Development and Performance Evaluation of Methanol and Ethanol Operated Cookstoves

Abstract

The present thesis emphasizes on the need for clean cooking fuel sources in developing countries where 2.8 billion people rely on solid fuels, posing health hazards due to indoor air pollution. Although liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and biogas are cleaner alternatives, they face adoption barriers, including cost and availability. Methanol and ethanol have gained traction as a cleaner cooking source, and several countries have launched programs promoting their use. However, conventional methanol and ethanol cookstoves have drawbacks, such as low firepower and soot formation. In this regard, the thesis aims to evaluate the performance, safety, and sustainability of Free Flame Combustion based (FFC) methanol cookstoves, develop a Porous Media Combustion (PMC) based methanol cookstove, assess the feasibility of ethanol as a cooking fuel in FFC and PMC based cookstove, analyse indoor air quality due to use of PMC based cookstoves and compare it with the existing FFC based cookstove, and develop an Indian standard for the use of methanol and ethanol cookstoves.