12 Peoples Journal of Science & Technology Vol.2 (1), Jan-June -2012 PJST PJST PJST PJST PJST Peoples Journal of Science & Technology ISSN: 2249 5487 Performance of Insulated LPG Burner with Ball Bearings as Porous Medium Mohd. Yunus Khan 1 , Anupriya Saxena 2 and Kishan Pal Singh 3 1 Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Section, University Polytechnic, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh khan_yunus123@rediffmail.com 2 Final Year B.Tech, Mechanical Engineering, Vivekananda College of Technology and Management, Aligarh. charminganu.anu1@gmail.com 3 Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Vivekananda College of Tech. and Management, Aligarh. kishan.amu@gmail.com Abstract The aim of this experimental work was to achieve improvement the thermal efficiency of LPG stove and to save fuel. Due to the shortage of petroleum resources and its high prices, it is the duty of each and every person to save it. Most of the families in rural areas use wood or cow-dung for cooking purposes but it is not possible in urban areas. In urban areas, 90% houses consume LPG, as its usage is effortless, time saving and less polluting. Porous medium combustion technique enhances the rate of heat transfer and improves combustion efficiency. In this paper, this technique was implemented to LPG stove. Further enhancing thermal efficiency and to minimize heat losses, the bottom base and the side of the mixing chamber were insulated. After insulating bottom base and sides of the mixing chamber of stove, the thermal efficiency value for conventional LPG stove increases from 49% to 54%. The thermal efficiency for insulated LPG stove filled with ball bearings was found to be 67%. Keywords: LPG burner, thermal efficiency, porous medium combustion, fuel saving. 1. Introduction Fossil fuels reserves are depleting day to day and their usage is increasing considerably. To meet the impending fuel crisis, therefore, an extensive research is being carried out in the area of non-conventional fuels. The objective of this experimental work is to help conserve energy to the maximum possible extent and thereby extend the availability of the conventional fuels. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is one of the most commonly used conventional fuels for domestic purposes specially for cooking. The total domestic consumption of LPG in urban India is quite high. With some alterations in the existing LPG cooking stove, saving in its consumption can be made. Saving per family can result in enormous saving nationwide. Thus, any work related to thermal efficiency improvement and fuel saving is very important. This work is focused to improve thermal efficiency of LPG stove using ball bearings as porous material. 2. Porous Medium Combustion Technique A porous medium (or a porous material) is a medium containing pores. A porous medium is most often characterized by its porosity. Other important properties of the medium are permeability and electrical conductivity. Properties are much similar to properties of respective constituents (solid matrix or fluid). The media porosity and pores structure also plays significant role. This technique find wide applications in many areas of engineering such as geo-mechanics, soil- mechanics, rock-mechanics, petrochemical engineering, construction technology, hydrogeology, material science etc. It has been seen that porous medium combustion technique enhances the rate of heat transfer. It also improves the combustion process. Combustion in porous medium takes place in 3-D cavities of the inert porous matrix. These cavities, unlike the ports in the burner head of a conventional LPG stove, are interconnected. In porous medium combustion technique, the flame can be stabilized over the surface or it can remain fully confined within the porous matrix. Thus, this process is also known as flameless combustion and it has found numerous applications. [1]