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Design And Fabrication Of A Solar Popcorn Machine

Electrical Electronics Engineering | Engineering

The design and fabrication of a solar popcorn machine involves integrating sustainable energy sources with efficient heating mechanisms to create a renewable and eco-friendly way of making popcorn. By harnessing solar power through photovoltaic panels, this machine utilizes clean energy to generate heat for popping corn kernels. The design incorporates thermal insulation materials to retain heat effectively and optimize energy usage. Additionally, a mechanism for controlling temperature and popping duration ensures consistent and perfectly popped popcorn. This innovative approach not only reduces reliance on conventional energy sources but also promotes sustainability in food processing technologies, aligning with global efforts towards a greener future.

ABSTRACT

The solar popcorn machine is a device for preparing especial popcorn for the human consumption using sun as the source of energy. The device was produced to help the masses to be self- reliance in this down trodden economy. In this work, a parabolic dish was used as the solar collector while an aluminum pot was used as a popping compartment. For effective performance the design requires that the solar popcorn heater track the sun continuously, and an automatic electronic control circuit was designed and developed for this purpose. Experimental test runs carried out showed that the overall performance of the solar popcorn machine was satisfactory. Thermal efficiencies of 52% – 56% were obtained, and this range of efficiencies is higher than the designed value of 50%. The use of a linear actuator to track the sun eliminates the need for constant monitoring by a human operator and, thus, reduces the cost of labour.

This project work is divided into five chapters, chapter one; the introduction discusses the relevance of the project work, problems it is meant to address its importance, scope and limitation.

Chapter two comprises the literature review

Chapter three brings to the assembly and principle of operation

Chapter four highlights about the various safety rules project cost evaluation and investment opportunity.

Chapter five discussed on insertion and testing recommendation and conclusion together with references and bibliography.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
PROBLEM STATEMENT
AIM/OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT
PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT
APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0      LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1      POPPING HISTORY
2.2     REVIEW OF POPPING METHODS
2.3     HISTORICAL REVIEW OF CORN
2.4     POPPING METHODS
2.5      HEAT TRANSFER (PRINCIPLE OF HEAT TRANSFER)

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 METHODOLOGY

3.1 MATERIALS USED

3.2 SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PDSWH

3.3 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT ANALYSIS

4.1 DESIGN CALCULATIONS

4.2 DEVELOPMENT OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR THE TRACKING MECHANISM

4.3 LIST OF MATERIAL USED

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSIONS

5.3 REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria’s economy has suffered a terrible setback over the year the common man finds it difficult to make for his livelihood, some people take pop-corn as one of their favorite food especially bachelors spinsters who can take pop-corn as super, breakfast and even lunch.

The University and Polytechnics graduate no longer find good employment thereby embarks on self-employment by constructing popcorn machine to meet their needs.

Popcorn is from a special type of maize unlike other types of corn which pops when heated. The popcorn preparation has long been in practice in Nigeria. It usually required a heating source (stove, fire wood as conventionally used), a frying pan with spoon as the stirrer. It was first discovered and used by the early Americans. Popcorn was introduced to the Western world by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century. The kind of popcorn most people pop in their microwave is the Zea mays. Zea mays everta has a certain amount of moisture content, a strong pericarp that does not allow moisture to escape very fast as other corn when heated. Consequently, a popcorn machine, which is generically used for the purpose of making popcorn for human consumption is essential. Most popcorn machines use gas, some use electricity, while some use the solar as sources of energy. The merits and demerits of these sources are observable in the production rate of the various machines, which in turn depends on the intensity of heat as well as the power source. The objective of the project, therefore, is to design and fabricate a solar popcorn machine that will enhance popcorn production using solar energy. In this work, Solar popcorn machine uses a simple solar thermal applications that convert solar radiation into heat that is used to pop up corn. Solar popcorn machine is now recognized as a reliable practice that saves substantial amounts of electricity or other conventional fuels, leads to peak load reduction and prevents emission of carbon dioxide.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The two conventional method of making popcorn are using electricity or natural gas. The erratic nature of electricity and high cost of gas in developing country such as Nigeria has hindered the production of popcorn – which has made many people don’t show much interest in popcorn making business. It was because of this challenges that has made technology to search for solution – by initiating solar energy in popping corn. Solar popcorn machine was invented to solve the problems of power supply and high cost of gas.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this work is to design and fabricate a solar based popcorn making machine. The objectives of the study are:

To investigate the performance and optimize the design of a solar popcorn making machine
To design and construct a parabolic dish solar popcorn machine

To test the thermal performance of constructed prototype

To carry out an economic analysis of the solar popcorn making machine.
To promote local content utilization of manufactured goods and services

1.4 JUSTIFICATION

The design of the improved and more cost effective solar popcorn making machine will encourage easier adoption of solar popcorn making technology due to the user benefits. The machine will cater for substantial household popcorn making energy needs hence reduce on carbon emissions in the atmosphere and high cost of gas. Implementation of the design will reduce on the time spent on moving from one place to another looking for gas. Certainly the project will enable cost savings compared to alternative electric or gas type.

1.5 PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

A solar popcorn making machine is a device which uses the energy of direct sunlight to popcorn. The purpose of introducing solar popcorn making machine is to provide a cheap means of popping corn that does not involve using gas or electricity.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

The advantages of building a solar popcorn making machine are:

Save Money – approximately 50% of your electricity bill and gas could be saved. Using solar popcorn making machine could drastically reduce the size of installed gas cylinder.

An investment – solar popcorn making machine will add value to your property.

Environmental Friendly – solar energy is clean energy. No pollution.

Self-sufficiency – with a solar popcorn making machine you are protected from the ever-increasing cost and erratic.

1.7 ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT

(1) It does not require constant attendance while popping.

(2) Since corn pops slowly, it becomes more nutritious.

(3) It does not require gas. It requires only sunlight.

(5) It can also be used as an oven for baking.

1.8 APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

Applications and uses of solar popcorn making machine are listed below:

Water Distillation
Solar Smelting

Roasting coffee and peanut for commercial purposes.

Wax melting
Grain Sterilization
Water Purification

Dehydration