Evaluation of the performance of improved biomass cooking stoves with different solid biomass fuel types

We have studied the performance of different types of improved solid biomass cookstoves (Two natural draft and one forced draft) in comparison to the traditional cookstove (control) while preparing a particular meal with a variety of solid biomass fuels (e.g. fuel wood, dung cake and crop residue). Five replicates of each type of cookstove and fuel were maintained. The study was conducted in an Indian rural kitchen. There was no significant difference in the indoor concentrations of PM2.5 and CO when natural draft and traditional cookstoves were used with any type of solid fuel. However, significantly lower concentrations of PM2.5 and CO were recorded with forced draft stoves compared to others. While cooking with different types of solid biomass fuels, the concentrations of PM2.5 and CO in the indoor environment were decreased by 21–57% and 30–74% respectively with the forced draft cookstove in comparison to the traditional cookstove. The fuel consumption, cooking duration and thermal efficiency of a particular stove to prepare a particular amount of food also differ depending on the type of the solid fuel used for the cooking purpose. The thermal efficiency of traditional, natural draft and FD cookstoves were in the range of 15–17%, 16–27% and 30–35% respectively for different types of solid biomass fuels. However, further studies on the performance of stoves are required based on the size and type of fuel wood or crop residues.