding the Market
To make bullets use the asterix:
- Like this
- and like this
- and two for the next indent
- and back to one...
To make a numbered list use the pound sign:
- Like this
- and like this
Design Requirements
Low cost: $20-$50
* Currently, carbonized cobs are crushed by stepping on them or hitting them with heavy objects like cinder
blocks. Inhalation of charcoal dust is reduced by placing carbonized cobs in a rice sack lined with a plastic garbage bag that is lined with another rice sack. The plastic garbage bag develops holes during the crushing process and must be replaced after each batch. If an entrepreneur makes 5 batches of charcoal per day, he will use 25 plastic bags per week or about 1250 bags per year (if he works for 50 weeks per year). If a box of 25 bags cost $2, a year's worth of bags will cost $100. In order to encourage users to buy our device, we are designing a device that is half the cost of the current alternative.
Fast: 6 pounds in 10 min.
* Each batch of carbonized cobs is about 6 pounds, and can be crushed by stepping on it in 10 minutes. Our
device is designed to be just as fast.
Safe: minimizes inhalation of charcoal dust
* The device limits the user's exposure to the charcoal dust that is harmful when inhaled. Charcoal dust
consists of super fine particles of charcoal that are thrown into the air when the carbonized cobs are being crushed or when the charcoal powder is being transported or agitated. To minimize transfer of the charcoal powder from one receptacle to another, the device deposits charcoal powder directly into the container where it is mixed with a wet binder. After the user deposits carbonized cobs into the device's hopper, the lid prevents the charcoal dust from escaping.
Easy to clean/maintain
* The device must be quick and easy to clean. It should have as little an effect as possible on the daily routine of the mother.
Fast
* The time that the process of treating the HIV takes must be minimized; it cannot take up a large proportion of the mother's time during the day which may be spent working.
No nutritional side effects
Design
Describe your design here.
Here is some help uploading files.
next level heading
You may need deeper level headings. Just keep adding equal signs to get that.
Costs
| header 1 | header 2 | header 3 |
|---|---|---|
| row 1, cell 1 | row 1, cell 2 | row 1, cell 3 |
| row 2, cell 1 | row 2, cell 2 | row 2, cell 3 |
See Help:Tables for more.
Discussion
Your discussion.
Next Steps
The next steps.
Conclusions
Your conclusions.
Contact details
Add your contact information.