Stove TestingStove performance varies greatly, and the performance of a specific stove is often different in the lab and in the field. Testing allows implementers to learn how well stoves perform and to quantify improvements in fuel efficiency and emissions. Test results can be used to guide implementation decisions and to improve stove design and performance. Below is a collection of stove testing resources that may be of interest to PCIA Partners. Stove Performance Testing ProtocolsThe following standard protocols for stove performance tests were developed by Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA, 1985, Testing the Efficiency of Wood-burning Cookstoves: Provisional International Standards), and updated by the Household Environment and Health (HEH) Project, funded by the Shell Foundation. The compiled public comments for the Water Boiling Test (WBT) Version 4 are now available. For more information please visit http://www.pciaonline.org/testing/wbtcomment. Water Boiling Test (WBT)The Water Boiling Test (WBT) is a laboratory test that evaluates stove performance while completing a standard task (boiling and simmering water) in a controlled environment to investigate the heat transfer and combustion efficiency of the stove. They are the easiest, quickest, and cheapest to conduct, but reveal the technical performance of a stove, not necessarily what it can achieve in real households. The Water Boiling Test (WBT) Version 4 is now open for public review and comment October 15 – December 18, 2009. For more information please visit http://www.pciaonline.org/testing/wbtcomment.
Controlled Cooking Test (CCT)The Controlled Cooking Test (CCT) is a field test that measures stove performance in comparison to traditional cooking methods when a cook prepares a local meal. The CCT is designed to assess stove performance in a controlled setting using local fuels, pots, and practice. It reveals what is possible in households under ideal conditions but not necessarily what is actually achieved by households during daily use.
Kitchen Performance Test (KPT)The Kitchen Performance Test (KPT) is a field test used to evaluate stove performance in real-world settings. It is designed to assess actual impacts on household fuel consumption. KPTs are typically conducted in the course of an actual dissemination effort with real populations cooking normally, and give the best indication of real world changes. Correction: The original version of the KPT data collection spreadsheet posted here contained an error. The dry wood per capita calculation on the wood and non-woody biomass sheets had the wet wood per capita as the denominator instead of adult equivalents. A corrected version of the spreadsheet was posted below on June 16, 2010. The PCIA Coordination Team apologizes for any inconvenience.
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