Design and performance evaluation of solar cookers for developing countries: The case of Mutoyi, Burundi. (3rd July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Riva, Fabio; Rocco, Matteo V.; Gardumi, Francesco; Bonamini, Giorgio; Colombo, Emanuela
• Is Part Of: International journal of energy research. Volume 41:Number 14(2017)
• Page Start: 2206
• Page End: 2220
• Publication Date: 2017-07-03
• Subjects: appropriate technology -- Burundi -- laboratory test -- solar cookers -- thermodynamic performance; Power resources -- Periodicals; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Research -- Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1002/er.3783
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-907X

Abstract

Summary: Here, we propose an approach for supporting the design and performance evaluation phase of solar cooking technologies, to assess their eventual appropriateness for remote rural contexts, before proposing them for local field tests. The approach is based on (1) local context description and analysis, (2) design and construction of the solar cookers, and (3) thermodynamic performance evaluation. We used the approach to analyse 3 cookers for the area of Mutoyi, Burundi: a parabolic, a panel, and a box cooker. From phases 1 and 2, only panel and box cookers emerged as the technically viable solutions: They were sized, optimized, built, and tested. In phase 3, the thermodynamic evaluation indicated that the box cooker is inappropriate, since water does not reach high enough temperature. Instead, the panel cooker shows a Standardized Cooking Power of 46.85 W and a stagnation temperature higher than 75°C, which is able to bring the water to the boil when the environmental temperature is higher than 25°C. The thermal efficiency of the cooker resulted equal to 8.13%, while the mean integral temperature T m remained around 60°C for all the lab test replicates, higher than the minimum internal temperature to cook legumes. The results of the procedure applied to the case study indicate that the panel cooker can be proposed for local field tests with local food and cooking practices, for assessing its final appropriateness on the field. Abstract : Highlights Procedure for assessing appropriate and sustainable solar cookers for developing countries is presented. Local context description and analysis for solar cookers application are performed. Different homebuilt solar cookers are presented. Thermal performance of solar cookers is derived through lab tests.