Thermal Performance Assessment of a Box-type Solar Cooker with an Inclined Collecting Surface and Kapok Wool Insulation

Abstract

The present work reports the thermal performance of a box-type solar cooker insulated with kapok wool, a local plant with a low thermal conductivity. The experimental results obtained indicate that the absorber plate reached a maximum temperature of 155.2 °C. Moreover, the maximum power of the cooker was 87.5 W with an efficiency of 35.45 %. The first and second figure of merit parameters performed are 0.15 and 0.298 respectively. The cooking test carried out on eggs and rice was conclusive. And it appears that this solar cooker can cook an average of 464 meals per year thanks to the solar energy available in Burkina Faso corresponding to a reduction of 67.62 % in household fuel wood consumption.