Solar cookers with thermal engergy storage: a sustainable cooking solution for developing countries / Ashmore Mawire

Abstract

An overview of the three main types of solar cookers with their basic operating principles is presented in this lecture. Basic operating principles of direct focusing, oven and indirect solar cookers are outlined. These three types of cookers are briefly reviewed and discussed when they are used in conjunction with solar thermal energy storage (TES) units to enhance their usefulness during periods when solar radiation is not available. Solar cookers using both sensible heat thermal energy storage (SHTES) and latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) are briefly reviewed and discussed. Advantages and disadvantages of the different types of solar cookers with TES are also highlighted. The most viable options for solar cookers with TES for developing countries are the oven type of solar cookers and direct focusing solar cookers since there are relatively cheap to fabricate and maintain. On the other-hand when issues of efficiency and safety are concerned, indirect solar cookers with TES are more viable and these can be implemented for community scale cooking since they are relatively expensive to construct. Solar cookers with TES offer an alternative to polluting fossil fuels and LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) in rural areas of developing countries. Research gaps in solar cookers with thermal energy storage are also identified. The best previous work done by the author is also presented, including recent and future work to be done on solar cookers with thermal energy storage by the solar thermal research group at the Mafikeng campus