Water and Energy International

The study underlines the importance of efficient and safe cooking stoves for Indian population, which heavily relies on solid fuels such as wood, crop residues, and dung for cooking. A biomass cooking stove used to burn crop residue pellets was rigorously evaluated in three-phase assessment using water boiling test. The Cold-Start High-Power Test demonstrated stove's impressive capability to rapidly heat water, with a mean time to boil of 24.33 minutes, thermal efficiency of 0.47, and specific fuel consumption of 91.45 grams/liter. Even when starting from room temperature, stove proved to be efficient. Subsequently, Hot-Start High-Power Test showcased stove's ability to maintain high heat output, with a mean time to boil of 19.67 minutes, thermal efficiency of 0.45, and specific fuel consumption of 87.85 grams/liter, making it suitable for quick cooking needs. In Low-Power Simmering Test, stove displayed adaptability for sustained lowpower cooking, with mean thermal efficiency of 0.50, burning rate of 4.87 grams/min, specific fuel consumption of 57.97 grams/liter, and a mean firepower of 1.21 kW, emphasizing its versatility for various cooking scenarios. These findings highlight stove's promise as an efficient and adaptable solution for cooking in India, addressing need for cleaner and affordable energy sources for millions of people.