Combustion modelling of a semi-enclosed cook stove using computational modelling

Abstract

The energy sector of Sri Lanka is still in a primary stage of development and so then the much more extensive researches must be carried out to fulfill the future demand requirements of energy sector in the country. As revealed by the past researches, the dominating component of energy sector is biomass and wood is playing a major role among them. The cook stove is the device which used a substantial amount of wood energy in the country. This stove is associated with major problems of low overall efficiency and high indoor air pollutions which causes a major impact to the energy sector in the country. Various approaches can be implemented to improve performances of the stove. Present work is representing a computational modeling method to improve the heat transfer efficiency of a semi enclosed cook stove by optimizing a geometrical parameter while the other parameters are not being changed. Although a highly complex solid wood combustion phenomenon is taking place inside the cook stove, the analysis is simplified in to the flaming mode of combustion only, which is contributing an 80% of total heat of a typical cook stove. The multi component fluid flow due to the combustion process of wood gas is modeled within a semi enclosed cook stove environment by using more user friendly CFD code called as CFX-5.5.1.The simulations have been carried out by varying only the height of the stove and optimum height is suggested based on the maximum average temperature of the cooking pan. These computational results have been validated against a Bunsen burner experimental measurement