The physical and proximate analysis of the fuel used during cooking was determined. The properties viz., moisture content fixed carbon, volatile matter, ash content was determined and the physical properties like bulk densities, resistance to water penetration and the shatter resistance of agro residue briquettes were determined to know the suitability of fuel for cook stove. The cook stove was fabricated as per designed specifications computed by considering the heat energy requirement of 8076 kcal per batch for the community food cooking with the feed rate of briquettes and the solid wood of 2.5 kg/h and 3.03 kg/h, respectively. The stoichiometric air required for the combustion process was worked out so as to ease in combustion of fuel in the cook stove. The thermal profile of the cookstove for the various temperature zones viz., outer temperature, flame temperature, exhaust air temperature was recorded during the experimentation. The burning rate of the developed cookstove was worked out for the briquettes and solid wood fuels. The proximate analysis of the selected fuels like fixed carbon and the heating value showed that fuel selected for the cookstove was found suitable for combustion. The bulk density of briquette was found 38.84 % more than solid wood therefore it occupied less space to store in the cookstove as compared to solid wood (subabul).  The design of the community sized agro residue based briquetted cook stove of 4.48 kW rated capacity was found suitable for cooking the food for above 25 members in batch.  Based on the design parameters, area of primary air inlet for the selected fuels and area of secondary air inlet was determined and found to be 40.13 cm² and 10.9 cm², respectively. The inner and outer diameter of reactor was found to be 19 cm and 27 cm, respectively. The height and cross sectional area of the reactor was worked out to be 33 cm and 1395 cm² respectively.  The thermal efficiency of cookstove on burning briquettes was 37.54 %  found 6.33 % more than solid wood fuel at the corresponding average flame temperature and burning rate of solid wood of 730.2 ⁰C and 3.03 kg/h, respectively. The estimated cost of the system was Rs. 12000/- with 2 year and 1 month payback period and benefit cost ratio of 1.28. It could be inferred that the developed agro residue based briquetted cook stove is technically as well as economically feasible in the present energy context.

Download this article as