Design And Fabrication Of An Electric – Charcoal Stove

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A stove is a thermally insulated chamber used for the heating or cooking a substance and most commonly used for cooking.
This project is as a result of increasing interest. Essentially, the idea, as demonstrated in an existing design, arises in the project students a feeling of motivation, and hence the search for a way to bring it to reality in a simple, yet intelligent design, like this. This project is designed to make the students utilize as many theoretical and practical concept as have been instructed in Alston to mechanical engineering workshop technology. Students are expected to learn and apply concepts, principles about energy specially the conversions of electrical energy to thermal energy, conduction and conventional heat transfer etc.
Also the determination of the properties of various ferrous and non-ferrous materials, electrical installation occults. The application of engineering measurement and quality control. Also to build an intellectual ability in interpretation of working drawing in designing and development before and after working process. Students will get an opportunity to appreciate safety, and the use of both machine and hand tools in the course of working.
This stove is a combination of units and components that make possible the use of two alternative heat sources, namely electric and charcoal. The upper chamber uses Electricity while the lower chamber uses charcoal. Inside the upper chamber is a heating element incorporated with a thermostat to regulate the rate of heat generation in the system. Wire mesh is welded to provide the required base or support for the baking trays.
Electric stove is the direct fired stove, which effectively distribute heat while being powered by electricity, although this can often result in a higher heating cost for the consumer. Many prefer this type of stove because they tend to use dry heat, which helps prevent the buildup of rust. Electric stoves also feature a thermostat that controls the stove temperature electronically, and many have top, bottom, or rear grill elements.
Charcoal stove is indirectly fired stove that uses wood fuel for cooking. A wood stove may also have a stove separate from the fire chamber. Regardless of material they all have a stove chamber consisting of a floor (or hearth), a dome and an entry (stove opening). The wood fired stove has an advantage of the less capital requirement, ease of construction and similarly the wood fired has the disadvantage of longer baking time, the product has not baked uniformly and has the problem of the changing the original flavor of the product.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Due to high cost of petroleum product in developing countries such as in Nigeria, has limit the use of petrol powered stove and has shifted the attention of stove users to charcoal and electricity powered stove. Charcoal is believed to be an affordable, available, and the most convenient fuel source for households, its use in inefficient stoves would produce significant amounts of indoor air pollution and make it unsustainable. Therefore, continual technology development will suppress charcoal’s detriments and enhance its efficient utilization while reducing significantly environmental impact.

1.3 IMPORTANCE OF STOVES
In actual analytical enunciation an oven is an enclosed chamber in which things are heated or cooked with various sources of power. Its importance borders around its function, which are as follows;
(i) It is used to meet the everyday basic need of cooking of food materials for human consumption.
(ii) Stoves are used for heat treatment of substance.
(iii) Early manufactured stove where used as a source of room heaters during cold weathers in cold climates.
(iv) Other importance boarding around its energy source is that the use an alternative source of energy when either fossil fuel or electricity is not available. This can be relatively save cost when necessitated.

1.4 LIMITATIONS OF STOVE
Disadvantages in the use of stoves:
(i) Cleaning and repair is a difficult and time- consuming endeavor.
(ii) Expect for mass production singular construction is relatively expensive to produce.
(iii) If precautions are not well carried out, it can result in fire hazard, which is dangerous to life and properties.
(iv) Because stove provides heat for one or more areas, the temperature may vary in different areas of the stove.
(v) Oils and moisture collected on metal surface can end up trying to rust the metal coating if not clean regularly.
(vi) It is expensive to operate in high volume operations.
(vii) Speed seems to be the key factor and time taken to get to required constant temperature can be wastage of time.
(viii) Access to internal component in case of adjustment and maintenance is tasking as it requires an entire disassembling.
(ix) In case of mechanical faults resulting from shut down, an entire disassembling and requires is required.
(x) Due to its function by heating, there is always a premature wear or mechanical failure of some of the internal component.

1.5 PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT
This study is to devise a means of producing a stove with two different power source (that is, electric and charcoal). The objectives are:
i. To solve the problem of sooty pre-heating as observed in vaporizing cookers.
ii. To build a cost reduction and easy to maintain stove.
iii. To meet up with inadequate availability of fire wood through deforestation.
iv. To exploit the local facilities available in the construction of the stove as against imported stove.
v. To exhibit the usefulness of a multi- power source purpose stove in the economy and technology growth of the nation.
vi. To know the convenience in the use of alternate power source for operation of stove.
vii. Discover the basic principle involved in the design and maintenance of a double powered stove.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This paper deals with the development of an electric – charcoal stove prototype from locally available materials. In the electric part of the work, the heating element device supplies the heat to the device while in the charcoal session of the work charcoal supplies the to the device. Charcoal is a black substance that resembles coal and is used as a source of fuel. Charcoal is generally made from wood that has been burnt, or charred, while being deprived of oxygen so that what’s left is an impure carbon residue.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF PROJECT
This project work is intended to serve as a catalogue and manual for the construction, installation, maintenance and repair of different possible faults in stove, it is also of a great benefit to the department and society as it will serve as medium of knowing the principle of operating the model work. It serves as a standard means for cooking.

1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
i. There is freedom of location and general adaptability.
ii. It entails good cooking condition, cleanliness, quietness and ambient temperature.
iii. Uniform of temperature within narrow limit with the electrical chamber.
iv. Capital cost, running and maintenance cost of stove are low.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
THERMOSTAT: This is an electrical device design to heat up bend and open the circuit when excessive current flows and close the circuit when the heat reduces. It can also be defined as an automatic regulator that control the amount of current that heat up the circuit.
HEATING ELEMENT: This is a conductor material that is designed to heat up when connected to current flow. It converts electric energy into heat energy.
OUTLET PLUG: This is an electrical device design with two or three metal pins that fit into holes in a socket to make an electrical connection.
Charcoal—The black, porous material that contains mostly carbon that is produced by burning of wood or other biomass.
Convection—The heat transfer in a gas or liquid by movement of the air or water.
Combustion chamber—The region of the stove where the fuel is burned.
Combustion efficiency—The percentage of the fuel’s heat energy that is released during combustion. Combustion efficiency refers to the amount of the energy from the biomass that is turned into heat energy.
Draft—The movement of air through a stove and up a chimney.
Emissions—The byproducts from the combustion process that are discharged into the air.
Excess air—The amount of air used in excess of the amount for complete combustion.
SWITCH: This is a device used to connect or break the flow of electric current in a circuit.
INDICATOR (LAMP): This is a device which glows like a bulb indicating the working status of a connection.
CABLE: A cable is a material or conductor use in conveying electric current from one point to another.