In Field Measurements of Solid Fuel Cookstove Emissions

Solid fuel cookstoves have been used as primary energy sources for residential cooking and heating activities for ages, and the practice continues heavily, especially in developing countries. It has been estimated that domestic combustion of solid fuels (wood, animal dung, coal etc.) makes considerable contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) and aerosol emissions, degradation in local air quality, and deleteriouseffects on resident’s health. Emissions from in situ solid fuel burning cookstoves have not been well characterized, and the majority of the data collected from simulated tests in laboratories do not reflect stove performance in actual use. This study characterized the in-field emissions of P M2.5, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), and total non-methane hydrocarbons (TNMHC) from residential cooking events with various fuel and stove types from field sites in the Himalayaarea, which includes Nepal, India, Tibet, and Yunnan province, China. Gravimetric filter and gas chromatography analysis were utilized, respectively, to measure PM2.5 and gas-phase pollutant concentrations from direct cookstoves emission and indoor microenvironments. Real-time monitoring of PM2.5, CO2, and CO concentration was conducted simultaneously. The corresponding emission factors were calculated basedon the field data using the carbon balance approach. The data set provides a unique resource for assessing the relationship between laboratory and in-use cookstove behavior. Detailed statistical analysis of the measurements confirmed the major factors responsible for emission variance among and between cookstoves. These factors in-clude fuel type and cookstove type. A further analysis revealed that cookstove use dynamics (i.e., continuous use versus intermittent use) plays an important role in cookstove emission