Developing Stoves to

Achieve the ‘50%/90%’ Future:

Stoves in Use That Address
Health and Climate Issues
Dean Still and Nordica MacCarty
Millions of Stoves /
Modernizing Traditional Energy
 Since 1976, Aprovecho has assisted over 100 projects
around the world leading to Millions of Rocket stoves.
Thanks, Peter Scott and GTZ!
• As performance
requirements have become
more demanding there has
been a general move from
artisanal production to
centralized manufacturing.
• Low emission stoves that
protect health with
reduced global warming
potential are a reality in
labs.
Defining Stove Performance
 Hundreds of stove designs have been tested at Aprovecho using the
PEMS, resulting in a WBT library. Thanks to Nordica, Karl, Damon!
 Lessons Learned: Mixing results in clean combustion (Fan) or force
gas and smoke to enter flame (TLUD).
 Increasing heat transfer efficiency is the ‘magic’ that decreases fuel
use.
 Sam Baldwin and Larry Winiarski describe how to make 50% fuel
reduction stoves.
 90% reduction of CO and PM has been achieved in the lab.
Aprovecho Stove Test Library

Testing with the WBT helps to:

 Discover what works well.
 Predict the effects of design changes.
 Determine if a design is optimized.

Stove test library published in Energy for

Sustainable Development, September 2010
Shell Foundation/Aprovecho Benchmarks
have been developed and used since 2005
based on the WBT and the PEMS emission
hood.
The WBT is a standardized test resulting in
comparable results between labs. (Jetter,
2008)
50%/90% WBT Benchmarks?

WBT 50%/90% Benchmarks could be created.

Using the WBT library, a 50%/90% reduction

compared to open fire would be:
 50% Fuel Use: 625 g wood or 10.9 MJ energy
 90% reduction Carbon Monoxide: 6.5 g
 90% reduction Particulate Matter: 170mg

Can we go this low in CCT field testing?

 Energy to Complete WBT (MJ) .

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Three Stone Fire
Ghana Wood
Mud/Sawdust
Baldwin VITA
Cast Iron Stove from India
Modified VITA Stove

Simple Stoves
Modified VITA w/ Insulation
20-L Can Skirted Rocket
Tall Heavy Skirted Rocket
Previous Improved
Heavy Skirted Rocket
Previous Improved
Insulated Brick Rocket
Short Light Rocket
Two-Pot Rocket
Rocket Stoves

Extra Small Door w/ Skirt

Cast Iron Rocket
Baldosa rocket, large body, with
1-Door w/out skirt
1-Door w/Skirt
2-Door w/out skirt
50% Savings = 10.9 MJ

2-Door w/Skirt
Charcoal-Making gasifier
Energy Use vs. Benchmark

Erxperimental Gasifier
Large Gasifier
Grid-Powered Fan
Battery Powered Fan
Bottom Air Fan Stove
850 grams of testing wood to complete the WBT.

Wood Gas
Mali Char
WBT Proposed Benchmark: Energy Use

Charcoal Jiko
Charcoal Stove with Skirt
Gasifiers Fan Stoves Charcoal

Charcoal Rocket
Propane
Alcohol
Gas
<-----------------------------Gathered Fuel -------------------------------------Prepared Fuel ------Purchased Fuel---->
Liquid/

Kerosene
A cooking stove should use less than 15 MJ (or 10.9 for a 50% reduction) of energy or
 PM Emission To Complete WBT (mg) .

500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000

0
Three Stone Fire
Ghana Wood
Mud/Sawdust
Baldwin VITA
Cast Iron Stove from India
Modified VITA Stove

Simple Stoves
Modified VITA w/ Insulation
20-L Can Skirted Rocket

90% Reduction = 170 mg

Tall Heavy Skirted Rocket
Matter Emissions

Previous Improved
Heavy Skirted Rocket
Previous Improved
Insulated Brick Rocket
Short Light Rocket
Two-Pot Rocket
Extra Small Door w/ Skirt
Rocket Stoves

Cast Iron Rocket

Baldosa rocket, large body, with
1-Door w/out skirt
1-Door w/Skirt
2-Door w/out skirt
2-Door w/Skirt
Charcoal-Making gasifier
PM Emissions vs. Benchmark

Erxperimental Gasifier
Large Gasifier
Particulate Matter to complete the WBT.

Grid-Powered Fan
Battery Powered Fan
Bottom Air Fan Stove
Wood Gas
WBT Proposed Benchmark: Particulate

Mali Char
Charcoal Jiko
Charcoal Stove with Skirt
Charcoal Rocket
Propane
Alcohol
Gas
Gasifiers Fan Stoves Charcoal Liquid/

NOTE: Only 1 PM measurement for 9 stoves

Kerosene
<-----------------------------Gathered Fuel ----------------------------------------Prepared Fuel --------Purchased Fuel---->
A cooking stove should emit less than 1500 milligrams (or 170 for a 90% reduction) of
 CO Emission to Complete WBT (g) .

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Three Stone Fire
Ghana Wood
Mud/Sawdust
Baldwin VITA
Cast Iron Stove from India
Modified VITA Stove

Simple Stoves
Modified VITA w/ Insulation

90% Reduction = 6.5 g

20-L Can Skirted Rocket
Tall Heavy Skirted Rocket
Previous Improved
Heavy Skirted Rocket
Previous Improved
Monoxide Emissions

Insulated Brick Rocket

Short Light Rocket
Two-Pot Rocket
Extra Small Door w/ Skirt
Rocket Stoves

Cast Iron Rocket

Baldosa rocket, large body,
1-Door w/out skirt
1-Door w/Skirt
2-Door w/out skirt
2-Door w/Skirt
Charcoal-Making gasifier
CO Emission vs. Benchmark

Erxperimental Gasifier
Large Gasifier
Grid-Powered Fan
WBT Proposed Benchmark: Carbon

Battery Powered Fan

Bottom Air Fan Stove
Wood Gas
reduction) of Carbon Monoxide to complete the WBT.

Mali Char
Charcoal Jiko
Charcoal Stove with Skirt
A cooking stove should emit less than 20 grams (or 6.5 for a 90%

Charcoal Rocket
Propane
Alcohol
Gas
Gasifiers Fan Stoves Charcoal Liquid/

Kerosene
<-----------------------------Gathered Fuel ----------------------------------------Prepared Fuel --------Purchased Fuel---->
WBT Proposed Benchmark: Chimney Stoves
A cooking stove with chimney is exempt from the previous standards provided
it does not leak. A stove with functioning chimney should use less than 30 MJ
of energy or 1500 grams of testing wood to complete the WBT.

Fuel Use for Stoves with Chimney vs. Benchmark

3000
.

Sunken Pots Griddle with Holes for Pots Griddle Only

Fuel to Complete WBT (g)

2500
Good chimney stoves meet the 90% (indoor) emissions reduction!
2000

1500

1000

500

0
Sunken Pot w ith Sunken Tw o-Pot Insulative Tw o One Pot Rocket Patsari Tw o-pot Rocket Justa Griddle Stove Large Griddle
Steam Jets Insulative Pot w ith Holes w ith Holes Prototype w ith Holes w ith Oven Stove
Rocket

A stove with chimney is checked for leaks by placing a HOBO-type CO meter 30 cm above the stove.
If less than an average of 50 ppm CO is emitted, the stove is exempt from non-chimney standards
TLUD and fan stove perform well
in EPA tests
Types of Improved Stoves:
1.) Natural Draft Rocket Stoves

Higher temperatures, mixing, metering

Fuels: Sticks, woody biomass, and then forcing the gases against the
Gathered fuels, some crop residue bottom, sides of the pot reduces fuel use
and emissions

WBT Time to Fuel Use CO PM

data Boil Emission Emission

Envirofit, $25 3-Stone 38 1253 65 2363

Rocket 38 650 20 783

51% 70% 67%

Reduction Reduction Reduction
with Skirt
StoveTec $8-$12
Types of Improved Stoves:
2.) Fan Stoves

TOP LOADING Burning the fuel with forced air jets at

Fuel: Pellets, small pieces the bottom and/or top of the
Philips, $60 combustion chamber creates high
WoodGas, $55 velocity mixing which dramatically
Oorja, $25 decreases fuel use & emissions.
WBT Time to Fuel Use CO PM
data Boil Emission Emission

3-Stone 38 1253 65 2363

Fan 14 614 6 293

51% 91% 88%

SIDE FEED Reduction Reduction Reduction

Fuel: Sticks, gathered biomass

StoveTec/Biolite TEG, $30

Types of Improved Stoves:
3.) Semi-Gasifiers
Burning the fuel with carefully
controlled primary and secondary air
within a closed stove results in efficient
Fuel: pellets, briquettes, some
fuel use, and emissions are removed
crop residues
through the chimney.
WBT Time to Fuel Use CO PM
data Boil Emission Emission

Yunnan Gasifier, $45 3-Stone 38 1253 65 2363

Yunnan 22 734 8 317

41% 88% 87%

Reduction Reduction Reduction

Daxu Stove, $50

Types of Improved Stoves:
4.) Natural Draft Gasifiers (TLUD)

Fuels: Pellets, some gathered fuels

Top lighting, limiting the Primary Air in
a TLUD, secondary burn, results in very
Champion Stove, $30 low particulate matter emissions.

WBT Time to Fuel Use CO PM

data Boil Emission Emission

3-Stone 38 1253 65 2363

TLUD 27 737 18 255
Vesto Stove, $60

41% 72% 89%

Reduction Reduction Reduction

World Stove, $35

Types of Improved Stoves:
5.) Institutional Stoves

Fuels: Sticks, woody biomass, Transferring heat to the bottom and

Gathered fuels, some crop residue sides of a very large pot efficiently uses
the heat from the fire and emits fewer
emissions.

WBT Time to Fuel Use CO PM

data Boil Emission Emission

3-Stone 38 1253 65 2363

60L Stove 32 305 7 181

(Data Normalized for 5L)

76% 89% 92%

Reduction Reduction Reduction
Stove Performance Comparison

Time to Fuel Use CO PM Emission

Boil Emission
3-Stone 38 1253 65 2363
Rocket 38 650 w/skirt 20 783
Fan – Top loaded 14 614 6 293

Fan – Side Feed 34 722 6 151

Semi-Gasifier 22 734 8 317

TLUD Gasifier 27 737 18 255

Institutional 60L 32 305 7 181

(Data is from Water Boiling Test)

Knowing which Stove Works:
Testing is Essential
LABORATORY
 Stoves are carefully designed and optimized in the
laboratory
 WBT/Emissions measurements quickly, inexpensively
highlight promising technologies

FIELD
Stoves must be re-designed/modified
with input from cooks
 Consumer testing is at least ½ of stove development
 Focus groups must be involved when selecting, comparing,
choosing stove models. It does not matter if a stove performs
well in the lab if the cooks don’t use it or will not buy it!
Limitations of Testing Targets
 There are many more aspects to a stove than
performance and emission reduction! The stove must be
in use, loved by cooks. The ‘competition’ (a three stone
fire) is free!
 A stove that is not used will not be effective – therefore it
is crucial to have consumer approval be an integral part
of product development.
 TESTING IN THE FIELD becomes more important than
extensive lab testing.
 Without consumer approval our new stoves will sit on
shelves or become flower pots.
 In-field testing is absolutely crucial to also ensure that
50%/90% stoves achieve performance and emission
goals.
 Let’s not fail a third time!
Can the WBT Predict In Use
Performance?
 A lot of time over the last five years has been spent
debating the WBT and attempting to bring it closer to field
results.
 Some have adapted WBT to use local pots, local fuel,
timing, etc.
 Conditions in the field are highly variable so it’s difficult to
adequately adjust the WBT. The cook is probably the
biggest variable. Can we bring enough cooks into the
lab?
 The CCT/KPT in field tests help predict actual
performance.
 Use the CCT/w emissions? Cooks use their own
techniques, fuels, foods, compares traditional to new
stove. Use hood or nose/mouth emission measurements?
Follow Chapter Five in Sam Baldwin’s Book…

 Laboratory, Production, Field, and Market efforts are

detailed in: “Biomass Stoves: Engineering Design,
Development, and Dissemination”.
1.WBTs and CCTs are used to select promising prototypes
2.Templates are developed using local pots, fuels, etc.
3.Limited production of small number of stoves made to
analyze costs, methods.
4.Stoves are used by local cooks to determine acceptability
and actual measured performance.
5.At the same time, stoves are in stores on a commission
basis to measure commercial viability.
6.On the basis of these tests, modifications are made as
needed and the process is repeated (and repeated) until
success is achieved.
Measuring Emissions:
IAP Exposure
In the Aprovecho IAP Meter, a small fan draws a sample through a
“snorkel” into the meter, allowing a better measurement of actual
exposure

Perhaps benchmarks based on exposure could be developed? Measurements of

exposure could be directly related to EPA and WHO guidelines, unlike other
methods.

Aprovecho is following up the extensive WBT testing with CCT in Test Kitchen and
under a veranda testing using the IAP Meter.
Measuring Exposure to the Cook
Indoors and Out
Emissions Exposure as Measured by IAP Meter Backpack
Outdoors and Indoors for Three-Stone Fire and TLUD

14,000 100
PM
90
12,000
CO
80

10,000 70
Three-Stone:
97% Reduction 60
PM (ug/m3)

8,000

CO (ppm)
from Indoor to Out 50

6,000
40
TLUD:
4,000 92% Reduction 30

from Indoor to Out 20

2,000
10

0 0
Three-Stone Indoor Three-Stone Outdoor TLUD Indoor TLUD Outdoor
Clean Cook Stoves at Market Price
Carbon credits can reduce the consumer price of new clean stoves

My Uncertain Estimates: Total Global Warming Potential

grams CO2 equivalent per liter of water boiled and simmered 30 minutes,
(will vary with market, etc) normalized for starting temperature and fuel moisture content

Carbon credit income per

ton per year: ~$5-$10/year 700

600

5 years? 500
PM -- -50*OM
400 PM--680*EC
Global Warming

Stove generates 1-4 tons

3*CO
Potential (g CO2 300
equivalent/L) 12*NMHC

CO2e savings per year 200 296*N2O

21*Methane
100 CO2

calculated CO2 savings 0

switching from coal to -100

Three Stone Rocket Fan Gasifier Charcoal

renewable biomass– about Fire

3.8 ton CO2e/yr.

From “A Laboratory Comparison of the Global Warming
Potential of Five Major Types of Biomass Cooking Stove”
Energy for Sustainable Development, June 2008
Summary
 There are promising new generation stoves in existence
 The stove community could proceed to multiple-site in-field
testing of performance w/emissions, user satisfaction, and
durability.
 The stove community could support mass
manufacturing/distribution for best quality, lowest price for
successful purchased stoves.
 There can be millions of stoves ready to address climate change
and health in the near future.
 Very clean stoves can be sold at the local market price due to a
$5-$10/year carbon credit.
NOLS saying as 5 people push a
2,000 pound boat up a steep
beach:
If we all push easy, it’s hard
If we all push hard, it’s easy.