Basic Understanding of Solar Oven Cooker

The sun is the main source of renewable energy used all over the world for multiple purposes. Thermal heat from the sun can also be used for cooking. This feature of solar energy is practiced with the help of solar ovens. Solar oven cooker is a device which uses sunlight as its energy source without any use of fuel. Humanitarian organizations are spreading this technology all over the world for saving trees. These ovens are used for outdoor cooking and function only in the area where enough sunshine reaches the ground. However there is a drawback that these ovens are not functional in cloudy weather. No money, fuel and electricity are required in this cooking. Whenever you want to spend some time in outing, fishing or in some recreational activity, solar ovens are there to help you in cooking.    

Construction of Solar Oven Cooker

Construction of solar oven is just like hot box cooker which uses a wooden box and multiple reflectors. In this design the area of reflector is kept large whereas wooden box where your food has to be placed is kept small. Temperature range of hot box cooker and solar cooker ovens are different. Solar ovens use enhanced solar radiation penetration and decreased cooking area due to which temperature range is so high. This high temperature will help solar oven for cooking wide range of food. In solar oven design, reflectors are always kept at certain angle from the glass cover and it is placed directly under the sun.

Three Types of Solar Oven Cookers

There are three models of solar ovens named as triangular oven, cylindrical oven and pot stove. 

• Triangular ovens were designed specially for equatorial regions and reflectors are held at the angle of 30 degree from the glass surface. These reflectors are made from highly polished aluminum sheet, reflector foil or plane glass mirror. The inner box is usually painted black and metal is used for its construction. Outer part of the box can be built by thin metal or materials such as ply wood. The space between these boxes is filled with some insulating material which can accommodate high temperature of about 300 degree centigrade. Cooking time taken by this oven is same as taken by conventional way of cooking due to high temperatures.  

• The pot stove is specially designed to cook from the top. A cooking pot painted black from the outside is suspended inside it. The pivoted pot must swing at the angle of 60 degree for desired results. The interior of the oven is made by some reflecting material and outer surface of box is made with any material such as thin sheet metal or wood. A plug shaped door is used above the cooking pot for operating the oven. This oven has temperature range of about 210 degree centigrade and it can cook almost all varieties of food. 

• The cylindrical oven can be fixed in any position from 0-90 degree to accommodate the sunshine. All the designing of pot and wooden box in this model is same as in previous ones. This oven can be inclined and oriented with the help of a stand. All the cooking such as boiling, roasting and baking can be done within 50-100 minutes. On clear sunny days, temperature of about 220 degree can be obtained with these ovens. 

 I hope this article provides some basic understanding of solar oven cookers, but as always, please consult with authorize dealer before start working with solar cookers as this article is only intended to provide basic information.

Regards,

The Solar Heating Systems Team