AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
Characterizing Cookstove Emissions in South Asia
RYAN THOMPSON, Cheryl Weyant, Tami Bond, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Abstract Number: 472 Working Group: Biomass Burning Aerosol: From Emissions to Impacts
Abstract Solid fuel cookstoves of South Asia are responsible for indoor air pollution that affects hundreds of millions of people. Black carbon emissions from South Asia cookstoves are of special concern for climate forcing due to their proximity to the Himalayan glaciers. Despite this, cookstove emissions have not been adequately quantified or characterized because they often occur in remote villages that are inaccessible with conventional semi-portable emissions equipment. A portable emission sampling system was taken inside homes and on roofs throughout rural villages in Nepal, Tibet, and Yunnan to measure the emissions of over 120 cooking events in 60 homes, burning wood, dung, coal, and several types of agricultural residue. The portable sampling system consists of a partial capture sample probe, PTFE filter, quartz filter, and real-time sensors to measure optical scattering, optical absorption, CO, and CO2. Real-time emission factors were calculated using the carbon balance method, as well as single scattering albedo and modified combustion efficiency. The PaRTED approach (Patterns of Real-Time Emission Data) was used to identify patterns and variability of PM emissions between cooking tasks, stove types, fuel types, homes, villages, and regions. This study provides regional and situation-specific emission factors to improve global emission inventories. The real-time data allow exploration of major factors that determine the magnitude and characteristics of emissions. For example, most of the PM is emitted during the start of the cooking event, when the stove is first lit, and the optical properties of this PM are dependent on fuel type. The results can be used to evaluate and improve how well laboratory tests represent actual field usage.