Graphene Coating and its Effect on Performance of Box Type Solar Cooker: An Experimental Investigation

Abstract

Background: Solar cookers have been the subject of several theoretical and empirical investigations, with numerous modifications attempted to increase efficiency and security. Solar cookers need much sophisticated research and enhancement work to function better. A thorough grasp of the application of graphene in box-type solar cooking systems is crucial for both solar energy and graphene. Objective: To improve the performance of box-type solar cookers, this patent research aims to offer an experimental investigation and insightful information on of applying graphene coating to the absorber plate and its derivative. Materials and Methods: To ensure equal dispersion of graphene into the black paint, three samples containing (1, 3, and 5wt%) of graphene embedded with the paint were produced with 1mm, 3mm, and 5mm thickness of the coating and stirred at 400 rpm for two hours using a magnetic stirrer. Xray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy have been studied to comprehend the influence of graphene nanoparticles on the surface morphology of the coated absorber panel. Performance evaluations of the box-type solar cookers were conducted with and without a graphene coating on the absorber plate, and data has been recorded for each case. Results: The results of patent research show that the absorber plate with (1, 3, and 5wt.%) of graphene embedded with black paint 1mm, 3mm, and 5mm thickness coating has a maximum thermal efficiency of 41.48% with 97.08 W cooking power, 46% with 109.35 W cooking power, and 49% with 114.77 W cooking power for the average solar irradiation is 978 W/m2. Discussion: It was determined that the cooking power (P), the first figure of merit (F1), and the second figure of merit (F2) were all satisfactorily achieved. Embedding black paint into graphene coating has been shown to significantly influence the heat transmission and thermal performance enhancement of box-type solar cookers, as demonstrated by the findings of X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis. Conclusion: The current research makes it abundantly evident that the incorporation of graphene into the absorber plate of a box-type solar cooker, together with the application of a black paint coating, leads to increased heat transfer rates, which in turn provides an increase in cooking power. Because of this, graphene is an attractive nanomaterial that has the potential to improve the performance of box-type solar cookers, which is the novelty of this research work.