Team L&M
Prof Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI, handed over the CSIR-CMERI developed solar DC cooking System to the Asansol Braille Academy, West Bengal recently. Present on the occasion were Swami Somatmanandaji Maharaj, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Asansol and Tapas Banerjee, Chairman, Asansol Durgapur Development Authority, Govt. of West Bengal.
The CSIR-CMERI developed solar DC cooking technology was transferred to two business entities namely M/s Asansol Solar & LED House, WB and M/s Meeco Solar & Infrastructure Associates, Durgapur, WB.
The CSIR-CMERI developed solar DC cooking system is a solar energy based cooking system which consists of solar PV panel, charge controller, battery bank and cooking oven. The technology provides a clean cooking environment, invertor-less direct operation, fast and uniform heating and a potential to save one ton carbon dioxide emissions year/household.
Prof Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI, said that the indigenously developed solar DC cooking system has been doing a tremendous job in serving the specially-abled children. It was a dream of a ‘pollution-free India’ and the CSIR-CMERI developed solar DC cooking system is a small step towards realisation of that dream.
The CSIR-CMERI developed solar DC cooking system has 20-25 per cent better efficiency and more economical in comparison with conventional solar based cooking systems which loses efficiency owing to AC-DC conversion. The simple technology design also ensures ease-of-manufacturing and thus provides a substantial economic opportunity for the micro-Industries. Along with the widening of the popularity base of the Technology, there is a probability of improvement in job prospects.
Solar cooking is one of the applications of solar thermal technology which was initiated by a German scientist Tschirnhausen during the year 1651–1708. It works on the principle of utilizing heat energy from the Sun for cooking purposes.
Depending on the structure, solar cookers were categorized into box type, concentrating type and panel type. Based on the cooking method, solar cookers were categorized into direct and indirect types. In direct-type cookers, heat from the Sun will be used directly to heat the cooking vessel whereas in indirect types there will be a steam medium through which the heat will be transferred to the cooking vessel.