Bounties attract serious brainpower to the challenge.
An energy-efficient electric corn roaster that causes minimal damage to the environment and can be sized according to envisioned use.
Why?
Roasted corn is a seasonal treat that most people enjoy. It's usually prepared outdoors via energy-wasting methods such as open fire, wood stove, or propane gas that produce more CO2 than is necessary. This roaster allows you to prepare the corn in the most energy-efficient way possible.
How it works
Components:
temperature controller with a thermostat
FeCrAl heating coils
stainless steel pipe slightly wider than an average corn cob
fire bricks
refractory cement that can withstand high heat
Depending on how many slots you want in your roaster you cut that many stainless steel pipes. The pipes should be slightly wider and longer than an average corn cob. You wrap a heating coil around each pipe and connect it to its temperature controller. The temperature probe goes on he inside of the pipe, slightly removed from the wall. When the corn is placed in the pipe, it may touch the temperature probe. Firebricks and refractory mortar are used to build a solid block around all the device's components (as shown on the image above).
The entire block is placed on a tray made of firebricks to insulate it from the bottom, but allow the corn-roasting pipes to be cleaned from both ends. Each slot has a lid made of a fire brick. This keeps the heat and moisture in during roasting.
When a corn cob is placed into the pipe, it is placed into a v-shaped cup at the bottom. The cup keeps the cob in place and prefents it from leaning and touching the hot pipe.
The fire brick keeps all the heat in place which makes the energy usage as low as necessary. No heat dissipates into the environment. If necessary, the outside of the block could be further insulated by extruded polystyrene insulation.
With this you can roast just one corn if you are eating alone, or multiple if you are cooking for others.
Darko Savic Sep 04, 2021