Experimental Evaluation of Improved Biogas Injera Baking Stove

Abstract Baking and cooking are the daily human activity that needs energy. The main sources of energy for baking injera are biomass and electricity. Wood is the dominating energy source in Ethiopia for baking injera. The existing three stone biomass based clay baking pan results in a loss of a major portion of the supplied energy and the baking process also results in significant amounts of indoor air pollution and emission of greenhouse gas (GHG). There are several attempts to improve heat distribution of biogas injera stove. However, still there is need to improve performance of baking pan. Thus this study aims to design, manufacture biogas injera baking stove and improve heat distribution of the baking pan to bake culturally accepted injera. The stove is manufactured in the metal workshop from mild steel of 1.5mm thickness. A clay baking pan of 460mm in diameter and 15mm thick is used for this specific study to improve heat distribution and baking performance. The designed biogas injera baking stove is with new burner with better thermal combustion efficiency and has been tested experimentally using a small household biogas plant of 10m3, located, in Ethiopia and Sebeta town. The result indicates that this injera baking biogas stove improved heat distribution throughout the baking pan and can bake injera of 400mm diameter.