Solar Parabolic Cooker

In most of the developing and underdeveloped countries, different fuels are used for cooking purpose. These includes, primarily wood, kerosene, coal, gas etc. All these fuels come from our natural resources. As the supply of these resources is limited, it is fast depleting with increased use by the exploding population. Moreover, these fuels also produce gases and ashes, which pollute the environment. The cutting of woods and forests has been a matter of concern for environmentalists from the world over.

Solar energy is available for free and is abundant. If we can figure out a smart and efficient way to utilize this energy for cooking, it would save the fuels and money at the same time.

EnergieSolar has developed a Parabolic Concentrator Type Solar Cooker (Diameter 1.4 meter) based on German design. This is an efficient design of solar cooker, where temperatures of over 200°C can be reached. This contributes to speedy cooking. There is no need to wait for hours after keeping the utensils in the sun. EnergieSolar cooker can be used with a pressure cooker blackened from outside, or any other blackened utensils. Use of pressure cooker, up to 13 liters capacity, cooks rice, dal and other foods within half an hour, in good sunshine.

EnergieSolar cooker is very easy to install, operate and maintain. It is available in the form of a completely knocked down kit, which can be assembled in half an hours. This model is suitable for urban, rural, tribal areas for the use in households, community kitchens, hotels, hostels, remote campuses and the like.

Salient Features

• No need to wait for hours after keeping utensils in sunshine
• Use of pressure cooker up to 13 liters capacity cooks, rice, dal and other food within half an hour in good sunshine
• Also useful for sterilization
• User friendly, easy to move and clean
• Safe to operate and durable
• Effectively useful from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset
• Uses highly reflective aluminium surface to increase efficiency
• Useful for urban, rural as well as tribal areas for use in households, community kitchen, hostels, hotels, remote camps and the like.

Major Components

The major components of the cooker will be as below:

Reflecting Bowl: It is a parabolid dish made of reflecting sheets supported on suitable rings for holding them in a fixed position. The sheets are joined together in such a way that they automatically form the parabolic shape. The structure and frame of the bowl are made strong so that the reflectors do not get deformed while turning it in various directions.

Reflector Stand: The reflector stand is made of mild steel having powder coating for better durability. The stand is designed in such a way that the reflector could rotate 360 degree around the horizontal axis passing through the focus and the centre of gravity. It should also be able to rotate around the vertical axis so as to adjust the cooker in the direction of the sun.

Technical Specifications

• Material of reflectors : Aluminium sheets of thickness 0.4–0.5 mm
• Reflectivity : above 80 %
• Size of focal spot : 100 mm approx.
• Focal length : 280 mm
• Dimension & Shape : 1.4 meter diameter parabolid
• Surface area of reflector : 2.20 sq m
• Aperture area of reflector : 1.54 sq m
• Tracking of the sun : Manual
• Cooking Vessel : Pressure cooker (ISI) of 5 litre capacity; Powder coated black from bottom (Not supplied by us)
• Power availability at cooking pot : About 0.6 kW (with over 600 W / sq m Direct / 750 W / sq m total solar isolation available on reflector
• Thermal efficiency : Over 40%
• Life : More than 15 years
  (1) Metallic structure - It can with stand high wind speeds (grouting or putting load on the base frame is possible)
  (2) Reflecting mirrors - Minimum 5 years