Experimental Analysis on a Single Tank Energy Storage System Integrated With a Cooking Unit for Solar Cooking
Abstract
This paper presents the experimental analysis and thermal performance of a single tank energy storage system integrated with a funnel and cooking unit designed, constructed and tested using a funnel system to produce high quality heat front for immediate cooking without mixing thermocline. A prototype was constructed using available suitable materials. It consists of funnel system, heating element, refined sunflower oil and a stainless-steel tank. The funnel was made of metal pipe and a position for a cooking unit to provide immediate cooking. Oil was used as a heat storage medium and a 1.5kW, 220V heater was used to heat it. The heater was switched on during charging and switched off during discharging process. It charged the STESS, fast and effectively to temperatures above 180oC in 20 minutes highly attributed to system design. There was no mixing of hot and cold oil during the charging and hot heat. An overflow barrier-controlled charging while oil circulated in one way and reversed during the discharge process. The funnel charging energy efficiency was estimated to be 72.5% for the first case of barrier height and 51.9 % in the second barrier level by the funnel technique. About 453.6kJ of energy was consumed in boiling 1.5L of water in 10 minutes while 1.04MJ in boiling 1 kg of dry beans in 2hours. There was 6.23MJ left during charging while cooking and 3.54MJ left after discharging process.
Keywords
Single tank system, Funnel system, Quality heat front, Heat storage.