Experimental analysis of the solar cooking system using parabolic trough collector in context with Indian Climate

Abstract

The Indian economy is rapidly rising, but the country's population (approx 1.38 billion people) is also expanding, creating significant energy and environmental concerns. Solar energy is the best source of renewable energy for addressing both the country's energy and environmental issues at the same time. This research aims to develop a solar cooking system using a parabolic trough collector for small Indian families. Further, experimental analysis was done in an open environment for household cooking purposes. The solar cooking system was comprised of a parabolic trough collector having 97% reflectivity with a cooking burner setup. The experimental efficiency, according to the efficiency analysis, was between 5 - 40%. Furthermore, the maximum surface temperature of the absorber tube was attained up to 120°C. However, the maximum water temperature at the cooking vessel was measured 91.9°C. The findings were proven to be beneficial in the development of a domestically usable cooking system.