Efficient Charcoal Stoves: Enhancing their Benefits to a Developing Country using an Improved Design Approach
Citation
A. Agyei-Agyemang , P. O. Tawiah , F. Nyarko. "Efficient Charcoal Stoves: Enhancing their Benefits to a Developing Country using an Improved Design Approach", International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT), V15(2),94-100 Sep 2014. ISSN:2231-5381. www.ijettjournal.org. published by seventh sense research group
Abstract
Programmes and interventions to improve household wood and charcoal stove efficiencies have been launched in many developing countries over the past two decades. This work seeks to improve benefits accompanying the use of improved charcoal stoves by proposing a design with a better thermal efficiency. Efficient stoves have many benefits, including: improved livelihoods of workers involved in their production; health and safety benefits from the reduction or removal of smoke in their homes; reduced fire risk and risk of burn injuries; improved quality of life by reducing the amount of time to search for wood needed for cooking; reduced fuel costs; slowing deforestation and thus preserving natural habitats and biodiversity, as well encourage the use of locally manufactured technology in developing countries. A new charcoal stove, Stove AA, was developed and constructed. It was observed that it had improved combustion of fuel and the utilization of heat generated. After testing this design against two conventional charcoal stoves and two improved charcoal stoves (Gyapa and Ahenbeso) it was observed that, Stove AA had the highest thermal efficiency, 10.43% and Gyapa the least, 5.21% . Stove AA had the least fuel consumption rate, 0.72 kg/hr, followed by the conventional stoves with about 0.73 and 0.89 kg/hr; then Ahenbeso with 0.93 kg/hr and finally the Gyapa with 1.23 kg/hr.
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Keywords
Thermal efficiency, fuel consumption rate, efficient cookstoves, particulate matter, black carbon emission, boiling test.