Ceramic Coal

Ceramic Coal

If you are a barbecue aficionado, perhaps you have heard of the Kamado Cooker. Perhaps not. The Kamado type cooker is a heavy ceramic vessel used both as a smoker and and as a grill. The "Big Green Egg" is the name brand of one type of Kamado Cooker. there are other brands to choose from. They all work basically the same way, and are really just a certain style of a vertical smoker.

There are generally three types of smokers to choose from when cooking barbecue. One is the offset smoker, which has a fire box set off from the smoke chamber. the meat sits on top of racks in the smoke chamber. Smoke and heat enter the smoke chamber, flow around the meat, and exit through a chimney system.

The next style of barbecue smoker is a kettle grill/smoker. Think "Weber Kettle Grill". This type of grill can be set-up for use as an indirect smoker. To use as a smoker, charcoal is piled up to the sides of the kettle, and the meat is placed in the center of the grill, not directly over the hot coals. Smoke from the coals goes around the meat giving it that smokey good flavor before exiting the little vents in the top of the lid. This type of smoker, low tech as it is, will turn out fine tasting barbecue.

Finally, the last style of barbecue smoker is a vertical smoker. In a vertical smoker, the fire is built in the bottom of the single chamber, many times there is a water pan directly over the fire, and the meat is smoked on racks located vertically above the fire in the bottom of the chamber. The smoke and heat travels upwards, around the meat cooking it and giving it that smoked barbecue flavor before exiting through the vents on top of the unit. A Kamado smoker is simply a specialized type of a vertical smoker.

The Kamado smoker is made out of heavy ceramic material, about an inch thick. The benefits of the Kamado smoker is that the fire can easily be maintained at very low temperatures which is good for smoking meat "low and slow." Also, because of the insulation properties of the ceramic material, a small amount of charcoal fuel is used while cooking. If not used as a smoker, the Kamado makes an excellent grill, achieving temperatures as high as 725 degrees. It can be used for many types of cooking, including baking of pizza's.

Ceramic Fuel

Ceramic Fuel

As the world continues to look toward alternative energy sources to power homes, businesses, and vehicles, fuel-cells have obtained favor in many countries. Australia, though not as proficient as, say, Japan, Germany, or the United States in fuel-cell technology, has recently begun to explore the possibilities of these energy sources. Strictly speaking, fuel-cells may not be renewables in the truest sense of the word, but the only byproduct of many is simply water, and water certainly qualifies as renewable. Until recently, Ceramic Fuel Cells, Australia's largest fuel-cell developer and supplier, bemoaned the public's perception that renewable energy was the only alternative to carbon-based fuel. That was until Bloom Energy, based in California, developed a fuel-cell they dubbed the Bloom Box.

This fuel-cell outperforms most of those currently marketed by most companies worldwide. When asked if this would further diminish Australia's role in the world fuel market, Ceramic Fuel Cell's CEO Brendan Gow was actually thrilled about Bloom's accomplishment. He enjoys the idea that the Bloom Box will display the capabilities of fuel-cells and that consumers will see that there are other methods of generating clean energy outside of renewables. Gow further states that although Bloom's cell exceeds most other fuel-cells' performances, the growing demand for fuel-cells will surpass Bloom's supply, and that is where companies such as Ceramic Fuel Cells come in. As Australia continues to catch up in the fuel industry, Mr. Gow sees Ceramic Fuel Cells as a major leader in Australia's development of these power sources.

It may seem as though Australia is exceedingly behind the curve in fuel technology, but that is not the case. A late bloomer, yes, but several of the nation's universities have focused their efforts on creating cheaper and more efficient fuelcells, especially in vehicles. At Monash University, scientists have redesigned fuel-cells with help from an unexpected source; Goretex. Familiar to outdoorsmen, it is a breathable material designed to waterproof outerwear. When applied to an air electrode, the university's Dr. Bjorn Winther-Jensesn says Goretex creates a fuel-cell that is both an electrode and catalyst. The material allows oxygen to come in contact with the conductive plastic in the fuel-cell, a job usually performed by platinum. It is easy to guess that the fuelcells developed at Monash will not only make great strides in efficiency, but in reducing production costs as well.

Australia is gaining ground in the renewable energy market, and is bringing fuel-cell technology along for the ride.

European Ceramics

European Ceramics

European Ceramics

European Ceramics is one of Perth's largest importers of Ceramic Tiles.

Young, vibrant, hands-on owners with local and international market knowledge ensures European Ceramics will take your next project beyond your expectations.