Novel solar cookers: suitable for small families

Abstract

This paper presents the fabrication details and on-field experimental studies of two novel solar cookers, suitable for cooking requirements of small families; these are named as small family solar cookers (SFSC-1 and SFSC-2). Small size, good thermal performance, light weight, low-cost and short payback periods are some important features of these cookers. The values of some essential thermal performance parameters, first figure of merit (F1), second figure of merit (F2) and standard cooking power suggested by Bureau of Indian Standards and International Standard for box-type solar cookers, have been evaluated by experimental studies and found to be 0.116°C m2/W, 0.466, 30 W and 0.118°C m2/W, 0.488, 50 W for SFSC-1 and SFSC-2, respectively. A comparative analysis of the thermal performances of SFSCs with the solar cookers, developed by many authors, has also been presented here. The payback periods with respect to different cooking fuels for SFSCs have been found to be reasonably short.