Computer-Aided Engineering Process for the Development of a Bread Baking Biomass Oven.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to design and assemble an efficient oven for bread baking in rural communities, where access to conventional energy sources is limited or costly. The technological development of the prototype was supported by computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and finite element analysis (FEA), enabling an approach that aligns with the specific needs of rural contexts. The design features a combustion chamber and a cooking chamber optimized for even heat distribution. Results showed that the assembled oven achieved suitable baking temperatures across different fire power levels. Tests demonstrated good heat retention and uniform temperature distribution, validating the proposed design. Based on the temperature distribution measured in the baking chamber, the proposed technology can maintain temperatures below 473.15 K, unlike traditional ovens that reach values above 700 K. At the chimney exit, the oven exhibited an oxygen concentration close to zero, in contrast to the significantly higher levels observed in conventional brick bread ovens, indicating that the proposed design achieves more complete combustion. The results confirm that this biomass oven could offer a more efficient technology for rural areas.