Comparison of the Centralized Heating Unit Cogeneration Kitchen (Chuck Wagon) Prototype with the Mobile Kitchen Trailer (MKT) and Mobile Kitchen Trailer-Improved (MKT-1)

摘要

Tests were conducted at the U.S. Army's Natick Soldier Center (NSC) to evaluate the promise of a new piece of field feeding equipment, the Centralized Heating Unit Cogeneration Kitchen (CHUCK Wagon). Testing consisted of preparing and serving meals for 250 consumers on three separate days. The first two days, meals were prepared with a standard Mobile Kitchen Trailer (MKT) and an MKT-Improved (MKT-I) to establish a baseline against which the new kitchen could be compared. This demonstration proved the CHUCK Wagon can be used to prepare a quality meal for 250 troops. Most performance variables were found to be equal to or better than either MKT scenario. The CHUCK Wagon demonstrated an ability to perform many tasks in a substantially shorter time, and further showed superior efficiency using either diesel or JP-8 fuels for heat. The CHUCK Wagon remains developmental equipment and is constantly undergoing testing designed to improve its capabilities.