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Improvement and Performance Evaluation of BARI Oven at Farmers' Level

M. A. Bhuiyan
Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

M. Z. Abedin
Professor
Department of Farm Structure, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

M. Z. Rahman
Assistant Professor
Department of Farm Structure, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An experiment was conducted to improve and test the performance of different ovens at farmers' level. Out of the ovens; one was traditional hearth, the other was BARI developed oven and the rest one was the improved version of BARI one in use with traditional hearth which will be hereafter called as improved oven. The field performances of the BARI oven and the improved ovens were evaluated based on fuel and time consumption for cooking with respect to traditional hearth. Mango-wood, jute-stick and rice-straw were used as fuel materials. The suitable dimension of BARI oven was 23 cm internal diameter with 2 ern shell thickness and 27 cm height selected under trial exercise on five ovens with different sizes. The improved oven was a double-chambered including 20 ern high bottom- chamber to be used in integral with the BARl one. Ten selected 6 to 8- member farm families were supplied with the ovens and the fuel materials to collect the data. Equal amount of rice of same quality with similar cooking-pot were used to compare the amount of fuel used and the time required for cooking. The average fuel consumption was found to save as high as by 30.6% for the BARI oven and 31.3% for the improved oven over the traditional hearth. The time was saved by about 20% in case of the BARI oven and about 21.3% for the improved oven. The experimental results also revealed that the improved oven was more effective then the BARl oven.

Keywords: Performance evaluation, Traditional hearth or chula, BARI oven

Location: Farming System Research and Development site Narikeli under On Farm Research Division, Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Jamalpur.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Chula, Chula

Objectives:

1. To improve the BARl oven by specifying its diameter and height,

2. To improve the techniques of using BARI oven and to precisely evaluate its quantitative performance over the existing traditional hearth at local Jamalpur, and

3. To popularize the improved ovens at farmers' level.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted at the Farming System Research and Development site Narikeli under On Farm Research Division, Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Jamalpur. For evaluating the comparative performance three types of oven were used and these were; the traditional hearth or chula, BARl oven and the improved oven. The suitable design of improved oven was adopted by trial basis changing the diameter and height of the oven and evaluating its performance in the laboratory using mango- wood as fuel material. In this connection five numbers of ovens were constructed of variable diameter and height. The dimensions were selected on the basis of family members ranging from 6 to 8 because most of family members in the rural areas were' within this range. Usually the farm family uses the traditional hearth. Therefore, the traditional hearth was taken as the reference oven for the present investigation. The ground earth was used as the base of it wherein a round hole was made vertically under the ground level maintaining 27 cm height and 23 cm diameter to give the hearth size equal selected under trial exercise on five ovens with different dimensions. Three stones were made around the hearth in equal distance above the ground level. Earthen-stones were set up for easy placement of cooking pot. A slanting fuel-inlet or mouth was also made in between two stone to feed the fuel material. A curved like space in between two stone was kept so that after placement of cooking pot on the hearth better aeration can be ensured. In case of BARI oven a round mould was made with two iron sheets having 23 cm and 25 cm respectively inner and outer side diameter with 27 em height. A blank space between the two sheets, therefore, was maintained uniformly to be 2 cm. A skeleton consisting of three rings of 3 mm diameter mild steel rod were placed in the lower, middle and-upper portion of the mould so that it gives strength to protect the structure from cracking caused by heat or impact. It also saves the structure from the transportation shocks. The cement, sand and pea-gravel were mixed-up with proportion of 1 : 2 :.3 and water was added to make a uniform mix. This mix was placed in the mould up to desired height. After 24 hours the mould was separated and the structure was kept under water for 28 days for curing. Three stones were also cast in-situ as the traditional hearth. A strainer made of 3 mm diameter mild steel rod at 5 mm centre-to-centre was used at the bottom of the oven for firing the fuel material in the chamber. Three bricks were used to set up the oven over it. In case of the improved oven, the strainer of the oven was placed on the hearth above the ground. Two slanting mouths were made on two sides of hearth for aeration and removal of extra ash. Ten 6 to 8-member farm families were selected and the ovens were distributed among them. Each female farmer was helped with necessary instruction to prepare the reference traditional hearth and the techniques of using ovens in all three cases. Thus all the female farmers had the well prepared three types of oven. The fuel materials supplied for each type of oven were Mango-wood, Jute-stick and Rice-straw. One thousand five hundred grams rice of BRll variety and similar size of silver cooking pot were used for each type of oven. The bottom of the silver pot was cleaned properly prior to cooking. The fuel feed rate was kept constant for maintaining fire-wave length. The data were collected on the basis of time and quantity of fuel materials required for finishing the cooking of rice by each type of the ovens.

Source of Information: Progress. Agric. 15(1) : 219-225, 2004,ISSN 1017-8139

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Based on the experimental results the following conclusion can be drawn from the study:

1. The BARI oven with 23 cm internal diameter and 27 cm height was found to be suitable based on its performance.

2. The BARI oven and improved oven saved fuel as high as by 30.6 and 31.3% and time by 20 and 21.4%, respectively in comparison to those of traditional hearth.

3. Rural people have shown keen interest both in BARI and improved ovens by using and observing its performance. A substantial amount of fuel can be saved if the rural people get access to use these ovens.

4. The improved oven attained its popularity among the farm families in the rural areas especially in the flood-hit regions.

Knowledge Management: Journal