Reid Harvey on tue 30 jul 96
Dear Clayartists and Claytechies,
Greetings from Kenya. Some months ago I indicated I'd send an occasional
update on ceramics in this part of the world. The new issue of CERAMICS
TECHNICAL has an article of mine, 'A Ceramic Safari in East Africa.'
I also have a request for information on sawdust injection burners, only we
want to fuel these with fine-grained rice husks (with weight to volume
similar to that of hardwood sawdust). How much of this will go through an
injection burner over what time? Can we scale a standard size of the
burner to get through it 1.4 kgs., or more, of rice husks per minute?
Just recently I've begun some work for the University of Nairobi, Housing
and Building Research Institute (HABRI). I'm helping them design and build
several kilns, and a ball mill, for processing of rice husks as an
alternate binder for cement. Rice husks are high in silica and can be
mixed 2:1, rice husks : portland cement. The resultant cement is quite
suitable for many building purposes, and will be much more affordable for a
lot of people who can't don't have the money regular portland.
I've also convinced the people at HABRI to build a catenary arch kiln for
firing ceramic building materials, partly so we don't just waste the energy
generated in burning the husks. Note the rice husks are 85% silica and
have no other nutritive use for either animal feed or agriculture.
We may also burn the husks in a fuel box, without a kiln, drying damp husks
with the waste heat.
Also, the Claynet website will soon be featuring that article, 'A Ceramic
Safari . . .' This can soon be found at the
URL (address) for CLAYNET. . .
http://www.vicnet.net.au/~claynet/clayhome.htm
.. . .then scrolling down to the section on magazines and articles. I
believe the magazine is out now and the article should be on Claynet very
shortly.
I am kindly requesting that anyone who has the information on the injection
burner please send this to me directly. My address is: attic@arcc.or.ke
Unfortunately I do not have the communication resources to subscribe to
Clayart.
Thanks a lot, and bye for now. Reid Harvey
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