Upgrading of improved cooking stoves made from local resources

Section: Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Microengineering, Energy Science and Technology, Physics

Place: Malaba, Kenya

Start Date: 01.06.2019

Duration:  1 month research of documentation about stoves (from Switzerland), 2 month in Malaba, Kenya

Hosting Structure: EMAUA is a non-profit organization, based in Teso, North Kenya. It aims at gathering and diffusing knowledge based on the use of local resources in organic farming and other areas related to the basic needs of low-earning communities.

Project description:

The project aims to develop efficient cooking stoves, based on the use of free, local resources. The ingredients, termite mud and sawdust, are already identified and cooking stoves were built in 23 households of our region. We noticed a strong buy-in from local communities.

Objectives:

• Conduct trials to optimize the mud-sawdust ratio to reduce cracks. Additional ingredients like sand could also come into play.
• Calculate the energy efficiency of a standard improved oven, a standard three-stone fire and compare the differences.
• Assess the decrease of use of firewood as compared to the standard, three-stone fire.
• Participate in the building of improved stoves in the community
• Document the project with report and pictures

Optional:

• Conduct a basic costumer satisfaction assessment

Local resources in that context are understood as resources that are found locally, and were transformed to an extend that a poor farmer, with no machinery, can also do.

• Knowldedge in physics, especially in topic energy
• Passionate about field-based research
• Self-drivenness
• Fluency in english (written and spoken)
• Capability to collaborate with research partners and stakeholders
  

Comments: The people in Kenya have traditional houses (earth and thatch), where we carry out activities (work and planning). The workplace is outdoors.
The student will be in direct link with Adams Maase, mecanical engineer. He will be the student’s supervisor and principal investigator and manager of the association and the local communities.

Contact : julien.kauer@emaua.org