A comparison of emissions and thermal efficiency of three improved liquid fuel stoves

Abstract

Research has shown that there is a clear link between emissions from inefficient domestic cooking appliances and the prevalence of respiratory infections and cardiovascular diseases. This has prompted the need for the development and dissemination of efficient clean cookstoves for cooking and heating purposes. Although liquid fuels are rated cleaner than traditional solid fuels, their combustion in basic and poorly designed stoves leads to problems of household air pollution and fire hazards. Information on the combustion, pollutant emissions and thermal performance of liquid fuel stoves is still scarce and there is a need to address this gap. This study characterises emissions and thermal performance of three liquid fuel stoves -kerosene stove, an ethanol gel stove and a prototype methanol stove. Kerosene/paraffin stoves are widely used in the low-income settlements in South Africa, while the ethanol gel and methanol stoves are new entrants in the market place. The 'hood' method was employed to collect the flue gases and particulate emissions, and to measure emission factors for the devices. The SeTAR Centre heterogeneous stove testing protocols (HTP) was employed to determine the average CO and PM25 emissions, as well as the CO/C02 ratio and thermal efficiency of each device. The methanol prototype stove reported better combustion efficiency compared to the ethanol gel and the kerosene stoves. Although the methanol stove has improved combustion efficiency compared to the other stoves, the fire-power is below the recommended standard and user expectations.

Scalable Business Models for Alternative Biomass Cooking Fuels and Their Potential in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…From a health-impact perspective, liquid ethanol is most likely to consistently deliver Tier 4 particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions performance, followed by pellet fuels inyenyeRi-pelleTs pRoduced in Rwanda inyenyeri in quality fan gasifier stoves. Ethanol gel is smokier than liquid ethanol, but lab tests show that quality gel stoves can deliver Tier 4 emissions for particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions (Masekameni, Makonese, and Annergarn 2015). Carbonized briquettes have lower emissions than traditional charcoal and demonstrate low-to-moderate particulate matter emissions (Tier 3-4) and moderate carbon monoxide emissions (Tier 3) (Amaral et al 2016;Njenga et al 2014;Mwampamba, Owen, and Pigaht 2013; see also Banzaert 2013, which shows higher particulate matter emissions for carbonized agricultural waste briquettes relative to the wood charcoal benchmark).…”

“…Thermal efficiency depends on the stove at least as much as the fuel. Broadly speaking, ethanol fuel has the highest thermal efficiency at 50-70 percent; ethanol gel is in the same range; followed by pellet fan gasifier cooking at 40-55 percent; carbonized briquettes at 15-40 percent-depending on the efficiency of the stove; and lastly, uncarbonized briquettes, which have very low efficiency levels at 12-20 percent, depending on the stove used (Cashman et al 2016;Masekameni, Makonese, and Annergarn 2015); and GACC stoves and fuels catalog. From the perspective of the end user, the thermal efficiency of the stove and calorific value of the fuel are closely tied to cooking speed, with ethanol and pellet gasifier stoves demonstrating the fastest cooking times.…”

Emission factors of domestic coal-burning braziers

“…The sampling configuration for the undiluted gas channel comprised Teflon tubing, a 4-µm pore diameter filter pack, and a flue gas analyser (Testo ® 350XL/454) with cells for CO 2 , CO, NO x and O 2 . 34 For the diluted channel, the sampling configuration included the dilution system, a Teflon tube, and a flow splitter to duct gas streams to a DustTrak DRX 8533 aerosol monitor and a second Testo ® analyser.…”

Quality and Performance Evaluation of Jatropha Oil Blended with Kerosene for Cooking Stoves in Ethiopia

“…e Tikikil wood stove has a thermal efficiency of 26%. Ethanol and kerosene stoves have a thermal efficiency 56% [21] and 60% [22], respectively. e specific fuel consumption (g/l) of stoves such as the traditional wood stove, metal charcoal stove, and Laketch charcoal stove is 190 g/l, 550 g/l, and 290 g/L, respectively [20].…”

“…e specific fuel consumption (g/l) of stoves such as the traditional wood stove, metal charcoal stove, and Laketch charcoal stove is 190 g/l, 550 g/l, and 290 g/L, respectively [20]. Ethanol and kerosene stoves have a reduction in the specific fuel consumption from three-stone fire by 48% [21] and 4% [22], respectively. e fire power (watts) of ethanol and kerosene stoves is 1200 W [21] and 1300 W [22], respectively.…”