Field evaluation of biomass gasifier for bioenergy application: Case studies on institutional cooking in India

Gasification of waste biomass can offer a cleaner and renewable alternative to wood and fossil fuel-based cooking systems. However, field evaluations of biomass gasifiers for institutional cooking are rarely reported in the scientific literature. This study was aimed to develop a fuel-efficient gasifier system for institutional cooking in the Indian context. We conducted field experiments in both rural and urban settings using collaborative approaches. The results demonstrated significant improvements in gasifier-based cooking including up to a 25% reduction in cooking time, about 28% lower fuel consumption, and 82% less fine particulate matter emissions, within the permissible limits, when compared to cooking via traditional chulha (clay stove). Through collaborative design with users, the gasifier system underwent further modifications to achieve a substantial reduction in cooking time (around 25-30%) across various testing scenarios. Furthermore, the gasifier system was successfully demonstrated to supplement a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-based cooking system, and the latter showed around 25% faster cooking performance and a 12.5% lower energy input. Practical problems encountered during biomass gasifier field trials were documented and analyzed, along with a project SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. The results of gasifier field trials imply significant potential when compared to the traditional cooking in a rural setting. Overall, the proposed gasifier system could serve as a sustainable technology alternative for bioenergy applications in the developing world.