What is Solar Cooker?

Solar Cooker is a simple device which can make use of solar energy in an easy and efficient way.

The core features of the structure of the device are very simple:
1. Catching the solar beam as much as possible
2. Keeping the collected solar energy as much as possible

With the above features, anyone can make solar cookers with inexpensive materials.

Solar Cookers are categorized into three types:

【 Features  】
Curved reflector, mostly in parabolic shape, with the ample area can collect solar light effectively

and heat up a pot to the cooking temperature quickly. The heating power varies according to the

projection area receiving the sunlight. In this system, due to some energy loss, about 20% out of

the total collected energy is used for heating up water;

 (the loss by air convection is about 45%, the loss by evaporation heat is about 35%)

However, the heating power is sufficient enough to be comparable to a normal portable cooking stove.

【 Style of possible cooking  】
All styles of cooking such as baking, boiling, steaming, frying is possible.

【 Price  】
Although the price depends on the materials to be used, making a curved reflector with a large surface

generally costs us more than that of non curved reflector.

Box Type

【 Features  】
The feature of box type solar cooker is to keep collected heat as much as possible.
The box with the high insulation will capture the solar beam and heat up the pot with the entire inner

air like an oven. The countries, which are located near the equator, such as Africa and India enjoy

strong sunshine from high altitude all year round and can cook without reflectors.

Whereas the countries which cannot expect strong sunshine all the time need booster mirrors as

a complementary reflector but require fewer frequency of adjustment of the angle than the

concentrator type cooker

【 Style of possible cooking  】
The cooker is not good at searing but is able to cook and boil it.

【 Price  】
In many cases, they are easy and inexpensive to make compared with concentrator type solar cookers.

Panel type

【 Features  】
The simple cooker which consists of a combination of a plane reflector is called panel type. 

Sometimes the cookers with bent panels are also referred to panel type. 

A pot needs to be kept warm by a heatproof plastic bag, a plastic case, or a glass made cover.

The heating power and the way of cooking is almost the same as those of box type.

【 Style of possible cooking  】
The possible cooking would be almost the same as those of box type.

【 Price  】
The cooker is easy and less expensive to make with common materials such as cardboard

so that the people in developing countries can utilize it with little burden to their family budgets.

Balloon type (film reflection type)

【 Features  】
The balloon type is one of concentrator type solar cookers. Its advantage is that the manufacturing

cost would be considerably low when the aperture of the reflector is large, compared with

conventional concentrator type cookers.
By this reason, it is more suitable when used as a community cooker for the hospitals or schools.

It also features a  high portability by releasing air inside the cooker.

【 Style of possible cooking  】
all style of cooking such as baking, boiling, steaming, frying is possible.

【 Price  】
This cooker is inexpensive because it is entirely made of synthetic materials including the reflector

itself and this allows the production in large amount at lower costs compared with cookers with metal

sheets such as aluminum or stainless steel.
In addition, it can reduce not only material costs but also shipping costs by packaging it in flat shape

releasing the air inside.