Mathematical Model and experimental testing of a plane mirror augmented box solar cooker with trapezium shape

Abstract

Solar cooking technology is one of the attractive options in developing countries capable to meet energy-cooking demand. In this paper, a mathematical model of the heat transfer mechanisms involved with a plane mirror augmented box-type solar energy cooker has been presented in order to determine the thermal behaviour in the cooker based on the energy balance equations for the temperature elements. The cooker is constructed with a trapezium shape for maximising solar beam falling onto the absorber plate and equipped with a plane booster mirror reflector hinged at the top of the cooker for maximum concentration. The model is based on an analytical solution of the energy balance equations for different components of the cooker: such as glass cover, air inside, absorber plate, cooking vessel, cooking fluid. To validate the model, the temperature distribution obtained by a developed computer program is compared with experimental results measured for a typical day in Ghardaïa (32.39 °N, 3.78 °E) Algeria). For this purpose, the box solar cooker were designed, realized and tesyed by the authors at URAER? Ghardaïa. A data acquisition chain equipped with various measuring instruments was installed for the control of the system. The values of measured cooker’s temperatures through the AGILENT data acquisition unit were visualized numerically and graphically. The theoretical results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The model was then employed to simulate the performance of the realized solar cooker, several temperature maps were obtained for summer and winter clear sky conditions at Algeria country showing areas in which the solar cooker can be operated effectively during the year. The sample results presented in this paper indicated the high potential of solar cooking in the study region depending on the amount of received solar radiation.