CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 Experimental Location

The construction of the smokeless charcoal stove was carried out at the Department of materials

and metallurgical engineering workshop, University of Ilorin. The performance evaluation was

carried out at the Department’s laboratory.

3.2 Design parameters and consideration for the smokeless charcoal stove

Table 3.1 shows the design parameters and considerations for the smokeless charcoal stove.

S/N Material Parameter Value Reference

1 Mild steel Thermal conductivity (k) 45 W /mK (Klemens et al.,

1986)

2 Clay and Kaoline Thermal conductivity (k) 1 W /mK (Dondi et al.,

2004)

3 Stainless steel Thermal conductivity (k) 16 W /mK Klemens and

Williams (1986)

4 Charcoal Calorific value 29.8 MJ/kg Kiwana et al.

(2016)

5 Aluminum alloy Thermal conductivity 237 W / mK (Klemens &

Williams, 1986)

6 Fiberglass Thermal conductivity 0.04 W /mK (Bantu et al.,

2018)
3.3 Design of the smokeless charcoal stove

The smokeless charcoal stove is made up of three different kinds of metals, the metals include

mild steel which is the separating material between the clay and kaolin insulation material

followed by aluminum alloy which is situated at the external portion of the charcoal stove, and

lastly, stainless steel material is used for the combustion chamber that would contain the fuel

material (charcoal). The combustion chamber of the smokeless charcoal stove is made with a

stainless-steel sheet with 1.5mm thickness and dimensions of 15cm x 15 cm x 14.5cm which

makes up for the length, width, and height respectively.

Clay and kaolin insulating material was applied at the boundary between the combusting

chamber and the 1.5mm thick mild steel metal followed by a fiberglass insulating material which

further acts to reduce the heat loss. Mild steel metal is used as the external material and it also

has 1.5mm thickness.

Fig 3.1 Schematic diagram of the charcoal stove wall

3.4 Capacity of the combustion chamber

The combustion chamber of the charcoal stove where the fuel material (charcoal) is burnt, is a

cuboid shape compartment with dimensions of 15cm x 15cm x 14.5cm.

The volume of the combustion chamber can be calculated using equation 3.1 (Bird, 2021).

V =l× b× h (3.1)

Where v is the volume of the tank, l is the length of the tank, b is the breadth of the tank, and h is

the height of the tank.

V = (15 × 15× 14.5 ) cm3

3
V =3262.5 cm

3
V =32.63m

Hence the volume of the combustion chamber of the smokeless charcoal stove is 32.63m3.

3.5 Stove heat energy requirement

The amount of heat required to be supplied by the stove was determined using equation 3.2

based on the amount of food to be cooked and/or water to be boiled and their corresponding

specific heat energy.

M f × Es
Q n= (3.2)
T

Where: Qn = energy requirement, Kcal/hr, M f = mass of food, kg, E s= specific energy, KCal/kg,

T = cooking time, hr
3.6 Heat transfer calculation

The convective and the conductive heat transfer through the stove wall were calculated using

Fourier’s heat relation describe in equation 3.3 (Bantu et al., 2018).

T 1−T 2
Q=KA
X

(3.3)

Where Q is the heat flow rate (W/m2), A is the total cross-sectional area of conducting surface

(m2), X is thickness of the specimen (m), and T is temperature (K).

According to Baldwin, the Fourier's heat equation produces figures that are excessive when used

to analyze heat transmission across a stove wall. This is due to the fact that the conductivity of an

object's internal surfaces, dirt or oxide coatings, and air at the material's surface all play a role in

how much heat is carried into and out of it. Thus, equation (3.7) is arranged using the thermal

resistance concept as shown in equation 3.4 (Bantu et al., 2018)

(T 1−T 6)
Q= (3.4)
R1 + R2 +..+ R5

Where R1 , R 2 , R3 , R 4 , R 5 are the thermal resistances of stainless steel, clay & kaolin, mild steel,

fiberglass and aluminum respectively.

As Ack Am Af Aa
Fig 3.2 Heat conduction through the stove wall

Solving for the thermal resistances of each material used in the smokeless charcoal stove

Ls
R1= (3.5)
k s As

Where Ls is the thickness of the stainless steel material used for the combustion chamber, k s is

the thermal conductivity of stainless steel and A is the surface area.

Equation 3.6 below is used to derive the total surface area of the open-top cuboidal-shaped

combustion chamber.

A s=2 h(l +w)+lw (3.6)

The surface area of stainless steel

A s=2 ∙30(15+ 15)+15 ∙ 15

A s=60 ( 30 ) +225

2
A s=2025 cm

2
A s=0.2 m

The surface area of clay and kaolin

Ack =2 ∙30(20+20)+ 20∙ 20

2
Ack =2800 cm

2
Ack =0.28 m

The surface area of mild steel

Am =2∙ 30(21.5+ 21.5)+21.5 ∙ 21.5

Am =2∙ 30(21.5+ 21.5)+21.5 ∙ 21.5

2
Am =3042.25 cm

2
Am =0.30 m

Surface area of fiberglass

A f =2 ∙ 30(30+30)+30 ∙30

2
A f =4500 cm

A f =0.45 m2

The surface area of aluminum

Aa =2∙ 30(31.5+31.5)+31.5 ∙31.5

2
Aa =4772.25 cm

2
Aa =4772.25 cm

2
Aa =0.48 m
Thermal resistance for stainless steel

Ls
R1=
k s As

0.015
R1=
16 ×0.2

−1
R1=0.0047 K W

The thermal resistance of clay and kaolin

Lck
R2=
k ck A ck

0.065
R 2=
1 ×0.28

−1
R2=0.23 KW

The thermal resistance of mild steel

Lm
R 3=
k m Am

0.015
R3=
45× 0.3

R3=0.001 KW −1

Thermal resistance of fiberglass

Lf
R4 =
kf A f

0.085
R4 =
0.04 ×0.45
 −1
R4 =4.7 KW

The thermal resistance of aluminum

La
R 5=
k a Aa

0.015
R5=
237 × 0.48

−1
R5=0.00013 KW

The total resistance is calculated using the equation (3.7)

Total resistance=R 1+ R 2+ R3 + R 4 + R5 (3.7)

Total resistance=0.0047+0.23+0.01+ 4.7+0.00013

−1
Total resistance=4.9448 K . W

Heat transfer across the wall of the smokeless charcoal stove

(T 1−T 6)
Q= (3.8)
Total resistance

Where T 1the temperature at the wall of the combustion chamber and T 6 is the ambient

temperature at the external wall of the smokeless charcoal stove

(1260−27)
Q=
4.9448

Q=249.35W

Q=249.35W ×3600 s

Q=897,660 J
Since it has been observed that the smokeless charcoal stove would release a total of 1,538,355J

of energy to water at 100% efficiency. This implies that more than half

(1,538,355−897,660=640,695 J ) of the energy produced by the charcoal fuel goes to the water.

Since the total energy loss through the wall of the stove is calculated to be 640,695J then the

approximate percent loss of energy is 41% which signifies that the stove can transfer 59% of the

heat energy from the charcoal to water.

3.5 Mass of charcoal required for the experimental design

To calculate the amount of energy required to boil 5 liters or 5kg of water from room

temperature 27˚C to 100ᵒC equation (3.9) below is used

H=mc ∆ T (3.9)

Where Q is the quantity of heat required, m is the mass of substance, c is the specific heat

capacity of water (4.186J/kg.K)and ∆ T is the temperature difference.

H=5 × 4.186 ×(100−27)

H=¿1,538,355J of energy to water

At 100% efficiency whereby all the fuel is transferred to the water, the mass of charcoal that will

be required can be derived using equation (3.10) (Bantu et al., 2018)

H
M= (3.10)
calorific value of charcoal

1538355
M=
29800

M =51.6 gof charcoal

For the calculated 59% efficiency requirement, the mass of charcoal required will be

51.6
M=
0.59

M =87.46 g

Therefore 87.46g of charcoal is required to supply 59% of the heat energy required to boil 5kg of

water.

Fig 3.3 Exploded view of the smokeless charcoal stove

Fig 3.4 Orthographic projection of the smokeless charcoal stove

Fig 3.5 Isometric projection of the smokeless charcoal stove

3.3.3 Design of electric fan size air flow rate requirement

The airflow per unit mass of fuel is dependent on the stoichiometric air (theoretical air) required

to burn the charcoal. The airflow rate can be computed using equation 3.12 (RS et al., 2015)
 ε × FCR × SA
AFR= (3.12)
ρα

Where:

AFR= air flow rate, m3/hr

ε = equivalence ratio, 0.3 to 0.4

FCR = rate of consumption of fuel, kg/hr

SA = stoichiometric air of charcoal is 7.1kg of air for 1kg of coal

ρα = air density, 1.25kg/m3

 REFERENCES

Bantu, A. A., Nuwagaba, G., Kizza, S., & Turinayo, Y. K. J. J. o. R. E. (2018). Design of an

improved cooking stove using high density heated rocks and heat retaining techniques.

2018.

Bird, J. (2021). Bird's engineering mathematics: Taylor & Francis.

Dondi, M., Mazzanti, F., Principi, P., Raimondo, M., & Zanarini, G. J. J. o. m. i. c. e. (2004).

Thermal conductivity of clay bricks. 16(1), 8-14.

Kiwana, D., Naluwagga, A. J. C. f. R. i. E., & Energy Conservation , K., Uganda. (2016). SEEK:

Fuel performance of faecal sludge briquettes in Kampala, Uganda.

Klemens, P., & Williams, R. J. I. m. r. (1986). Thermal conductivity of metals and alloys. 31(1),

197-215.

RS, B., MA, O., TA, A. J. I. L. o. C., Physics, & Astronomy. (2015). Design and performance

evaluation of supplemental air supplied charcoal stove. 54, 1-10.