Process'Report:'Sarai'Redesign,'Fellow'#1'' ' June,'2012'
The$Sarai$System$
$ Design'Impact'has'partnered'with'the'Appropriate'Rural' Technology'Ins=tute'(ARTI)'to'redesign'the'Sarai$Cooker.' $ The'Sarai'uses'a'small'amount'of'charcoal'to'heat'up'water'in' a'steam'vessel,'which'works'a'bit'like'a'pressure'cooker' without'actually'being'sealed'and'pressurized.' ' Inside'the'steam'vessel'are'three'food'containers'into'which' the'user'can'put'rice,'daal,'and'vegetables'(or'any'other' steamLcookLable'food)'with'the'amount'of'water'required'for' cooking'them.''' '' The'system'takes'approximately'45'minutes'to'cook'a'family' meal,'and'can'keep'it'warm'for'up'to'2'addi=onal'hours.' ' Goals'of'the'redesign:' ' • Minimize'harmful'emissions' • Increase'user'acceptance' • Increase'sales'
Introduc=on'
Project'Setup'
Current'system' tes=ng'
User'research'
Materials,' durability' research'
Analysis'&' synthesis,' guidelines'
Begin'design'&' prototyping,' proto'tes=ng'
FELLOW$#1:$PROJECT$SETUP$ '
I'was'the'ďŹ rst'Fellow'on'the'Sarai'project,'which'gave'me'the'opportunity'to'set' up'the'project'scope'with'ARTI'and'set'a'rough'overall'=meline.'
Introduc=on'
The'first'couple'of'weeks'included'learning'about' ARTI'and'their'technologies'and'organiza=onal' culture,'and'discussing'possibili=es'for'a'few' different'project'opportuni=es.' ! Based'on'the'=me'available'and'ARTI’s'priori=es,'I' recommended'that'we'focus'solely'on'the'Sarai' project,'and'include'a'substan=al'research'effort.'
We'agreed'upon'a'rough'schedule'structured'around'Design'Impact’s'four'project'phases.''My'sec=on'of'the' project'covered'the'Immersion'phase,'and'the'beginning'of'the'Transforma=on'phase.' Jan'‘12' Jed'
1.'Immersion' • Project'setup' • Research' • Design'Goals' • Success' Measurements' defini=on' 2.'Transforma=on' • Problem'solving,' prototyping'
Jan'‘14'
Jan'‘13' DI'2'
(2.)'Transforma=on' • Design' • Prototyping' • User'tes=ng' ' 3.'Implementa=on' • Produc?on$Start$ • Quality'Control'setup' ' '
DI'3'
(3.)'Implementa=on' • QC'oversight' • Distribu=on' • Marke=ng'and'Sales'
4.'For=fica=on' • Success'Measurements' • Project'Impact'summary' • Learning'and'improvement'for'DI' and'ARTI'
Research'Goals'
Project'Setup'
Current'system' tes=ng'
User'research'
Materials,' durability' research'
Analysis'&' synthesis,' guidelines'
Begin'design'&' prototyping,' proto'tes=ng'
TECHNICAL$TESTING$$ $
I'started'by'documen=ng'the'performance'of'the'current'Sarai'system,'and'op=mizing' physical'dimensions'(e.g.'airow'gaps)'to'maximize'performance.'
Jed'In'ARTI’s'Stove'Tes=ng'Lab.'
To'make'the'results'of'all'the'tests'comparable,'we' tested'the'Sarai'by'hea=ng'2.5L'of'water,'rather' than'cooking'food.''' ' We'recorded'the'temperature'of'the'water'every' ďŹ ve'minutes.''This'series'of'temperature'points' creates'a'dis=nct'hea=ng'curve'as'the'water'heats' up,'then'starts'to'cool'as'the'charcoal'is'used'up.'
Im=yaz'running'a'test.'
These'temperature'curves'showed'us'two' important'things:' ' • Overall'temperature'change:'fuel!efficiency! The'temperature'rise'shows'how'much' energy'from'the'charcoal'has'actually'made' it'into'the'cooking'vessel,'not'escaping'as' lost'heat.! • Rate'of'temperature'increase:'cooking!speed! The'steeper'the'beginning'of'this'curve,'the' faster'the'cooking'vessel'is'being'heated.'!
Emissions$Tes?ng$ $
One'of'the'main'goals'of'ARTI’s'stove'technologies,' including'the'Sarai,'is'the'reduc=on'of'indoor'air' pollu=on'from'cooking.' ' We'used'emissions'tes=ng'instruments'to'measure' the'Par=culate'(“smoke”)'output'and'Carbon' Monoxide'output'of'the'original'Sarai,'and'all'major' prototypes'will'be'similarly'measured'for'comparison.'
The'emissions'measurements'also'allow'us'to'compare'the'Sarai'system'to'other'commonly'used'cooking'systems' and'interna=onal'emissions'limits'from'the'World'Health'Organiza=on.''
Emissions$Sta*on$2$ $
UCB"ParBcle"monitor"#1159" Dräger"PAC"7000"CO"monitor"#0922"
Par*culate:$ The"parBculate"monitor"shows"a"typical"amount"of"parBculate"in"the"room"room"from"3:15"to"3:38," before"the"wax"sBck"was"lit.""The"spike"to".2"mg"/"m3"shows"the"smoke"from"the"wax"sBck"lighBng" the"charcoal.""AUer"this,"parBculate"levels"stay"close"to"normal"room"range"(0.02W0.06"mg/m3)." " The"average"over"1"hour"is"0.02376$mg/m3,"or"23.76"μg/m3.""Assuming"2"Sarai"uses"per"day"with% the%system%lit%indoors%against%ARTI%advice,"this"averages"to""1.98$μg/m3$emi[ed"from"the"Sarai"over" a"24Whour"period"(limit:"25"μg/m3)." "
Carbon$Monoxide:$ The"highest"15Wmin"average"(3:47W4:01)"is"14.7"ppm,"or"16.83$mg/m3$(limit:"100"mg/m3).""The"1W hour"average"is"6.56"ppm"or"7.51mg/m3$(limit:"35"mg/m3)."
Par*culate$(mg$/$m3)$
CO,$ppm$
0.2" 0.15" 0.1" Photo"mass" (mg"/"m^3)"
0"
3:15" 3:20" 3:25" 3:30" 3:35" 3:40" 3:45" 3:50" 3:55" 4:00" 4:05" 4:10" 4:15" 4:20" 4:25" 4:30"
0.05"
120" 100" 80" 60" 40" 20" 0"
CO,"ppm" 3:35"PM" 3:41"PM" 3:47"PM" 3:53"PM" 3:59"PM" 4:05"PM" 4:11"PM" 4:17"PM" 4:23"PM" 4:29"PM" 4:35"PM" 4:41"PM" 4:47"PM"
0.25"
Emissions"2"
Equipment$Instruc?ons$ $
ARTI'had'a'number'of'pieces'of'tes=ng'equipment' that'were'useful'for'the'Sarai'project,'but'which'they' didn’t'know'how'to'use–'a'previous'expert'had'lef' the'organiza=on.' ' I'worked'with'ARTI'staff'to'create'sets'of'plainL language'instruc=ons'so'that'current'staff'members' can'regain'these'devices'as'resources.'
I'also'encouraged'ARTI'to'test'these'instruc=ons'using' untrained'sta'members,'and'to'observe'where'the' instruc=ons'were'successful,'and'where'mistakes' were'made'so'we'could'improve'the'reliability'of'the' instruc=ons.'
Project'Setup'
Current'system' tes=ng'
User'research'
Materials,' technology' research'
Analysis'&' synthesis,' guidelines'
Begin'design'&' prototyping,' proto'tes=ng'
USER$RESEARCH:'' '
I'Interviewed'and'observed'current'and'poten=al'Sarai'users'to'gain'direct'user' preference'insights'and'understand'usage'context'and'pagerns.' Tradi=onal'and'new'tech,'coexis=ng'
Interviews'uncovered'family'pagerns'and'experiences' with'the'Sarai'or'other'cooking'systems.'
Aspira=onal'picture'and'family'ďŹ nance'ac=vi=es' generated'understanding'of'family’s'resources'and' desires.'
The'en=re'cooking'process'was'recorded'in' dierent'households'to'capture'usage'habits.''
Project'Setup'
Current'system' tes=ng'
User'research'
Materials,' technology' research'
Analysis'&' synthesis,' guidelines'
Begin'design'&' prototyping,' proto'tes=ng'
MATERIALS$AND$TECHNOLOGY$RESEARCH' '
I'spoke'with'local'engineers'and'studied'stove'technology'to'respond'to'two'major' ďŹ ndings'from'the'user'research:'durability'problems'and'a'desire'for'faster'cooking.' Mr.'N.'G.'Modak'of'Master'Engineers'
Two'Pune'engineers,'Mr.'Modak'and'Mr.'Wauge,'gave' me'advice'on'types'of'metal'and'grades'of'stainless' steel'to'use'in'high'temperature'applica=ons'in'order' to'increase'durability,'and'suggested'possibili=es'for' produc=on'methods'and'tools.' ' We'also'discussed'Quality'Control'measures'ARTI'can' take'in'future'produc=on'of'the'Sarai'to'standardize' and'monitor'product'quality.'
Visit'1'
I'Combed'the'latest'(Aprovecho’s'Stove'Camp'2010)'and'greatest'(Baldwin’s'Biomass'Stoves)'publica=ons'for' best'prac=ces'and'emerging'ideas'about'stove'design'applicable'to'the'Sarai.'
Stove'Technology'Research'
Project'Setup'
Current'system' tes=ng'
User'research'
Materials,' technology' research'
Analysis'&' synthesis,' guidelines'
Begin'design'&' prototyping,' proto'tes=ng'
ANALYSIS$&$SYNTHESIS$!$DESIGN$GUIDELINES' '
Analyzing'the'data'from'ini=al'tes=ng,'User'Research'and'materials'&'technology' research'led'to'the'forma=on'of'priori=zed'guidelines'for'the'next'Sarai'design.''' Gathering'insights'from'interview'notes'
Colla=ng'insights'from'the'User'Research'and'sor=ng' them'into'groups'(“affinity'mapping”)'showed' pagerns'and'major'themes'in'user'statements'
Video'recordings'of'the'cooking'process'were' reviewed'and'annotated'to'reveal'usage'pagerns,' =ming'and'some=mes'surprising'novel'habits.'
Design'Guidelines' '
The'insights'from'research'were'translated'into'a'set' of'guidelines'for'the'design'of'the'next'version'of'the' Sarai'system.''These'guidelines'cover'everything'from' physical'features'and'technical'requirements'to' marke=ng'recommenda=ons.' ' Each'guideline'references'the'segment'of'research' that'drives'it,'for'transparency'and'traceability.''
Outcomes'/'Success'Measurements' '
I'worked'with'ARTI'and'DI'to'create'a'list'of' measurable'outcomes,'or'“success'measurements.”' ' As'prototypes'are'produced'and'tested'with'users,' and'as'the'eventual'design'is'produced'and'sold,' these'outcomes'can'be'used'to'measure'the'success' of'the'Sarai'redesign'effort.''''
Project'Setup'
Current'system' tes=ng'
User'research'
Materials,' technology' research'
Analysis'&' synthesis,' guidelines'
Begin'design'&' prototyping,' proto'tes=ng'
DESIGN$AND$PROTOTYPING' '
Based'on'the'Design'Guidelines,'I'had'the'opportunity'to'start'crea=ng'new'poten=al' design'solu=ons,'and'tes=ng'them'against'the'original'Sarai.''
I'sketched'physical'design'solu=ons'to'meet'various' Design'Guidelines.''Because'I'had'learned'a'lot'about' the'eďŹƒciency'and'hea=ng'proper=es'of'the'Sarai,'I' leveraged'this'knowledge'to'create'designs'for' components'and'features'that'would'improve'the' eďŹƒciency'/'cooking'=me.'
Prototypes'
I'worked'with'a'local'metalsmith'to'build'prototypes' of'a'new'charcoal'burner'and'Aluminum'steam' vessels,'so'we'could'test'the'effects'these'would'have' on'the'Sarai’s'efficiency.''
Prototypes'
The'new'burner'design'in'par=cular'generated'a' substan=al'improvement'in'hea=ng'eďŹƒciency,'though' its'eect'on'emissions'and'performance'in'actual'food' cooking'tests'must's=ll'be'evaluated.'
Prototypes'
What’s$Next:$$Fellow$#2!$ $
The'Sarai'redesign'is'currently'into'its'second'phase,' “Transforma=on,”'which'includes'the'bulk'of'design' and'prototyping.''Transforma=on'is'followed'by'the' Implementa=on'phase,'where'the'new'Sarai'will' begin'to'be'manufactured'and'sold.' ' In'August,'the'next'Design'Impact'Fellow'on'the'Sarai' project,'Alan$$McDonald,'will'land'in'India'to'pick'up' where'I'lef'off.''' ' ARTI'is'looking'forward'to'working'with'Alan'on'the' new'design'and'user'tes=ng,'as'well'as'crea=ng'plans' for'produc=on'and'distribu=on'the'new'Sarai' System.'
Introduc=on'
' $ Thanks.' Contact:' Jed'Farlow,'DI'Fellow'@'ARTI' jed.farlow@dLimpact.org' www.dLimpact.org'
www.dLimpact.org''