IIT-Guwahati transfers energy efficient cookstoves technology to industry partner

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati has transferred to an industry partner an energy-efficient and environment-friendly technology developed for cookstoves by its researchers for commercialisation benefitting the public. Developed by a research team headed by P Muthukumar of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the technology was transferred to industry partner Agnisumukh Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, for commercialisation, a release of the IIT-Guwahati said on Friday.

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The ‘Porous Radiant Burner’ provides fuel saving in the range of 25 per cent to 50 per cent and can be operated with LPG, biogas and kerosene stoves, it said. "This will ensure that the benefits of the research reach the society at large and benefit the common man", it added.

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The agreement for the technology transfer was signed on Thursday in the presence of IIT-Guwahati director prof T G Sitharam, faculty, researchers of the Institute and representatives from the industry partner, the release said. This effort will be a major contribution of IIT Guwahati towards the central government's efforts to enhance the access to clean cooking energy by promoting LPG, biogas and improved cook-stoves (ICS) through various policies and programmes, it added. Highlighting the unique aspects of ‘Porous Radiant Burner,’ Prof Muthukumar said, “these indigenously developed cookstoves equipped with specially-designed double layered porous radiant burners (PRBs) provide fuel saving in the range of 25-50 per cent and reduces carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by about 80 per cent".

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The newly developed PRB is ideally suited for both gaseous fuels like liquid petroleum gas (LPG), biogas, Piped Natural gas (PNG) and liquid fuels such as kerosene, methanol and ethanol, for domestic as well as community/commercial cooking, he added. The IIT Guwahati research team believes that the commercialisation of PRB-based LPG cookstoves across India will provide a huge LPG saving of about 13 lakh domestic cylinders per day and will also have a global impact on the burner-based applications. Speaking on the occasion, IIT G director Sitharam claimed that the PRB-based cook-stove technology will play a key role in reducing the overall fuel consumption in the cooking sector leading to a huge annual saving of about Rs 50,000 crore for the government, thus reducing the financial burden significantly and conserving energy. Further, it will also provide a better cooking environment by reducing CO and NOx emissions, he added.