Performance Evaluation of a Building Integrated Solar Cooker with Asymmetric Compound Parabolic Concentrator for Indoor Cooking Application

Abstract

Nigeria faces an acute shortage of conventional energy sources, relying heavily on fossil fuels for cooking, which poses significant health and environmental risks. Solar cookers have emerged as a promising alternative. However, existing solar cookers have limitations, including exposure of users to direct sunlight, low utilization efficiency, and they are predominantly designed for rural and community environments, making them less suitable for urban settlement. This study evaluates the performance of a building-integrated solar cooker (BIS) with an asymmetric compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) for indoor cooking. Experimental tests achieved maximum stagnation temperatures of 126.9°C and 124.8°C on two consecutive days. Water heating tests showed a boiling times of 1 hour 40 minutes and 2 hours for 1.5kg and 2kg of water, respectively. The cooker's figures of merit (F1 and F2) values meet recommended standards, confirming its functionality. Successful cooking of eggs, noodles, and rice demonstrates its potential for sustainable indoor cooking. From the regression analysis, standardized cooking power of 513 W at a temperature difference of 50 ^OC were estimated using the regression equation and coefficient of determination (R²) were found to be 0.98, exceeding the minimum requirement of 0.75. This indicates a well-fitting regression model for the system. This study addresses the limitations of existing solar cookers highlighting its potential as a viable alternative to conventional energy sources for sustainable indoor cooking and advances solar-thermal technology for urban contexts, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.