Improved kiln saves trees

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Date Issued
1989
Language
en
Type
News Item
Accessibility
Open Access
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Citation
CTA. 1989. Improved kiln saves trees. Spore 24. CTA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Permanent link to cite or share this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/45183
External link to download this item: http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jcta24e/
Abstract/Description
A new kiln which produces lime more efficiently and to a standard required by Malawi's sugar industry - and reduces the amount of timber needed - is being used in the Chenkumbi Hills near Balaka, Malawi. The Zimbabwe office of the UK based ITDG...
Notes
A new kiln which produces lime more efficiently and to a standard required by Malawi's sugar industry - and reduces the amount of timber needed - is being used in the Chenkumbi Hills near Balaka, Malawi. The Zimbabwe office of the UK based ITDG Intermediate Technology Development Group) was asked by Malawi's Ministry of Forests and Natural Resources to design the new kiln since the traditional methods of firing limestone to produce lime require a large number of trees and are inefficient. The new kiln with its vertical shaft has a fuel efficiency of 36% (against about 11% for the old system), and leads to a saving of 55-60% in fuelwood. ITDG official John Spiropolous says that the vertical shaft kiln does not require indigenous timbers, but can use the plantation wood of the area, thus easing pressure on the local forest. Up to 9000 hardwood trees a year can be saved. Costing around UKL2500, and designed to be built entirely of local materials, the kiln operates continously and produces 2.8 tonnes of lime a day. The unit cost of lime production is Malawi Kwacha 2.03 compared to MK 2.65 for the traditional operation. ITDG 156a Samora Machel Avenue - Harare ZIMBABWE
Subjects
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT; ENVIRONMENT;
Organizations Affiliated to the Authors
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
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