Promotion of Smokeless Chulha

What Is Smokeless Chulha

Smokeless Chulha is chulha engineered with special technique keeping the needs of rural women in mind. Traditional chulha consumes more fuel and impacts the health of the women because of the indoor pollution that it causes and the industrious work involved in collection of wood. Rural women spend their productive time in collection of fuel wood, which keeps them away from constructive works and self-development. Simultaneously, it’s environmentally unsustainable. Traditional Chulha also consumes more time, which further reduces time available with these women for themselves.

Construction Process

There are 2 methods of construction:

1. Only using clay or brick and clay mixture
2. Using cement, stone-dust, crusher dust, etc.

The first method is cost effective, as materials are readily available and the second one is costly as it involves purchases from market.

Construction using Clay

• Clay 6-8 basket
• Sand half a basket
• Chopped husk in size of 1 inches
• Bricks 12-15(optional)
• Chimney cement-1 or earthen round khapda- 5
• Iron rod (10mm width and 8 inches long) – 8

Process

1. Mesh the mud thoroughly  with water and leave it overnight
2. Mix the Sand, Gobar, straw into the mud which was left overnight if 5 parts is mud then mix 1/3part of sand, husk&gobar.
3. Select the place to make the Smokeless Chula.
4. Now make the foundation base of the Chulha for 2 burner flame, for which base dimension is provided below.
5. Instead of the mud, bricks can be used for foundation and the support of the side walls of the chulha.
6. 6”pipes along with the 4“pipes for the smoke outlet .The height of the second 6” diameter flame should be raised for convenience to use.
7. Now put the mud from the side of the pipe to stand the straight and in their position and then level them and make a rectangular shape and smoothen the outer surface.
8.  Leave the chulha for one hour.
9. Now put about half glass of water in the upper pipes of 6” dia. and 4” dia. So that the 8 “pipe could be easily taken out,then Remove the 6” & 4” pipe.
10. Now place Hollow cylindrical mud pipe or RCC pipe or the metallic pipes in the smoke outlet hole and fit.
11. The Smokeless Chulha is ready and keeps it for drying for 24 hours and then onwards it is ready to cook food.
12. It is suggested to use small wood pieces and dry wood for better flame and lesser smoke.

Construction using Cement, Crushed Stone etc.

• Crusher dust/ Stone dust – 30kg (Costing – Rs.90)
• Mesh of iron rod (costing –   Rs. 70)
• Bricks -12 (costing – Rs. 80)
• Cement- 15kg (Costing – Rs. 100)
• Cemeny chimney – 5(Costing -Rs.100)
• Masion cost – Rs. 300
• Total expense on making Rs- 740 (can vary between regions)

Benefits of Smokeless Chulha

• It consumes 40-50% less fuel compared to its traditional counterpart. Thus it saves labour, money, as well environment.
• It is engineered to focus the heat on the utensils and hence cooking is faster and optimal burning prevents blackening of them, which is again time saving during cleaning.
• It also allows simultaneous cooking of two dishes; hence the overall time spent on cooking is saved which can be used for constructive purposes.
• The exhumes get expelled through the vent hence the smoke doesn’t accumulated inside the house which saves the women and the children from indoor pollution and associated infections.
• Making a smokeless chulha is fairly simple and can be undertaken by rural household with minimum effort.