Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to develop and fabricate a corncob baking oven for domestic household application in rural areas. The study was done as a case study in Mbeya region. Through engineering design approach, a corncob baking oven was designed and fabricated. This oven was later tested to evaluate its performance in-terms of temperature variation in the combustion and baking chambers of the oven. Prior to this test material characterization for corncobs in terms of proximate analysis was done, through this analysis basic information such as moisture content, volatile matter, fixed carbon ,ash content for corncob were measured (Table 6). On top of these characteristics, calorific value for corncob was also measured, where high heating value was found to be 16.52 MJ/kg and low heating value was found to be 15.85 MJ/kg. After this, three tests were done, where 450 g, 412 g, and 423 g of corncobs were charged at different time into oven combustion chamber. Temperature variations in combustion and baking chambers were recorded at an interval of 2 minutes; the average values for temperature variation are presented in Fig. 3 which shows how temperature changes were varying in both oven chambers. The highest temperature attained was 612oC and 235oC for combustion and baking chambers respectively and from 5th minute since combustion was started to 50th minute, temperature in the baking chamber was experienced to vary between 235oC and 150oC which is a reasonable zone temperature for baking process.
Keywords: Baking oven, Corncobs, Bread, Energy, Agricultural wastes.
Title: Design of a Corncob Baking Oven for Rural Households Application in Tanzania
Author: Raphael Iddphonce Mkini, Wilson B. Kiunsi
International Journal of Engineering Research and Reviews
ISSN 2348-697X (Online)
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