Energetic performance of a top-lit updraft (TLUD) cookstove

The performance of a top-lit updraft (TLUD) cookstove using three different fuel types – wood chips, coconut shell and rice husk briquettes was investigated. Two standard biomass cookstove testing protocols were used: water boiling test (WBT) which quantified the thermal efficiency, firepower, specific fuel consumption, time to boil, burning rate and turn down ratio of the cookstove, and controlled cooking test (CCT) which measured the specific energy consumption associated with a local cooking task. It was observed that the performance of the cookstove was significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by the type of fuel used. On the basis of the low power phase of the WBT, wood chips generally offered better stove performance followed by rice husk briquette and coconut shell. In the CCT, 1.02 kg of yam was boiled and the lowest specific fuel consumption of 686.26 ± 0.25 g/kg (8.54 ± 0.00 kJ/kg) was recorded for rice husk briquette while the lowest total cooking time of 10 ± 0.5 min was recorded for wood chip. In comparison to an existing cookstove, the TLUD cookstove performed better in all the performance parameters investigated in the low power. The TLUD cookstove was ranked with respect to fuel use and safety based on ISO/IWA biomass cookstove performance ranking tier.