What’s the big idea?
We’ve been talking a lot about our philosophy approaching this project, but I think it’s time to explain a little bit more about our actual stove technology. The stove prototype we’ve built for women in Myanmar is based on the Rocket Stove created by Dr. Larry Winiarski at the Aprovecho Research Center. Many such stoves have been modeled after Dr. Winiarski’s design, including the Berkeley Darfur Stove as well as other home-made versions (there are tons of videos online for how to make your own).
We chose to adapt the rocket stove design because its use of low mass insulation is very effective at keeping the fire hot and transferring most of the heat to the pot. In my next couple of posts, I’ll explain how a hot fire and a design that channels heat to the pot are both important for improving the overall efficiency of the stove (I’m trying to keep my posts shorter :p).
If you’re wondering why we chose to design our own version of the rocket stove rather than partner with one of the other organizations that are building them, please read our post about the importance of tailoring the stove to the local culture. We aren’t seeking to compete with other groups; instead, we learn from them and share our own ideas. Building on someone else’s great technology also gives us time to focus on equally important issues of manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and education, all of which are crucial in getting our stove into the hands of women.
Tags: Aprovecho, Berkeley Darfur stove, efficiency, heat, insulation, Larry Winiarski, rocket stove, technology
