THE FORM OF THE COOKING VESSEL AND THE ENERGETIC EFFICIENCY OF COOKING

Abstract

The present paper examines the contribution of the form of the cooking vessel to the heat transfer efficiency of the stove/pot system. A rounded (convex) pot bottom increases the surface available for heat transfer and, hence, heat transfer efficiency. We suggest that combustion-efficient stoves combined with rounded-bottom vessels compare favourably to the same stoves in combination with flat-bottom stoves. Clay pots with a rounded bottom correspond to African traditions. Nowadays metal pots with rounded bottoms are locally produced in some areas. Implications of pot forms for the outcome of Water Boiling Tests are also discussed.

Keywords

• Form of the cooking vessel
• African tradition
• Energy efficiency
• Stove/pot system
• Implications for testing