04-07-2012, 01:28 PM
Parabolic Solar Cookers
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Why Cook with the Sun?
The sun sustains life on
earth; it is available to
everyone daily. There is
no cost for solar radiation.
Using parabolic, box, or
panel cookers means no
gas or electricity costs.
They are easy to maintain
and just as easy to build.
With a little planning and
some basic mathematical
calculations, anyone can
own their own solar
cooker.
But what are the
advantages to using a
solar cooker? Besides the
economic savings, solar
cooking helps in the fight
against global warming
and deforestation. By
using the sun’s rays to
cook meals, firewood is
saved and in many remote
areas time is used more
usefully than for gathering
the necessary firewood
needed for wood burning
stoves.
How hot do solar cookers get
This depends primarily on
which type of cooker you
are using and the size of
cooker you build.
Parabolic cookers can
reach extremely high
temperatures. Therefore,
they are quite capable of
reaching average cooking
temperatures of between
212o F (100oC) and 350oF
(177oC) for frying, boiling
and baking foods.
Cooking time is affected
by the size of the
parabolic dish, the size of
the cooking pot and
outside temperatures.
The History of Solar Energy Use
The harnessing of solar
energy began with the
ancients. They were the
first to begin using
passive solar design in
their homes and to use
glass to trap solar heat.
The use of curved mirrors
to concentrate the sun’s
rays was developed by
the Aztecs, Greeks,
Romans, and Chinese.
The concept of “burning
mirrors,” for weapons, has
been considered for
millennia. It was through
the Greeks geometric
development that they
discovered a parabolic
surface held the ideal
shape for these burning
devices.
How to Build a Parabolic Cooker
One of the easiest
beginnings for a parabolic
solar cooker can be found
in thousands of backyards
across the United
States—the satellite dish,
from the large C-band to
the small digital dish.
What happens to these
relics once they are
discarded? They are large
and awkward and not
easily recycled. Building
your own solar cooker is a
great way to reuse these
parabolic-shaped units
while reducing waste in
the landfill.