Stove
Hikenet's ultralight, self-leveling, efficient, turbo-charged pellet stove.
The seven Magic Keys to fast cooking
Gets your water to boiling fast and easy.
Test
Results vs
Std Esbit Type |
Heated from 75-190 *F fifty percent faster |
| Got 35% more heat from a same amount of fuel !!
Unit holds 1.5 cups and also easily self-leveling on slopes! - Patent pending :) 1/01/99 |
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The hikenet "stove" only should take you few minutes to make.
*Comparison Results: A comparison of the Hikenet's turbocharged furnace design vs the open E-type pellet design was made and tested on 12 Jul 98 with both units in similar side-by-side tests.
The fuel type, fuel quantity, water quantity, heating/eating bowl, starting water temperature and bowl lid were the same ... new Hikenet design will be posted later but available by narrative now by sending email to hikenet@interactive.net. Photos are being developed.. - Thanks, Bear Bells
We have a comparison chart that shows the significant benefits to heat efficiency that can be fully used in the Hikenet's turbocharged design vs the tradition " H - shaped " tablet pellet stoves.
Thanks and good cooking
Note: You can improve the Esbit type design by applying the principle here. Also here are some quick suggestions. On the lower stand portion of the Esbit, drill many holes on the side walls. Place a "pan alumium shield" around stove. Make waves like below. Assure min of 3/8 opening at top from pan. Drill added holes in the cross beam with more by the center. This will make the stove lighter and more fuel efficient. Think of adding some "twigs" as it free fuel just collect them before you get to the campsite like the indians of old did along the way for the campsite will be picked bare by previous visitors.
Comparison of
techniques |
Hikenet
Turbo charged design |
Rectangular and open-sided pellet stoves |
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| Screen - Increased combustion area |
Allows all surfaces to burn allowing for faster cooking
Optional outer container provides for fire safety and hot water for cleaning. |
Bottom of table on solid surface or only some holes.
Fire potential from flames coming out bottom or sides. |
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Surface area for combustion reaction
- Fuel pellets surface area increase |
Allows more surfaces to burn for faster cooking
Break pellets in two halves.
Use more pellets for faster heating. |
Methods can also be used only if the "fuel cup" is large enough. |
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| Flue Efficiency |
Allows terrific flue effect generation for much faster burning and efficiency.
Increase turbulance for better heat transfer
Improved design refinement in the works. |
No flue effects
Slower burning and lower heating rate.
Heat gain can equal heat loss resulting in no temperature increase ! |
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| Radiation |
Reflects radiation allowing greater heating temperature |
Potential Radiation for heating is "lost" through open sides |
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Surface Area
For heat transfer |
Maximize cooking pot's surface area in contact with hot exhaust gases. Significant improvement in heat transfer rate.
New Design not shown is better.
Testing was successful! |
Uses less surface area of bowl for heat transfer exposed to high heated, turbulent gases. |
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Windscreen
Reduce heat loss through convection losses. |
Prevents cold air from entering heating area. |
Cold air from cross-winds cools temperature for cooking. Heated gas efficiency can be very low in high wind |
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| Cover |
Use to retain heat while cooking Faster cooking will reduce heat loss |
Same |
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Compactness and
Weight |
Light and compact
folds over eating bowl
Fits together. |
Stove must be separate piece in backpack.
Can't place together with heating/eating bowl taking more total volume. |
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| Self-Leveling |
Great on sloped terraine
The three pronged upper support easily lets one rotate the cup to level even on shape slopes where the esbit type would fail. |
The design allows the cup to be easily leveled even on steep slopes. My most recent tests were on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and flat ground was not in sight. Twas a great morning breakfast as the rising sun in the East made the fog bank in the West look pink. What a view. |
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| Summary |
The design reduces heat loss do to lower cooking time do to high efficiency use any or all the of above techniques. |
Temperature and effeciency can be so low that the pellet burns out before bringing water to boil. |
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Note: I have modified the design below, using the seventh Magic key.. it's even easier to make than the design below.
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Screen
Key 1: Maximize burning by full air contract with pellet.
The screen which is upside down and flattened "holding' the fuel allows maximum utility of the ultralight turbo charged stove maximizing heat generation:
Air is allowed to completely surround the tablet and the entire tablet goes on fire to generate heat. |
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Fuel
Key 2: Maximum Pellet Surface Area.
The fuel can be a hexamine tablet, a similar type tablet ( Coghlan's ) available in outdoor stores or trioxane ( MRE food ration heating MIL-F-10805D ). Note, if using trioxan leave the aluminum under the pellet as it will make a small black oozie residue. If you expose more surface area by breaking the tablet, it will burn faster. I normally use two hexamine or typical type tablets. If you break them in half, you get a lot more surface area and burning speed.
The more surface area ==> the greater heat rate output. |
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Oops, the bottom of the sleeve is pointed up to the left?
See the below photo for orientation
This photo shows you the manufacturer's simple
locking, but nice locking system for forming a cylinder. |
Sleeve
Key 3: Turbocharge the air flow by flue effects.
Key 4: Get the Radiation heat working for you.
Key 5: Increase to maximum the heating surface contact area.
Key 6: It's own windscreen, allows greater furnace heating temperature.
The sleeve, I use a simple piece of dryer aluminum duct ( 4 inch diameter).
It's stiff but flexible and can be rolled up or flapped over the "optional bowl". This allows a convective flue effect and turbocharging of the furnance.
The duct has pre-configured bends by the manufacturer for closing the tube and it can be undone also in a second.
Once the thermal current gets going, it's like a bellows blowing over hot coals.
The sleeve also acts as a wind screen and also directs all the radiation heat to stay within the area and further increases the cooking heat by allowing higher temperatures by the bowl.
The water boils in much less than half the time of alternative open designs and with better fuel efficiency too. |
Above is the new simplier and more effective design of the dryer vent which serves as the flue. Simply make waves in the top and bottom and make the opening on top about 80% larger to let the hot gases expand and escape. |
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This is the OLD design, see the new one below. |
Exploded View
Key 7: Aluminum Foil cover with a vent hole. Keeps the heat in while cooking for better efficiency.
An exploded view of the simplicity. Ignor the rubber band holding the assembly as I only used that for scanning in the image.
NOTE: The correct flue design is the wave cuts. It's a lot easy.
A heating bowl ( you can save weight by using the heating bowl for eating or drinking your tea from directly ), sleeve of aluminum duct, a piece of aluminum for top of bowl, and a kitchen screener with the bowl flattened for the fuel tablets. I also place the "unit' in another bowl which uses excess heat from the top, it serves three purposes: protects the soil, provides a little warm water for cleaning and if I am a klutz, stops me or someone else from touching the sleeve while cooking and getting burned. |
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Simple Assembled unit
The total view. It may not look pretty but it works like a charm.
NOTE: This is New design.The cooking speed is just great.
The ultralight, turbocharged, low cost backpacker's furnance.
Aluminum lid, eating/cooking bowl, Aluminum dryer vent tube ( sleeve), flattened upside down kitchen strainer screen for the fuel tablets.
I disassemble the unit, note the sleeve either rolls up or flattens out around the bowl, so the storage size is significantly reduced. All parts fit together to make a small package. I place the entire unit in a zip lock bag, with matches, tablets, etc.
Super cheap: I don't know if it looks it but yes, I built it ( excluding bowls ) from scrap duct work and a used kitchen strainer Kathy, my wife, was throwing out. |
Hikenet's Ultralight Backpacker's Pellet Furnance - Complete Parts list:
1. Aluminum foil / plater plate for cover
2. Bowl V shaped for heating in and eating from with handle
3. Aluminum dryer vent duct work 4 inch diameter - cut and drill vent holes.
4. Strainer screen ( flatten bottom and turn upside down)
5. Fuel pellets ( hexamine or outdoor supply pellet ) break in two for greater surface area
6. Match for lighting pellet or other ignition method ( i.e.: butane lighter )
7. Optional - Bottom bowl and zip lock bag for holding everything.
Visit hikenet to met hiking friends all around the world, find the web's largest listing of hiking clubs, advice, hikers, and much more.
Until we meet on the trail, 'Enjoy life to the fullest'
- Tom 'Bear Bells' Caggiano |