Hybrid solar/LPG systems: Enhancing poultry egg incubation with beeswax thermal energy storage
| dc.contributor.author | Sulley, Paulo | |
| dc.contributor.author | Maagi, Mtaki | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kichonge, Baraka | |
| dc.contributor.author | Chande, Yusufu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-11-10T08:55:25Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-03-27 | |
| dc.description | SDG-2: Zero Hunger | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study explores the practical application of fin-enhanced beeswax as a thermal energy storage (TES) medium in hybrid solar and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) powered poultry egg incubators to enhance energy and hatchery efficiency. A system with a double-glazed flat plate solar collector, a fin-enhanced beeswax TES, an incubation chamber, and an LPG backup was designed and tested. The results show that the design effectively maintained incubation temperature between 37.2 and 38.6 °C and relative humidity between 50% and 65%, while that of the ambient environment ranged between 39% and 88%. The solar collector and TES material’s thermal efficiency were 67% and 68%, respectively, while hatchery efficiency was 70%. This result suggests that the beeswax-integrated hybrid egg incubator is an efficient and viable energy solution for the sustainability of incubation practices in regions with unreliable grid electricity, particularly in developing countries. The system helps improve food security by reducing energy use and the environmental impact of traditional methods. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0244704 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.nm-aist.ac.tz/handle/123456789/3411 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | AIP Advances | |
| dc.title | Hybrid solar/LPG systems: Enhancing poultry egg incubation with beeswax thermal energy storage | |
| dc.type | Article |