RANKING OF IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY WOOD STOVES THROUGH THE ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS (AHP) METHOD OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH

Abstract

The search for sustainable energy solutions is essential for communities that still rely on wood stoves. The right choice of improved technology stoves and renewable fuels remains a challenge, due to the environmental impact of wood consumption and associated emissions. Despite studies on the efficiency of wood stoves, there is a gap in the application of robust and automated multicriteria methodologies to simultaneously compare stove efficiency, wood consumption and heat output. This study uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to order and rank Eucalyptus grandis wood stoves based on the criteria of efficiency, power and wood consumption. Automated implementation via scripts in the R software allowed for graphical analysis and detailed comparisons. The data showed that the improved stove with an elongated chimney (Efficiency, Ef = 13.05%, Wood consumption, F = 0.66 kg/h, Power, P = 0.38 kW) stood out as the most efficient and sustainable option, achieving the highest priority in the ranking with a weight of 0.44. The improved stove with a short chimney (Ef = 14.10%, F = 0.97 kg/h, P = 0.60 kW) was in second place, with a weight of 0.40, while the traditional stove (Ef = 0.86%, F = 2.64 kg/h, P = 0.10 kW) had the lowest priority, with a weight of 0.17. It is concluded that the adoption of advanced technologies, combined with the use of renewable fuel, can significantly reduce firewood consumption and mitigate environmental impact.