Design and Manufacturing of Thermal Energy Based Injera Baking Glass Pan

Abstract

The current practice of Injera (Spongy flat bread) baking is based on energy sources such as fire wood and fossil fuels, which are both the main causes for environmental pollution and depletion of forest resources. The aim of this research is to propose a new type of baking system where solar thermal energy is used as a power source. The possibility of baking on a glass stove is investigated using solar thermal energy transferred to the kitchen by means of a circulating heat transfer fluid heated by solar energy concentrated by a parabolic trough. The existing three stone biomass based clay baking pan results in a loss of a major portion of the supplied energy and the baking process also results in significant amounts of indoor air pollution. The proposed system is solely based on a renewable energy source such as solar energy. For experimental simplicity and investigation of the possibility of baking on glass stove, the heat transfer fluid is heated by simulating the solar energy with electricity, and the heated fluid is allowed to circulate through the closed loop of the baking pan assembly. Surface temperatures of 191 ̊C were achieved on top of the glass baking pan and Injera baking experiments were performed successfully.