STRUCTURAL AND THERMAL OPTIMIZATION OF CHARCOAL STOVES FOR IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND DURABILITY

Charcoal stoves are widely used in many regions for cooking; however, traditional designs often suffer from poor thermal efficiency and structural weaknesses. Optimizing the design of these stoves can significantly improve their performance, leading to energy savings and a reduced environmental impact. This study focused on the structural and thermal optimization of charcoal stoves to enhance both efficiency and durability through material selection, structural analysis, and thermal performance improvements. Structural simulations were conducted using SolidWorks to evaluate the integrity of the stove material, and 1 mm of mild steel was identified as a suitable choice for stove construction owing to its strength. Thermal analysis was also performed in SolidWorks to assess the heat distribution and energy retention. Additionally, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimal thickness of the insulation and air gap to minimize heat loss. Experimental evaluations were then conducted to compare the thermal efficiency of an improved stove design against a traditional clay stove using specific metrics, such as burning rate, specific fuel consumption (SFC), and thermal efficiency. The optimal insulation thickness and air gap were determined to be 46.5 mm and 0 mm, respectively, through RSM analysis. Experimental evaluations revealed that the improved stove design achieved a thermal efficiency of 15.06% during the water boiling and rice cooking tests, whereas the traditional clay stove exhibited a lower efficiency of 13.70%. The improved stove had a burning rate of 0.00619 kg/min and a specific fuel consumption (SFC) of 0.4 kg/kg for rice cooking. These results underscore the effectiveness of the optimized design in enhancing the stove performance. The structural and thermal optimization of charcoal stoves significantly improves their efficiency and durability, as demonstrated in this study .