E. V. Macias-Melo1, P. R. Torres-Hernández2, K. M. Aguilar-Castro1, I. Hernández-Pérez1, P. García-Alamilla3, C. E. Torres-Aguilar1, M. I. Hernández-López4, S. Medina García4, J. Serrano-Arellano4,*
Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol.24, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/fhmt.2025.074900
- 28 February 2026
Abstract This study presents the design, construction, and thermal evaluation of a solar-powered cocoa roaster based on a Parabolic Cylinder Collector (PCC) with dual-axis solar tracking. The system integrates three functional subsystems: the cylindrical-parabolic reflecting surface, the stainless-steel absorber tube, and a microcontroller-based tracking mechanism. The prototype enables continuous acquisition of key thermal variables (solar irradiance, ambient temperature, absorber surface temperature, and bean temperature), allowing a detailed characterization of heat transfer processes during roasting. Roasting experiments were conducted at controlled durations of 40, 55, and 70 min between 10:00 and 14:00 h. Maximum roasting temperatures of… More >