Kerosene Stoves
Introduction
Kerosene, also called paraffin in some countries, is a product of crude oil, and mainly consists of a mixture of hydrocarbons. In many developing countries, Kerosene is commonly used in urban households for both cooking and lighting. Kerosene stoves are widely available and affordable for urban population groups.
For more information on kerosene as a cooking fuel see Cooking with Kerosene.
Kerosene Stove Types
A wide variety of portable kerosene stoves have been developed, which can be grouped into two categories, namely wick type stoves and pressurized stoves. For pictures see HEDON.
Although there are a wide variety of kerosene stoves in use, only few emissions data for kerosene stoves are available. Generally, there is not much information available on kerosene stove tests or performance comparisons to other stove types. In a recent article they are even described as the “least studied cookstoves”.[1] Test results of Aprovecho Research Center showed that when 5 liters of water were boiled and kept simmering for 45 minutes, the tested kerosene wick stove model emitted less CO, PM and used less fuel compared to many other stove types.[2]
Wick Stoves
Simple stoves are constructed in the same way as oil lamps, which use a wick to draw fuel from the tank to the burner and which produce a lot of soot due to incomplete combustion.[3] Improved kerosene wick stoves can have up to 30 or 40 wicks. A common design incorporates a series of wicks, usually made of loosely twisted or woven cotton, placed in a holder such that they can be moved up and down by a control lever or knob.[4]
Wick stoves are cheap but also very unsafe. An inherent problem of wick type stoves is the tank may heat up when used for a long time, causing an explosion of the stove. Due to unsafe performance of kerosene wick stoves, South Africa made new standards for paraffin wick stoves mandatory in 2007, thus banning the old stoves.[5] This triggered the development of a number of new wick paraffin stoves in South Africa, which are safer and more efficient.
Further Information
References
- ↑ Pooja Arora, Suresh Jain (2016): A review of chronological development in cookstove assessment methods: Challenges and way forward. In: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 55 (2016) 203–220.
- ↑ Aprovecho Research Center, PCIA, Shell Foundation, USEPA (2011): Test Results of Cook Stove Performance. http://www.ewb-usa.org/files/2015/05/TestResultsCookstovePerformance.pdf
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primus_stove
- ↑ Practical Action: Kerosene and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Technical Brief). https://energypedia.info/wiki/File:Kerosene_and_Liquid_Petroleum_Gas.pdf
- ↑ Philip Lloyd (2009): Developing safe paraffin appliances in South Africa. In: Boiling Point 56. http://www.hedon.info/docs/BP56_Lloyd.pdf
