Enhancing Solar Autoclave Thermal Performance of Vessel With Porous Basket for Sterilization

ABSTRACT An autoclave is a medical device used to sterilize hospital surgical equipment and instruments. The electrical power shortages and pollution of fossil fuels in hospitals and rural health centers underline the need to consider various energy sources, with the use of which it is possible to operate autoclaves. This sort of situation necessitates that Solar autoclaves be applied as the means of operation. This study examines the extent to which solar‐powered autoclaves perform in their functions of carrying out wet sterilization activities. The pressure vessel of the solar autoclave is composed of a Fresnel lens and a reflector of porous medium. Aluminum beads are a low‐density porous material with special structural and thermal properties. Fluid‐solid contact effects present in aluminum beads include both the porous matrix heat distribution capacity/ability combined with subsequent fluid heat transfer, thus resulting in an increased performance in heat transfer. The steam temperature within the vessel (porous material absorber model II) is highest at 128°C. The highest energy efficiency of 74 percent occurred at the mid‐point of the day, 1 pm, when the solar radiation intensity was at its maximum of 913 W/m 2 in solar autoclave (porous material absorber model II), as compared to 25 percent by solar autoclave (flat plate absorber model I).