Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Double Layer Quintuple Solar Oven

Abstract

Solar cookers or solar ovens are devices that use sunlight as their energy source. These devices are primarily used for heating purposes. A double layer quintuplet solar oven was researched; the objectives were to study performances of the solar oven in harvesting sunlight to reach the highest temperature and heat storage, and to compare theoretical models against actual experimental data. The solar oven was fabricated using glass panels and supported by a trolley for mobility. The solar oven in-field testing was set at 08:00 to 18:00 hours to ensure maximum exposure to daytime direct sunlight, thus maximum heat captured. A temperature sensor (thermocouple) was used to measure the temperature changes inside the oven. A XR440 Pocket Logger was connected to the sensor to record the measured temperature on an hourly basis. The experimental data were then collated and presented in a graphical format to visualize the trend. A numerical analysis based on theoretical modeling was done to compare with the experimental data which was affected by actual weather conditions. The experimental data showed that the maximum temperature captured inside the solar oven was 80°C. In principle, the temperature inside the solar oven will increase proportionately to the increments of the solar radiation from sunlight. This experimental study concluded that the maximum heat gained by this double layer quintuplet solar oven was 80°C or at solar irradiance value of 578.04W/m2. This experimental irradiance value when compared against the irradiance value calculated based on the theoretical model shows a variance of 8.44%. This parametric research study is worth exploring further as a research frontier in alternative sustainable energy in Malaysia. Similar research by other scholars reported that the solar oven will function effectively as a cooking device if the solar irradiance heat generated inside it is more than 800W/m2. With this finding, a further enhancement can be made to the oven design to improve the maximum heat gain.