Performance Evaluation, Economic Analysis and Design of Biomass - Based Modified Purti Gasifier Stove

Majority of the population in the rural areas depends on biomass fuels for meeting their cooking needs. This study aims to analyze the performance evaluation of commercially available forced-draft Purti stove using different biomass fuels and determine the limitations in design of the present Purti model. For this, various parameters like thermal efficiency, burning time, cooking power and boiling time are studied using the water boiling test. The fuels used for this study are wood pellets, coconut shell and wood blocks. On the basis of the results and limitations observed, a new improved stove design called the modified Purti stove is proposed as an alternative to the Purti stove. This was followed by an economic analysis for the stoves and the fuels to suggest a financially sustainable combination for use in the rural areas. From these studies, it is recommended to use the modified Purti stove and coconut shells for maximum economy.