Design, construction and testing of parabolic solar cooker for rural households and refugee camp

Abstract

This research paper demonstrates the importance of Parabolic Solar Cooker both for developing countries and for refugee camps. This cooker's main purpose was to concentrate the solar radiation and convert it to heat using different reflective materials. Some essential factors were considered as the surface of the reflector must be smooth and shiny, and control (loading, tracking, temperature sensing.) variables and uncontrolled (wind, ambient temperature) variables also need to consider. Several Parabolic Solar cookers had designed various reflective materials such as Stainless Steel, Aluminum Foil, and Mylar Tape. Additionally, multiple testing had done with those Parabolic Solar cookers. Besides, in this research three different forms of temperature were measured: Concentrating surface temperature, vessel temperature, and water temperature. The notable success of this research work was the third design. The third design was implemented with Mylar Tape as a reflective material. Boiled Rice, Fried egg and Fried potato had cooked within a short period with the third design. Firstly, stainless steel as a reflective material was used to construct the first prototype. Moreover, 58.2 °C maximum water temperature was achieved from the first prototype. After that, the second prototype was used aluminum foil as reflective material. Besides, 74.5 °C maximum water temperature was achieved from the second prototype. Finally, the third prototype was used Mylar tape as a reflective material. Alongside, 74.5 °C maximum water temperature was achieved from the third prototype. Moreover, in the wood we got 239 °C as well as in paper we got 105.4 °C.