Files
Abstract
In rural areas of Bangladesh almost in every house earthen Chula is used for cooking purpose. Mostly single mouth
Chula is used in this purpose. The Heat Use Efficiency (HUE) of this Chula is needed to be increased by proper
design for better utilization of fire wood to reduce the cost of cooking especially in the rural areas of Bangladesh. In
this regard the effect of dimensions such as hearth height and diameter of the traditional single-mouth Chula on HUE
were tested. The effects of dimensions of triple mouth Chula on HUE were also tested. Thus varieties of single mouth
and triple mouth Chula both series and triangular were constructed. The variations of triple mouth Chula were made
on size and shape, fuel inlet and exit, providing stone and without stone, providing lid and without lid etc. The HUE of
single mouth Chula was found varied from 17.02% to 22.3%.The maximum HUE of triple mouth Chula was found
varied from 31.52% to 39.74%. The highest HUE of this Chula was found to be 39.74% in earthen Chula encased
with iron drum. This most efficient Chula has identity of separate air entry with stone, fuel inlet and smoke and ash
exit at bottom. It is portable and its cost is with in the afford of rural people. It can be made even cheaper by making
with only soil. Thus it can be produced commercially which can save fire wood, money as well as time of the user.