Development of Affordable and Sustainable Biomass Cook stove for Rural Nigerian Communities
Keywords:
energy, sustainability, stove, efficiency, BiomassAbstract
The continued reliance on traditional biomass cookstoves in rural Nigerian communities presents pressing health, environmental, and economic challenges. Inefficient combustion in three-stone fires and conventional stoves contributes to indoor air pollution, leading to high incidences of respiratory illness and accelerated deforestation due to unsustainable firewood consumption. This study presents the development, optimization, and evaluation of an affordable, locally fabricated biomass gasification cookstove engineered to enhance thermal efficiency, reduce harmful emissions, and encourage user adoption. The cookstove integrates forced-air gasification, pre-heated secondary air supply, and high-performance thermal insulation to optimize combustion and maximize heat retention. Performance testing using the Water Boiling Test (WBT) 4.2.3 protocol yielded a thermal efficiency of 42.5 ± 2.1%, significantly outperforming traditional three- stone fires (12%) and natural-draft biomass stoves (25%). Emissions analysis revealed reductions of 78% in PM₂.₅ and 65% in CO compared to traditional cooking methods, bringing emission levels within the World Health Organization indoor air quality thresholds and mitigating household health risks. Field trials across 20 rural households over a three-month period demonstrated 85% adoption rate, with users reporting fuel savings (72%), reduced smoke exposure (68%), and shorter cooking times (60%) as primary benefits. Some challenges like battery recharging for fan and adjustments to traditional cooking habits were identified, yet did not significantly hinder overall acceptance. The stove’s compatibility with multiple biomass fuels (e.g., wood pellets, briquettes, and agricultural residues) further enhances its sustainability and replicability. This research validates the potential of low-cost, high-efficiency gasifier cookstoves to support clean energy transitions in low-resource contexts.
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