Grantee Research Project Results
2018 Progress Report: Designing lighter weight, energy efficient cook stoves withmaterialsavailable in Malawi, Africa
EPA Grant Number: SU836955Title: Designing lighter weight, energy efficient cook stoves withmaterialsavailable in Malawi, Africa
Investigators: Ekegren, Ken
Current Investigators: Ekegren, Kenneth J , Bishop, Carter , Reed, Trevor , Thimmes, Victoria , Stricklin, Sara
Institution: North Central State College
EPA Project Officer: Keating, Terry
Phase: II
Project Period: February 1, 2017 through January 31, 2020 (Extended to July 31, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: February 1, 2018 through January 31,2019
Project Amount: $71,060
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet - Phase 2 (2016) Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Original objective was to use the heat from a cooking stove to generate electricity to charge cell phones using Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) technology. Due to improvements and economics of LED and solar powered versus TEG systems, the objective to charge cell phones and provide LED lighting has been changed to utilize solar panels and battery storage. The second aspect of the project is to demonstrate a more efficient method of building of rocket stoves in multiple African countries using research conducted during Phase I. Upon completion of research, development and testing of a solar powered charging and lighting system at the college, four students will accompany the professor to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi to demonstrate the more efficient methods of building rocket stoves and demonstrate the solar powered phone charging and lighting system. This trip will occur during summer 2019.
Progress Summary:
Research and testing of a Thermoelectric generating system attached to a rocket stove was performed during the 2016-2017 academic school year. Multiple designs were built and tested on the newly designed rocket stove that was created during Phase I of the grant. The primary goal was to build a heat transfer system that could be manufactured and welded locally in Africa, using readily available steel tubing and flat bar. The students also researched and found electronic circuitry that would convert the low voltage generated up to standard USB 5-volt potential. Although the students were successful in creating a system that generated the necessary 5 volts to charge a cell phone, the thermal conductivity of the steel apparatus was not high enough to provide suitable amperage for the system. The phone charging circuit provided power, but it was so small that it would be impractical to be used for charging. However, during the timeframe of the ongoing grant, solar panels and LED technology has advanced considerably, improving performance while reducing cost. As a result, the students decided to reach the original outcome of charging phones using solar power coupled with a lithium ion battery pack. In addition, the students have responded to the needs of the African villagers by adding LED lighting to the project by developing a solar powered home charging and lighting system.
Research and development of this system has been ongoing during the 2018-19 academic school year and is currently being tested and refined. Several systems were sent to Africa in June 2018 for initial testing. Final design of the lighting and charging station consists of two LED bulbs with internal Lithium-Ion batteries charged via small solar panels. Also included is a Lithium-Ion battery storage pack that can hold multiple phone charges. The introduction of these home charging and lighting systems will be done when four North Central State Students travel to Africa during the summer of 2019 (grant extension has been approved). At that time, the students will demonstrate both the updated method of manufacturing rocket stoves along with demonstrations of the solar powered charging and lighting system. The students will demonstrate in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi.
Future Activities:
This project is ready to be demonstrated and tested during July 2019. The College was not informed of funding until January 2018, and as a result, the travel to the four African nations had to be postponed until summer 2019. However, during the past year, the students have made excellent progress in testing the original theory of utilizing thermoelectric generation and finding it to be unacceptable. As engineering students, they were able to recognize a solution that still meets the outcome of the grant, but using newer, more advanced technology. Providing more efficient stoves will reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses being generated during cooking and will reduce the amount of deforestation that happens using wood as the main fuel source. The introduction of solar powered charging will reduce the cost of cell phone ownership, allowing the villagers to charge at home rather than pay for charging at the local market. The introduction of LED lighting in the home will help reduce the occurrence of pneumonia in young children that is common when soot from kerosene lanterns is present in the homes. The solar power will also reduce the villagers’ expenses via a reduction or elimination of purchasing kerosene or batteries for night lighting.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Rocket stove, thermoelectric generator, LED lighting, solar power.Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractP3 Phase I:
Designing lighter weight, energy efficient cookstoves with materials available in Malawi, Africa | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.