A HEAT TRANSFER MODEL FOR THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF A BIOMASS COOKSTOVE FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The use of biomass cookstoves to meet household energy needs has a profound impact on the life and health of individuals, families, and communities in the developing world. This paper introduces an experimentally validated heat transfer analysis model for use during the conceptual design process of a biomass cookstove to be used in the developing world. This steady-state model of a shielded, natural-draft biomass cookstove fitted with a flat-bottomed pot with pot-shield was developed using published experimental data that included 63 variations of 15 operating, geometrical, and material variables. The model provides the essential information needed to support decision making during the cookstove conceptual design process by predicting heat transfer efficiency as a function of stove geometry, construction material, firepower, and fuel moisture content.