Natural-draft flow and heat transfer in a plancha-type biomass cookstove. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Núñez, José; Moctezuma-Sánchez, Miguel F.; Fisher, Elizabeth M.; Berrueta, Víctor M.; Masera, Omar R.; Beltrán, Alberto
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 146(2020)
• Page Start: 727
• Page End: 736
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: Plancha-type biomass cookstove -- Combustion -- Total air mass flow rate -- Overall efficiency; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.07.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: The fluid flow, heat transfer, and gas-phase chemical reactions for a natural-draft plancha-type biomass cookstove are studied at steady state with a commercial CFD code, ANSYS Fluent™. Different firepowers (in the range of real operating conditions), modeled as different flow rates of wood volatiles entering the 3D computational domain, were investigated. Firepower was found to have minimal effect on the air flow rate through the cookstove and the efficiency, but to strongly affect stove temperatures and heating rates. The main results were duplicated by a simple analytical model with one tunable parameter, and with simplified combustion, heat transfer, fluid properties, and pressure losses. The analytical model highlights the importance of the air mass flow rate through the cookstove, which is affected by design choices. The largest diferences between the CFD model and the analytical model occurred at the lower firepowers, when temperatures were so low that combustion was incomplete. Highlights: Firepower was found to have minimal effect on the air flow rate through the cookstove and the efficiency. Firepower strongly affects stove temperatures and heating rates. The main results were duplicated by a simple analytical model with one tunable parameter. Lower mass flow rates imply better cookstove performance.