Charcoal Crusher
MIT's D-Lab developed a method to turn agricultural wastes into affordable smokeless fuels. This agricultural waste charcoal has the potential to combat deforestation and reduce the dangerous effects of indoor cooking fires.
Burning carbonized cobs produces less smoke than regular biomass fuels, but 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 poweder without inhaling dangerous amounts of charcoal dust. The crusher addresses the gap in this alternative fuel process.
A revised design that is now in use as a teaching tool in MITs D-Lab Development Class. The model reduces costs over the original prototypes, bringing it closer to the market.
The revised design with the dust cover removed to show the concrete roller used for crushing.
Casting the concrete roller around a rebar handle using inexpenisive materials.
Videos
Testing an early prototype for concept evaluation and feasibility.
Testing a revised prototype of the crusher for time and output quality measurements.
Amy Smith, founder of MIT's D-Lab, talks about the original development of Charcoal Briquettes.
anyone can cook