The Lorena Stove

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The Lorena Stove
Saving the World One Person at a Time
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What Is a Lorena Stove?

• Replaces open fires in hut
• Removes smoke from hut through chimney
• Constructed of inexpensive raw materials
• Adobe (mud, straw, water)
• Large plastic bucket
• Empty coffee or soup can
• Pipe for chimney

Cooking on an open fire in a hut
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Effect of Lorena Stoves on Infant Mortality
Note drop after 2003 when Lorena Stoves were
installed
Cases of respiratory disease not available
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Why Use Lorena Stoves?

• Decrease incidence of common diseases from smoke
  inhalation
• Respiratory infections
• Eye infections
• Asthma
• Increase fuel efficiency
• Save trees in and around village
• Save work cutting and gathering wood

Peruvian boy who has suffered from respiratory
infections
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How Do They Work?

• Wood or grass placed in fuel chamber
• Fuel ignited
• Pot or pan placed on opening on top
• Cool air enters through fuel chamber
• Smoke exits through chimney

Chimney pipe
Pipe exits roof
Opening for pot or pan
Adobe Stove
Fuel chamber
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Selecting the Location
Chimney
Opening for pan

• Build Lorena stove in corner of hut farthest from
  front door
• Choose wall so that fuel chamber is on right or
  left, depending on handedness of cook

Lorena stove
Door
Walls of hut
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Constructing the Stove Making Adobe

• Select mud with a moderate amount of clay
• ? Excessive clay causes stove to crack when
  heated
• ? Insufficient clay causes stove to collapse
• Mix with water
• Add straw

Mixing mud and water
Mixing in straw
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Constructing the Stove Preparing the Frame
Fuel chamber

• Place large plastic bucket near side of wooden
  form to be fuel chamber
• Place empty coffee can near other side of form to
  be heat chamber
• Place chimney pipe midway between other items

Chimney pipe
Heat chamber
Wooden form
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Constructing the Stove Filling Frame with Adobe

• Join 3 chambers with pipes or small cans
• Add adobe around buckets, cans, and pipes
• Prop sides of form to prevent collapse
• Allow 48 to 72 hours to dry

Adding adobe to frame
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Constructing the Stove Adding a Finish

• After adobe dries, remove wooden frame
• Remove plastic bucket (other cans and pipes stay
  in stove)
• Apply wet adobe to outer surface rub until smooth

Photo of completed stove in womans hut
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Final Notes

• Work under direction of villagers
• Train villagers to build stoves
• Train villagers to cook on stove
• Villagers like stoves for their fuel economy
• Lorena stoves save lives