Design, Construction and Evaluation of Performance of a Solar Cooker | Chapter 2 | Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Physical Experiences in Morogoro, Tanzania

 

A solar cooker is a device which uses the energy and direct sunlight to heat, cook or pasteurise food or drink. Many solar cookers are presently in use and are relatively inexpensive, low-technology devices, although some are as powerful and as expensive as traditional stoves. This study aimed to showcase the design, construction and performance of a solar cooker.  According to a survey, each family utilises two fully grown trees in a year. For this study, the design of solar cooking is strictly based on cost efficiency, easy availability and workability. The solar cooker was constructed using different materials. Each material served a specific function. A solar cooker box was constructed using rectangular panels and aluminium foil. The geometry of the cooker includes the simplest form of an angled panel surrounded by reflectors for enhanced efficiency. The cooker is surrounded by an insulating cardboard box with material which, when heated, retains heat so that it can be used when the sun is low. It is painted black on the outside so as to absorb all the radiation and emit none. The efficiency of this cooker is 89% when there is enough sunlight. The cooker can boil water up to 89℃ which is also a sufficient temperature to cook light foodstuffs and boil tea. Solar cookers operate by converting sunlight into heat through concentration, absorption, and heat trapping (greenhouse effect), and their performance is measured via standardised temperature studies to ensure efficient, clean, and sustainable cooking. The general methodology for solar cooking systems involves harnessing solar radiation and transferring that energy to food in an insulated environment. The specific methods vary by cooker type, such as Box Cookers, Panel Cookers, Concentrating Cookers (Parabolic/Dish), and Indirect Cookers. These decide the specific temperature values, duration, and materials used more precisely. The broader significance of the study is its contribution to sustainable energy or environmental protection. The solar cooker was constructed and tested for its performance by temperature-achievement measurements. It is potentially strong for reducing firewood dependency and environmental deforestation.

 

 

Author(s) Details

Yusuf Ismail Koleleni
Physics Department, Muslim University of Morogoro, P.O. Box 1031, Morogoro, Tanzania.

 

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-47485-78-7/CH2