Design, fabrication and performance evaluation of multipurpose grill

Abstract

Grilled/roasted foods are popular street delicacy in many parts of Nigeria. However, the conventional/local grill used for these foods is stressful and unhygienic. Hence a multipurpose charcoal grill was designed and fabricated to produce more hygienic quality food with higher productivity. The multipurpose grill is a modified oven with moisture escape vent incorporated to produce draft that forces air into charcoal chamber through other air ducts below the chamber, ensuring continuous combustion of the charcoal while eliminating the fanning stress and its attendant drudgery that usually greets the local grill. It is front-loaded, made of mild steel with racks over the chamber for food items to be grilled within lagged walls. With a capacity of 12kg/hr and substantial thermal efficiency of 62% compared to the local grill, performance tests confirmed higher productivity over the local of less than 8kg/hr fraught with stress. Quality comparison of tested samples of plantain and maize shows similarity in appearance, taste, texture and overall product acceptability. It is simple with low production cost and low fuel consumption; efficient, easy to operate. Its adaptability to other fuel sources with(out) modifications and for roasting other food items, confirms its multipurpose status while extended capacity can be granted.