PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF SOLAR COOKER MADE FROM LOCALLY SOURCED MATERIALS
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Date
2019-04-02
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Abstract
This study describes the development and performance evaluation of a four reflector solar cooker, which was
made from locally sourced materials. Teak wood was used in the construction of the solar box cooker with the
dimension × × . The box was lagged, so as to reduce the rate of heat loss and increase the amount of
heat generated for the cooking. Experiments were performed on the solar cooker with no reflector, one reflector, two
reflectors, three reflectors and four reflectors. Results from the first figure of merits (F1
) showed that the solar cooker
with two, three and four reflectors are considered grade A solar cooker. The second figure of merit (F2
) condition was
met only by the solar cooker with four reflectors with its value greater than 0.42. The cooker thermal efficiency
increases from 18.72 to 72.22% as the number of reflectors increases. The solar box cooker with four external
reflectors was more efficient when compared with others and thus, can be used in cooking and drying of agricultural
products.