PROSPECTS FOR BIOMASS GASIFIERS FOR COOKING APPLICATIONS IN ASIA(pdf)
S. C. Bhattacharya and M. Augustus Leon Energy Field of Study, Asian Institute of Technology 2005
P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120
Thailand. Tel: +66 2 524 5418; Fax: +66 2 524 5439
e-mail: retsas@ait.ac.th

ABSTRACT: Biomass constitutes the biggest source of energy in rural Asia.
However, its utilization in the domestic sector is mostly inefficient and polluting,
resulting in resource wastage and indoor air pollution. Traditional cook stoves,
predominantly used in the households for domestic cooking, have been a major
contributor to these ill effects. Improved cookstove programmes implemented in the
developing world attempt to address these problems. Biomass gasification appears to
have a significant potential in Asia for domestic cooking applications. A number of
gasification-based cooking systems, which are more efficient than traditional stoves
and are almost smoke-free, have been developed and demonstrated recently to
highlight the potential benefits of introducing them in developing countries. These
systems are based on two broad approaches, i.e., gasifier-stoves and central gas
production with producer gas supply network.nike