Solar Cookers

Dr. Kashinath N Patil

Professor/Dean Research Development
K J Somaiya College of Engineering,
Vidyavihar, Mumbai
 Heat Loss : Cooking
 Vaporization of water : 35 per cent
 Heating food to boiling temperature : 20 per cent
 Convection losses from vessel : 45 per cent

 Solar cooker should be designed to provide about 1.0 kW of

energy which can be obtained with 2.0 sqm of collector area
with 50 per cent efficiency.

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 Principle of Cooking
The quantity of heat required for physical and chemical
changes involved in cooking are small compared to the sensible
heat of increasing food temperature and energy required for
meeting heat losses that normally occur in cooking.

Once the contents of the vessel have been sensibly heated up to

the cooking temperature (100C), the speed of cooking is
practically independent of heat rate as long as thermal losses
are supplied.

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 Principle of Cooking
Differences in the time required to cook equal quantities of
food in cookers of various heat supply capabilities are due
mainly to different sensible heating up periods.

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 Limitations
Too expensive for individual family ownership
Incompatible with traditional cooking practices
Too complicated to handle
Cooking can be done only in the direct sun
Can not cook at night
Can not cook in cloudy weather
Can not cook indoors
Danger of getting burned or eye damage

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 Limitations
Are not locally available
Less durable; needs repair or replacement of parts which are
not easily available
The cooker needs frequent adjustment towards the sun and
exposure of the cooking pot to the blowing dust and sand
effected the food taste

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 Limitations
Easy availability of alternative cooking fuels like wood and fuel
wood
There is no provision of storing the heat therefore cooking of
food was not possible where there are clouds or sun is not strong
No proper education, training and involvement of women's

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 Types of Cooker
Direct Types.
 Indirect Types.
 Advance type

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 Direct Type

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 Direct Type

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 Indirect Type

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 Indirect Type

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 Advance Type Cooker

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 Advance Type Cooker

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 Box Type Cooker

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 Component of Box Type Cooker
Component Material Thickness / size Requirements / Remarks
Outer Box (i)Galvanished iron 0.48 mm thick Resistant to ultraviolet radiation and
(ii)Aluminium (60 x 60 x 17 cm) atmospheric variations
(iii)FRP 0.56 mm thick
(60 x 60 x 17 cm)
2 mm thick
(60 x 60 x 17 cm)
Inner Cooking Box Aluminium 0.56 mm thick Painted dull black
(50 x 50 x 10 cm) Should not touch outer body
Insulation (Back and Glass fibres in the form of 5 cm or more thick Free from resin binders Stable upto
side) pads k = 0.052 W/m K 250C
Glazing (Double glass Water white glass 3-4 mm thick Double glass system must be air tight
lid) (Temperated / toughned) 50 x 50 cm size Transmittance > 85%
spacing between sheets
1 cm

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 Component of Box Type Cooker
Component Material Thickness / size Requirements / Remarks
Reflectors Silvered or 4 mm thick Reflectivity > 85%
(Mirrors) Glass aluminized 54 x 54 cm Scratch resistant
Resistant to solar radiation and
atmospheric variation
Cooking Containers (i)Aluminium alloy sheet 1.2 mm thick Dull black painted stable upto 250C
(ii)Stainless Steel sheet Two pots – dia 200 m Very good adhesive characteristics
Two pots – dia 150 mm
Depth of pots – 67 mm

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 Solar Cooker : Assumptions
There is no stratification
 The cooking pot is in contact with the inner surface of the cooker
and hence their temperatures are the same
 The physical properties of the material to be cooked are the
same as that of cooker

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 Solar Cooker
The rate of net thermal energy available to the cooking pot,
inside the cooker

Now, Tp = Tw

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 Solar Cooker

At t=0 Now, Tw = Two

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 Solar Cooker

Where t0 is the time constant The above eq simplified

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 Figure of Merit -1
Figure of merit one is the ratio of optical efficiency and the heat loss factor

Where Tps is the plate stagnation temperature, Is snd Tas are respectively, the insolation
on horizontal surface and the ambient temperature at the time the stagnation
temperature is reached.
 Lower possible limit of the value of F1, may be specified so to ensure a minimum level
of thermal performance.
 The F1 is between 0.12 to 0.16 depending upon climate.
 The F1 should not be lower than 1

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 Figure of Merit -2
The second figure of merit takes into account the heat exchange efficiency
factor F’
By replacing the ατ/UL by the factor F1 in cooker equation

Assuming that insolation IT(t) and ambient temperature Ta are constant

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 Thank You
This work carried out at k J Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai-400 077. The author made his opinions on the
various social aspects with the information present at open source domain. This is for academic purpose and not sale or
commercial usage. Further detail you may communicate to kashinath@somaiya.edu.

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