Thermal performance improvement of kerosene cook-stoves by heat reuse and radiant heat shielding

Abstract

Improvements in the thermal performances of kerosene cook-stoves, which have been modified by the incorporation of radiant heat shields and a heat reuse pot, were assessed in this study. Eight test configurations, comprising different combinations of shielded/unshielded cook-stoves, conventional pots and a heat reuse pot, were experimentally assessed. The experiments followed a procedure adapted from water boiling test (WBT) protocol, which included cold-start, hot-start and simmering test phases. Using the temperatures, boiling times, and water and fuel masses obtained from the tests, the firepowers, specific fuel consumptions and thermal efficiencies of the cook-stoves were determined for the eight configurations. When processes in the conventional pot alone were considered, the greatest improvement in the efficiency $\eta _{\mathrm{conv}}$ was obtained when radiation shields were applied to both inner and outer casings of the cook-stove (Setup V) and was up to 1.7 times the efficiency of the unmodified cook-stove setup. When processes in both conventional and heat reuse pots were considered, however, the greatest improvement in the efficiency $\eta _{\mathrm{conv+HRP}}$ was up to 3.6 times the efficiency of the unmodified setup, and was obtained when radiation shields were applied to both inner and outer casings of the cook-stove in addition to incorporating the heat reuse pot (Setup VI). These results are indicative of the immense quantities of heat lost by radiation from kerosene cook-stove walls and by the steam vented from convention cooking pots. It has also been shown that significant improvements in kerosene cook-stove performances could be achieved by the simple measures proposed and at low cost.