Thermal Analysis of a Clay Pot Utilized for Cooling Water and Storing Vegetables/ Fruits

In addition to supplying cooled water, clay pots can also be used to store fruits, vegetables, and even medicines that need to be kept at a moderate temperature. The authors recommended storing perishable things submerged inside the clay pot filled with water in locally accessible polythene bags. In the present paper, a mathematical model to determine the preservation temperature has been developed and validated for the climate of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The convective coefficient between the pot and the surrounding air has been determined. Experiments were performed by loading a pot with apples/tomatoes. It is seen that with a load up to 10 W, the preservation temperature is between 20 and 25°C during summer for the climate of Raipur. The cost of cooling water and storing product is Rs 0.11/kWh (US$0.00146/kWh). The load test reveals that apples can be stored inside for about 8–9 days, whereas tomatoes can be stored up to 7 days inside the pot.