ABSTRACT

Most of the developing country burns biomass fuel to meet home energy needs for
heating and cooking. Biomass combustion emits large amounts of pollutants, greenhouse gases,
and particulate matter which have a destructive effect on both human health, ecology and global
climate. To prevent or weaken the harmful effect of biomass burning, thermal efficiency of the
combustion process must be improved.

This report provides an analyis of the thermal performance and emissions characteristics of
improved biomass stoves constructed using compressed steel materials. Referred to as rocket
stoves, the improved stove is an 8 in. high metal constructed with combustion chamber, flue gas
path and chimney are designed with constant cross sectional area from left over bits of scrap
steel plates measuring 3/16 mm thickness and a steel rod of 8 mm in diameter with a welding
electrode as its binder in the construction of its combustion chamber and body. When large
quantities of steel plates are used to construct the stove body, the stove does not offer remarkable
improvements in fuel economy or air quality corresponding to traditional open fire cooking. This
is partly because a noteable amount of heat is absorbed by the mass of the stove reducing
combustion efficiency and heat transfer to the cook pot.

An analysis of the thermal and mechanical properties of stove materials was also performed. The
rocket stove constructed with compressed metal was found to have thermal properties similar to
fired ceramics used in more advanced improved stove designs.Design suggestions include
reducing stove height to accomodate user cooking perferences and limiting overall stove mass to
reduce heat loss to the stove body.

The Rocket stove is a design draft based on a design principles of a traditional open fire cooking
stoves and can be further used in physical modeling and testing to create a final design.

Keywords: fuel efficient, high temperature, simple machine, low cost, rocket stove, etc.