(move from Category:Improved stoves, only contributor was User:Chriswaterguy. (Wanted to make clearer distinction between technology for developing countries and developed countries))
 
(health, key design features, names, refs)
Line 2: Line 2:
:''This page refers to stoves using a fuel, usually solid. For solar versions, see [[:Category:Solar cooking]]''
:''This page refers to stoves using a fuel, usually solid. For solar versions, see [[:Category:Solar cooking]]''


'''Cook stove''' is a general term for stoves used in developing countries, often of a very simple designs. Efforts have been made in recent years to design and promote more efficient stoves, known as ''improved stoves''', ''improved cookstoves''' or '''improved cook stoves''', that don't fill the home with harmful smoke (through more efficient burning to reduce smoke, and a chimney or venting to remove that smoke), and which use less fuel. Several designs have been developed.   
'''Cook stove''' is a general term for stoves used in developing countries, often of a very simple designs.  
 
Efforts have been made in recent years to design and promote more efficient stoves. These are known by various names: '''improved cook stoves''', '''improved stoves''', '''improved cookstoves''', '''improved cook stoves''', '''smokeless stoves'' and '''wood conserving stoves'''. that don't fill the home with harmful smoke (through more efficient burning to reduce smoke, and a chimney or venting to remove that smoke), and which use less fuel. Several designs have been developed.   


==Health impact==
==Health impact==
:<tt>In high-mortality developing countries, indoor smoke is the most lethal killer after malnutrition, unsafe sex and lack of safe water and sanitation.</tt> - [http://www.aidg.org/blog/ AIDG blog]
Indoor smoke is an extremely serious [[public health]] problem. In high-mortality developing countries, indoor smoke is the most lethal killer after malnutrition, unsafe sex and lack of safe water and sanitation.<ref>[http://www.aidg.org/blog/ AIDG blog]; Amy Smith makes a similar but stronger claim in her [TED talk]. Please insert clear figures if you know them; what ''is'' clear is that this is an extremely serious public health problem.</ref>
 
==Key design features==
Some or all of these design features help make a stove more efficient and lower in health impact:
*Chimney or vent (to remove smoke to outdoors, and improve airflow through the fire.
*Controllable inflow of air - for example an adjustable door with little or no other intake.{{fact}}
*Use of a material with good reflective and/or insulating properties, for the inside of the stove - usually ceramic.
*Gasification - mixing the flue (exhaust gas) with a small amount of air, to allow the last remaining hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to burn without a flame. This requires the
*Use of the flue gas for space heating (in cold climates) and/or water heating. While this is not a typical feature, it is certainly possible. If so, care should be taken that the system does not leak flue gas into the living space - it may be necessary to lose some efficiency for the sake of health and safety.{{sp}}


==Ongoing research and development==
==Ongoing research and development==
Groups including the [[Legacy Foundation]] and [[EWB San Francisco Professionals Chapter]] are doing research into optimizing such stoves, including using briquettes made from waste biomass (e.g. agricultural waste) with a simple [[briquette press].  
Groups including the Kobus Venter's [[Vuthisa Technologies]]<ref>[[Vuthisa Technologies]] is a small company in Pietermaritsburg,  Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, and Kobus Venter discussed (or discusses) the development of the design on the [http://www.bioenergylists.org '''Biomass cooking stoves'''] lists.{{expand}}</ref> and [[EWB San Francisco Professionals Chapter]]<ref>[http://ewbappropriatetechnology.blogspot.com/ EWB-SFP Appropriate Technology Design Team]'s blog, with a strong focus on improved stoves. See also [http://darfurstoves.lbl.gov/updates.html Darfur Cookstoves - Updates May-December 2006]</ref> are doing research into optimizing such stoves, including using briquettes made from waste biomass (e.g. agricultural waste) with a simple [[briquette press].  


The fuel used can have a great impact on the smoke produced, as well as affecting the environmental impact. {{WP|Charcoal}} is much cleaner burning than wood or dung, but is usually made from wood.  
The fuel used can have a great impact on the smoke produced, as well as affecting the environmental impact. {{WP|Charcoal}} is much cleaner burning than wood or dung, but is usually made from wood.  
Line 19: Line 29:
==See also==
==See also==
*[[Corn as fuel]]
*[[Corn as fuel]]
==External links about cook stoves==
*[http://ewbappropriatetechnology.blogspot.com/ EWB-SFP Appropriate Technology Design Team] - blog with a strong focus on improved stoves. A project of Engineers Without Borders, San Francisco Professionals Chapter.


[[Category:Cookers]]
[[Category:Cookers]]
[[Category:Public health]]

Revision as of 04:53, 19 March 2007

Template:Wikipedia p

This page refers to stoves using a fuel, usually solid. For solar versions, see Category:Solar cooking

Cook stove is a general term for stoves used in developing countries, often of a very simple designs.

Efforts have been made in recent years to design and promote more efficient stoves. These are known by various names: improved cook stoves', improved stoves, improved cookstoves, improved cook stoves, smokeless stoves and wood conserving stoves. that don't fill the home with harmful smoke (through more efficient burning to reduce smoke, and a chimney or venting to remove that smoke), and which use less fuel. Several designs have been developed.

Health impact

Indoor smoke is an extremely serious public health problem. In high-mortality developing countries, indoor smoke is the most lethal killer after malnutrition, unsafe sex and lack of safe water and sanitation.[1]

Key design features

Some or all of these design features help make a stove more efficient and lower in health impact:

  • Chimney or vent (to remove smoke to outdoors, and improve airflow through the fire.
  • Controllable inflow of air - for example an adjustable door with little or no other intake.[verification needed]
  • Use of a material with good reflective and/or insulating properties, for the inside of the stove - usually ceramic.
  • Gasification - mixing the flue (exhaust gas) with a small amount of air, to allow the last remaining hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to burn without a flame. This requires the
  • Use of the flue gas for space heating (in cold climates) and/or water heating. While this is not a typical feature, it is certainly possible. If so, care should be taken that the system does not leak flue gas into the living space - it may be necessary to lose some efficiency for the sake of health and safety.[expansion needed]

Ongoing research and development

Groups including the Kobus Venter's Vuthisa Technologies[2] and EWB San Francisco Professionals Chapter[3] are doing research into optimizing such stoves, including using briquettes made from waste biomass (e.g. agricultural waste) with a simple [[briquette press].

The fuel used can have a great impact on the smoke produced, as well as affecting the environmental impact. W is much cleaner burning than wood or dung, but is usually made from wood.

W has done work on producing charcoal from other forms of biomass. To make the biomass stick together, a binder is used. (Another method of making briquettes more cohesive is to leave the biomass in water for a couple of days to decompose slightly.) The choice of biomass depends on what is widely available, but includes W (sugar cane waste) bound with a paste of W root (also called manioc or tapioca); and wheat or rice straw bound with a small amount of dung, in areas where pure dung is normally burnt.[4]

Footnotes and references

  1. AIDG blog; Amy Smith makes a similar but stronger claim in her [TED talk]. Please insert clear figures if you know them; what is clear is that this is an extremely serious public health problem.
  2. Vuthisa Technologies is a small company in Pietermaritsburg, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, and Kobus Venter discussed (or discusses) the development of the design on the Biomass cooking stoves lists.
  3. EWB-SFP Appropriate Technology Design Team's blog, with a strong focus on improved stoves. See also Darfur Cookstoves - Updates May-December 2006
  4. MIT's Amy Smith on third-world engineering: TEDTalks - Video on YouTube.

See also

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.