Numerical analysis of design modifications in a natural draft biomass rocket cookstove

Despite the availability of clean cooking fuels like electricity and liquid petroleum gas, about 3 billion people globally still rely on solid fuels for cooking. However, indoor air pollution owing to incomplete combustion of solid fuels leads to 4 million deaths annually. Improved biomass cookstoves can contribute to addressing this problem. The study presented in the current paper is a step in that direction. It includes the numerical analysis of the design modifications and their effects on the thermal and emission performance of the natural draft biomass cookstove. The design modification incorporates the baffle plate of varying dimensions and positions and the multi-directional fuel inlet. The combustion phenomenon is simulated using non-premixed combustion with PDF and k- e turbulence models. The baffle choke factor (BCF), a novel design parameter that impacts the performance of the cookstove, has been introduced. The stove has a higher temperature and lesser CO emissions at a BCF value of 0.5. The position of the baffle has a significant impact on temperature, although CO and CO2 are unaffected. When used independently, both the baffle plate and the multi-directional fuel inlet improved the thermal and emission performance of the stove more than when used together.