Utilizing Solar Energy to Melt Beeswax

Abstract

This research examines the potential of utilizing solar energy to melt recycled old combs and capping wax byproducts, aiming to produce raw beeswax. The solar-powered beeswax melter comprises a stainless steel tank, a lean-to structure with polycarbonate sheet covers, a wooden solar heater, and parallel rows of PV solar panels. The study compares three different beeswax melting methods: the traditional water bath method, melting solely using solar energy, and melting using solar energy combined with additional heat from solar panels. The efficiency of the melting process and the bulk temperature of the melted beeswax were measured during the conventional water bath method. For the solar-powered wax melters, the melting process efficiency, bulk temperature of the melted wax, and various macroclimatic factors such as sunlight radiation, temperature, and relative humidity were recorded. Based on the experimental findings, the beeswax melting efficiency was determined to be 73.4% for the traditional water bath method, while it reached 85.5% and 87.2% for the solar methods, respectively. Therefore, it is recommended to employ the solar methods for melting beeswax.