Development and performance analysis of a novel, energy-efficient PNG porous burner for cooking applications

• A porous burner is designed for self-aspirated PNG and LPG at 0.2 bar line pressure. • Dual-layer zirconia foam enabled submerged flame and high thermal efficiency. • Maximum thermal efficiency of 73.5 % for PNG and 82.2 % for LPG was achieved. • CO and NOx emissions were significantly reduced within regulatory limits. • CFD with USC_67 and DOM accurately predicted flame temperature and structure. Cooking contributes significantly to residential energy use in India, where piped natural gas (PNG) is emerging as a cleaner alternative to liquid petroleum gas (LPG). This study presents the development and evaluation of a self-aspirated porous media burner optimized for PNG operation at standard domestic pressure (0.2 bar), eliminating the need for external air supply or pressure regulators. Experimental tests are conducted across a range of thermal loads (2.1–7.7 kW for PNG and 1.5–5.4 kW for LPG) using four nozzle configurations (58 N, 77 N, 85 N, 110 N). Key performance metrics such as thermal efficiency, flame stability, and pollutant emissions (CO and NOx) are measured under controlled conditions using the Water Boiling Test (WBT) as per BIS 14612:1999. CFD simulations employing the USC_67 reduced chemical kinetic mechanism are performed to predict flame structure and validate temperature distributions. The burner achieved a maximum thermal efficiency of 73.5 % with PNG and 82.2 % with LPG under lean operating conditions, while maintaining emissions within regulatory limits. Compared to conventional burners, efficiency improvements of 20.55 % (PNG) and 34.75 % (LPG) are observed, demonstrating the proposed burner’s potential for domestic cooking applications.