Parameters Affecting the Efficiency of ICS

Abstract

The rural areas of Bangladesh biomass is the main source of fuel. Burning this fuel produce large amount of toxic gasses e.g. CO, CO2 and so on. These gasses are potent source of health hazard. The unburnt or partially burnt portion is also a loss of valuable fuel. An Improved Cook Stove (ICS) could alleviate the entire problem concerned with efficiency and health hazard. Conventional cook stoves have very low efficiency. Moreover the amount of charcoal produced from the given fuel remains unused. These types of cook stoves also produce substantial amounts of Carbon Monoxide which is also an indication of incomplete fuel combustion. In this paper we have discussed different parameters affecting the efficiency of Improved Cook Stoves such as construction material, draft nature, stove insulation, moisture content, chimney, inside air flow, depth of the stove etc. It has been found that, metal cook stove with low thermal mass usually has high efficiency. In addition, a comparison has been provided of different parameters of cookstoves. Flexibility, cost, production time interval, complexity are the main concern of these types of stoves. Finally some recommendations, for optimum parameters such as types of cook stoves, governing mathematical equation to define efficiency, aerosol components from cook stoves, the relation between an aerosol component and efficiency of the cook stove have been given.