Status Report 4/15/14

Our solar cooker went from a complete disaster of not even getting to 1° to heating all the way to 150° the very next week with some adjustments. Over break one of our team members thought it would be a good idea to wrap the inside of the box in plain black paper. With that, all the energy would be absorbed by the paper and not the pot. We took out the paper and now have covered the entire inside with car reflectors. This past weekend I got Mylar tape and different Plexiglass sheets to fit the size of the box. Hopefully, the plexiglass will seal in the heat. In the future I plan to get the side flaps of the cardboard box to stand still and not flop around, bouncing off all the reflections. I am nervous about the cookout and that the cooker may break or not work.

Solar Cooker Progress

   The building process for our solar cooker has changed. At first, we had our mind set on a parabolic cooker. After discussing and failing our attempt to make one we moved on to a box cooker. It has been much easier and I have learned about the angles of how the mirrors and foil will have to be put. Our design is the outer flap panels are covered in foil and soon to have mirrors put on top. The inside is covered in foam topped with a windshield sunshade so it really bounces the heat off to the pot. I think it will work effectively because we have put a lot of effort and hard work into the project. 

This is my group 

Parabolic Cooker

My recommendation would be the Parabolic Cooker.  Although a parabolic cooker needs frequent adjustment it is fast for cooking food. I have no patience when it comes to cooking, I want my food cooked fast. Even with other people and the new technology today, patience has run quite low. Another reason is it is very efficient.  Although it can be dangerous and some ways, it is efficient and gets work done quickly. I like the two other cookers, but I just like what is fast. The one disadvantage I do not like is that it is complex to make, and I am not very complex. What is your choice if a solar cooker?

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