Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Cavity Joining Technique of Gas Ovens on Energy Consumption and the Environment

Abstract

This article aims to show the effect of the joining technique of the sheet metal parts of a cavity on energy consumption, energy efficiency class, and environmental impact in domestic gas ovens. An oven cavity can be joined by screwing or welding the metal parts. Experiments were carried out on two identical prototypes, which only differed in the joining method used to assemble the cavity. The energy consumption of the oven with the welded cavity is found to be 12.00-14.22% less than that of the oven with the screwed cavity. The energy efficiency classes of the two ovens were determined. According to the energy efficiency index (EEI) averages of the prototypes, the oven with a screwed cavity (EEI = 112.92) is in class B, and the oven with a welded cavity (EEI = 98.38) is in class A. In order to show the environmental impact of the appliances, the carbon footprint of the ovens for nonintense and intense use over a period of 1 year and 10 years was determined. It was found that the carbon footprint from ovens with screwed cavities is 12.92% higher than that of ovens with welded cavities due to excess fuel consumption.