relative efficiency of camp stove???

 I've set up a fairly elaborate home backup system consisting of a battery
bank, inverter, and a generator to intermittently charge the battery bank.

Has anyone made a comparison in fuel efficiency for meal preparation of such
a system powering a microwave oven, with a small kerosene camp stove?

There are so many steps involved in powering the microwave, yet it does have
one advantage over an open flame heating a pot open to the elements, which
is that the food absorbs most of the calories consumed by a microwave.

???

 

Yes. You can find the info at the School of Engineering at Drexel.



They have low-carb Microwaves now.

 

Direct flame heat transfers about 50 to 70 percent energy, varies with the
speed of heating, slower is more efficient.
Overall microwave heating is about 30 percent, most of the loss is in the
conversion of electric to microwave. I've done the calorimetry heating
water.
Brent Wegher

 

battery

Thanks for the answer. It pretty much settles the question.

 
...> > Direct flame heat transfers about 50 to 70 percent energy, varies
with the

I don't think so. First, microwave heating of leftovers and small servings
is way more efficient than getting a skillet out, and in fact makes
leftovers practical food. This increases the efficiency of food use a lot.
Second, the microwave heats only the product you want heated, not a lot of
air (loading the airconditioner), not a skillet or a pan of water. Boil
potatoes, versus microwave cooking. Time to cook and wasted hot water
suggest that some, perhaps many, foods can be prepared in small quantities
with less energy in the microwave, conversion losses at the generator not
withstanding. These issues would be a lot different for a full time cook
making meals for 10 or more. And there are some things you just can't cook
in a microwave. Do you have to do only one or the other and not both?