Finally, a solar cooker is simply a device which directs solar radiation towards a cooking pot thereby resulting in heat required in the cooking process. The basic principle behind solar cooking involves three key mechanisms:
Concentration of Sunlight: In solar cookers, reflective items like mirrors or aluminium foil are used to focus on a particular point. This in turn increases the level of heat on the cooking vessel and has given the name to the process.
Absorption of Heat: When the sunlight has been focused on the stove, it heats the dark surface of a pot or a cooktop that is designed to retain it. More and more energy is absorbed in turn heating the cooker to higher temperatures.
Trapping the Heat: Most solar cookers create a greenhouse effect through the usage of a transparent lid which can either be glass or plastic. This just locks the heat in and makes it impossible for it to go out so the inside temperature keeps rising.
Applying these principles, solar cookers are capable of achieving temperatures in the vicinity of 200 °C (392 °F) and beyond depending on the design and prevailing conditions.
It is for these reasons that solar cookers are favoured for use both personally and communally when used as a reflector of solar energy. Here are the main advantages:
Solar cookers therefore do not use non-renewable resources such as Gas or electricity. They assist in limiting deforestation, emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases due to the reduction of firewood or fossil fuel usage.
Unlike other cooking appliances, solar cookers do not need any other fuel expenses to operate which makes it a one-off expense. In the long run, this means huge savings, particularly in regions where the costs of fuel are exorbitant.
Solar cooking does not present the avoidable hazards associated with burns or fire incidents which are common with stoves or open fires. Some of the pumps are flammable and require electricity making them dangerous for domestic use.
Many solar cookers are small and light which is convenient when considering usage in a camp, picnic or a disaster-plagued area. Also, they have almost no movement parts hence they require little or no maintenance at all.
For people using wood and coal for cooking in some parts of the world, the stoves bring in a clean process of doing this. They contribute to minimizing the cases of contamination of the indoor air which is known to cause derivation of the respiratory system and other diseases.
There are several kinds of solar cookers in the market and they are differentiated by cooking style as well as the climate condition. Here’s a breakdown of the most common ones:
They are one of the most common forms of solar cookers and are containers with an insulated base, a glass lid and some reflectors. Box cookers are also used in slow-cooking food at moderate temperatures employed in baking and simmering.
These are made up of flat reflective panels that are used to focus sunlight upon a cooking pot. Panel cookers are relatively easy to construct, relatively inexpensive and can be used in sunny regions, though they do not get as hot as the other cookers.
Parabolic solar cookers, on the other hand, have a large curved reflective surface, which focuses all the sunlight received onto a single point which makes it very hot. It can be a grill or fry considering it can reach high levels of heat those of a normal oven would be considered an understatement. But to ensure it follows the sun, it has to be adjusted frequently.
Some of the newest models of solar cookers have electric or gas ‘backup’ systems to allow the cookers to keep going in case the sun is obscured or it is dark. These cookers are easier to use but are normally the most expensive.
Many uses of solar cookers have been established indicating that they are versatile like the conventional ways of cooking. Here are the most common uses:
Cooking Meals: Ideally, solar cookers are used to prepare normal meals like soups, stews, rice or even baked cakes and others. In many ways, virtually all foods could be prepared using a solar cooker but this will require some pre-planning.
Boiling Water: Among all types of cooking the most common is water boiling which is useful as a source of drinking water, cooking and cleaning in many parts of the developed world. Water can also be brought to boil using solar cookers, and therefore the water is safe for consumption.
Food Dehydration: Besides, solar cookers provide a natural way of food preservation through the dehydration of fruits, vegetables and herbs without electricity.
Sterilization: Most of the time water and cooking utensils can be sterilized using solar cookers, especially in regions and nations that have been affected by disasters or where people do not have resources for electricity.
Solar cookers find their application in domestic as well as in different service sectors and relief and rescue operations. Some of the key applications include:
The last invention for families for those living in hot and arid regions, the manufacture of solar cookers is a viable technology integral for daily cooking. They are especially helpful in the counties which lack proper infrastructure and electricity or gas to fuel the stoves.
They are so useful, especially in places prone to disasters, it is an effective tool for cooking food and purifying water in times of disasters when common resources are scarce.
Literature review showed that, in developing countries in particular, the use of solar cookers can assist in avoiding deforestation as well as prevent the use of costly, non-renewable cooking fuel. Governments and many NGOs use solar cookers within communities as a measure of sustainable living.
In terms of use, solar cookers are appropriate for uses such as camping, picnicking or any other activities that you might choose to do outside.
Solar cookers are cheap, environmentally friendly and one way of meeting the increasing demand for energy in the world today. By capturing more sun energy in a single device compared to previous models, they can be used to cook foods, boil water and many more in a cost-efficient, sustainable manner. Different types and uses of solar cookers make them suitable to be used in households, groups, and in disasters. Thus solar cookers are sensibly still a global progressively as the world transmutes to renewable energy sources.
