solar cooking pack

7/29/2019 Solar Cooking Pack

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Solar CookingA Design and Technology project for Key Stage 2


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Project Sheet pg. 1

Objectives To learn about the problems which come with cooking in the developing world and how solar power

can help.

To learn about the basic principles of solar cooking. To build a solar cooker.

Information notesThebuildingofthesolarcookerscouldtakeuptohalfaday.Thetesngandcookingneedstobedoneon

averysunnydayandwouldbewellsuitedtodemonstraonataschoolfeteorGreenDay.Cookingworks

bestinthehoursleadinguptomiddayandimmediatelyaer.

Moreinformaon: hp://ny.cc/6qc4r

Solar PowerThere are two types of solar power;

Photovoltaicsolarpower:theenergycreatedbyconverngsolarpowerintoelectricityusing

photovoltaic solar cells.

Solarthermalenergy,ordirectsolarpower:theenergycreatedbyconverngsolarenergyintoheat.

Solarcookingdoesnotrequireanyelectricitybutusessolarthermalenergytocookthefood.Thismeans

that you can use a solar oven anywhere that has lots of sun.

Solar CookersSolar cookers are used to cook food and pasteurise water for safe drinking. They use a free, renewable

energysourceanddonotpollutetheenvironment.Therearemanybenetstosolarcooking,explained

laterinthepack.Theyareparcularlyusefulwhenothersourcesoffuelareunavailable.

Therearedierenttypesandvariaonsofsolarcookersbutthebasicprinciplesofallsolarcookersare:

1. Concentrang sunlight: Amirror,orreecvemetal,isusedtoreectthesunlightsothatitis

concentrated and the energy is stronger.

2. Converng light to heat: Parts of the inside of the cooker are painted black. Black surfaces absorb and

retain heat which is important for keeping the cooker hot.

3. Trapping heat: Isolangtheairinsidethecookerfromtheairoutsidethecookermakesanimportant

dierence.Aplascorglasscovercreatesagreenhouseeectwithintheoventomakesurethatthe

heat is allowed in but cant escape out.

Safety! The contents of solar cookers can get very hot. Donotputfullysealedjarsorbolesinsideacookeraspressurewillbuildupinsideit.

Takeextremecarecungwithcraknives.

If working outdoors, remember sun cream, hats and sunglasses.
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest31491-273126-introduction-solar-cooking-testing-entertainment-ppt-powerpoint/http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest31491-273126-introduction-solar-cooking-testing-entertainment-ppt-powerpoint/


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Project Sheet pg. 2

Why Solar Cooking?

Cooking in the developing world.

Morethanhalfoftheworldspopulaonrelyondung,wood,cropwasteorcoaltomeettheirmostbasicenergy needs1.However,accordingtotheUnitedNaons,aboutonethirdoftheworldtwobillion

peoplenowsuerfuelwoodshortages,whichmeansitishardertondandmoreexpensive.Women,

andsomemeschildren,mustwalkfurtherdistancestondfuelforthefamily.Someurbanfamilies

spend 30-50% of their income on cooking fuel or must barter away food for fuel to cook the remainder.

Asaresult,familiesdropthenutriousfoodsthatrequirelengthycookingsuchasvegetablesfrom

theirdiet,contribungtomalnutrion.

Solar cookers prevent deforestation.Cookingisthemainsourceofdemandforwoodfuelandcanbeamajorcauseofdeforestaon.

Deforestaoncontributestoclimatechange,oodsandsoilerosion,increasingenvironmental

degradaon,andincreasingpovertyandhunger.

Each solar cooker in sunny, arid climates can save one ton of wood per year. Meanwhile, with solar

cookersfamiliesoenreducefuelwoodneedsbyhalf.

Solar cookers prevent pollution.Burning fuels such as wood and gas pollutes the air and contributes to climate change. Solar cookers

provideapolluon-freealternave.

Cookingandheangonopenresorstoveswithoutchimneysleadstoindoorairpolluon.Everyyear,

indoorairpolluonisresponsibleforthedeathof1.6millionpeople2. Because most of the cooking in

developingcountriesisdonebywomen,andtheylookaerthechildren,56%ofallindoorairpolluon-

aributabledeathsoccurinchildrenunderveyearsofage.

Solar cookers take longer to cook food but are easy to run.Solarcookingcansavemeandwork.Mealsinsolarcookerscantakeonetotwohourslongertocook

thaninwood-burningcookersbuttheyrequirelessaenon.Fooddoesnotneedsrringandthereisno

worryabouttheamesfromthere.

Fuelcolleconcanimposeaseriousmeburdenonwomenandchildren.Alleviangthisworkcan

freewomensmeformoreproducveendeavoursandchildcare,andcanboostchildrensschoolaendanceandmeforhomework.

1.,2.WHOFactsheetNo292June2005


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Facts Thereareover100,000solarcookersbeingusedinbothIndiaandChina

Morethan5000familiesinKenyaareusingsolarcookersbecauseofSolarCookersInternaonal Developing countries are fuel poor but sun rich

IntheTouloumRefugeeCampinChad,Africa,5,000womenhavebeentrainedtousesolarcookers

andabout16,000havebeendistributed.

VideosVideoofthesolarcookersinTouloum:

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfHQhVpS1yY&feature=player_embedded

Making popcorn on a solar cooker

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUIjYYLLXhs&feature=related

Project Sheet pg. 3

Solar Cookers around the world.Although there are some people in the UK who do solar cooking as a hobby, it is rarely used as a method

ofcookingbecausetheweatherisunpredictable.Cookingfoodusingsolarenergywilltakeonaverage

two hours longer than in a normal oven so they need to be used in an area with a near constant supply ofsunshine. The food will cook as long as the cooker is in an area with 20 minutes of sunshine per hour.

In countries like Kenya or India, where they have more sun, solar cooking is more widely used.

SolarcookingconferenceinDinguyare,Guinea

www.f

ickr.com/photos/rogoyski/318643310/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfHQhVpS1yY&feature=player_embeddedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUIjYYLLXhs&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUIjYYLLXhs&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfHQhVpS1yY&feature=player_embedded


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Project Sheet pg. 4

Photos

SolarcookingworkshopinStreatham,London,demonstrangarangeofdierentsolarcookers

hp://www.ickr.com/photos/coconino/752795503/

hp://www.ickr.com/photos/coconino/752793417/


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Project Sheet pg. 5

Teacher Notes: Making a Solar OvenInthefollowingpagesthereareinstruconsfortwosimplesolarovens,onetobemadeusingapizzabox

andoneusingaPringlestube.Thesecookersaresuitableforsimplecooking,suchasmelngchocolate,

reheangpizzaorbakingsmallcookies,buttheyarenotsuitableforcookingmeals.

Thetesngandcookingneedstobedoneonaverysunnydayandwouldbewellsuitedto

demonstraonataschoolfeteorGreenDay.Cookingworksbestinthehoursleadinguptomiddayand

immediatelyaer.

Thebuildingofthesolarcookerscouldtakeuptohalfadayandwillneedadultsupport,parcularly

cungwithcraknives.

Formoreadvancedsolarcookers,seethefollowingwebsites.

hp://www.solarcooking.org/plans/funnel.htm

(Scrolldownforinstrucons)

hp://www.ehow.com/how_2083_make-solar-oven.html

These cookers will need larger materials and will take several sessions to design and build.

Evaluating the solar cookers

Thelastpageofthepackisasimpleevaluaontooltohelpthepupilstoevaluatetheirwork.

Extension

Toextendthisacvityintoascienceacvity,usetwothermometerstomeasurethetemperatureinside

and outside the solar cooker. Pupils can take regular readings and record in tables. These can then be

ploedongraphscomparingthetemperatures:
http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/funnel.htmhttp://www.ehow.com/how_2083_make-solar-oven.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/how_2083_make-solar-oven.htmlhttp://www.solarcooking.org/plans/funnel.htm


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Project Sheet pg. 6

Pizza Box Solar OvenYou will need: Alargepizzabox

Black paper Tinfoil or crisp packets

Clinglmoroven-roasngbags

Newspaper

Sckytapeandwhiteglue

Tools 30cm ruler

Craknifeorsharpscissors Marker pen

Method:1. Onthetopapofthepizzaboxuseamarkertodrawasquarewithedgesspaced3cmfromthesides

ofthebox.

2. Useacraknifeorsharpscissorstocutaapinthelidofthepizzabox.Cutalongthreesidesand

scorethefourth.Foldtheapupgently.

3. Covertheundersideoftheapwithnfoilorcrisppacketswiththeshinysidefacingupsothatthe

raysfromthesunwillbereectedo.Becarefultomakeasfewwrinklesaspossible.Thiswillreect

thesolarradiaonintothebox.

4. Opentheboxandlinetheinsidewithblackpaper.Thiswillhelptoabsorbtheheat.

5. Cuttwopiecesofclinglmlargerthanthewindowinthelid,orscktogetherzip-lockfoodbagsbig

enoughtocoverthewindow.Withthelidopen,tapetherstpiecetotheundersideofthewindow.

Makesureitiscompletelysealedandstretchedght.

6. Next,closethelidbutkeeptheapopenandtapethesecondpieceofclinglmtothewindow,

tapingallfoursidesdowntocreateaseal.Thiswillcreateagreenhouseeectinsidethebox,allowing

theheatinbutnotlengitout.

7. Finally,rollupsomenewspaperintotubesapproximately2cmthick.Coverallfoursidesoftheoutside

oftheboxandtapethenewspapertotheboomtosecureit.Thiswillinsulateitandhelptostop

heat escaping.

4.

Get Cooking!

blackpaper

3.foil

7.

newspaper

6.

clingfilm

5. clingfilm

2.

cut here

score and foldhere

1.


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Project Sheet pg. 7

How to Test your Solar OvenTakeitoutsidetoasunnyspot(ifthegroundiscold,placeonatowelorblanket).Openthelid,place

apieceofpizzaorcheeseontoastontoapaperplateandputitinthecentreofthebox.Ifyouhavea

thermometer,placeitinsidealso,nongdownthetemperatureatthestart.Closethelidandopentheap,direcngtheboxsothefoilapisfacingthesun.Experimentwiththeangleoftheapunlthe

mostsunlightpossibleisreecngintothebox.Useasckorrulertoproptheapupatthecorrect

angle.Whilstitiscooking,regularlychecktheangleoftheboxandtheap,adjusngasneededtomake

sureitispoinngfullytowardsthesun.Allow30minutesfortheoventopre-heat,thendoubletheusual

cookingme.

Othersolarovenrecipeideas:

Melt marshmallows

Bake simple cookies or fairy cakes

Boilaneggwithoutanywater!

Formoreinformaon,watchHowtoTurnaPizzaBoxintoaSolarOven:

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbwliZJiHe8&feature=related

Yourrecipeideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbwliZJiHe8&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbwliZJiHe8&feature=related


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Project Sheet pg. 8

Pringles Tube Solar OvenYou will need: AnemptyPringlestubewiththelidsllon

Clinglm A long skewer

Marshmallows

Sckytape

Tools Craknife

Ruler

Method:1. Ensure that the inside of the Pringles tube is clean and dry.2. Withacraknife,cutdownthemiddleofthetubelengthways,leavingabout5cmateitherend.

Then,cutabout5cmeithersideofthelinesateachend,perpendiculartotherstcut.Thiswillcreate

twoaps;foldthemout.

3. Coverthenewholethatyouhavecreatedwithclinglm.Pullthelmacrossghtlyandtapeitdown

to ensure that no air can get in.

4. TakeothelidofthePringlescanandpushtheskewerallthewaythroughthemiddleofit,leaving

only enough to hold on to.

5. Place three marshmallows on the skewer and put it inside the Pringles tube, securing the lid shut, so

the marshmallows are now inside your solar oven.

6. PlacethePringlestubeoutsidesothatthesunisshiningintotheclinglmcoveredholeandontothe

marshmallows.Youmayneedtoturnthemhalfwaythrough.

7. Thesunwillheatupthesolarovenandyouwillhavegooeymarshmallows!

Forademonstraon,watchCookingwithPringles:howtomakeasolaroven:

hp://nyurl.com/2fztldv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NADsg-v9q8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NADsg-v9q8


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Project Sheet pg. 9

EvaluationHow

successful wasyour solar cooker?

Why do you think thiswas?

For the pizzabox oven, what angleshould the flap bepointing at 11am?

2pm? 4pm?

How canyou improve

the design of yourcooker?

Whatelse could

be cooked in the

Pringles tubeoven?

Whichcountries are

most suited to usingsolar cookers?

Why?

What typesof solar cooker

are there? What arethe advantages anddisadvantages of thedifferent designs?

Why isthe inside of

the oven paintedblack?

How is thegreenhouse effect

created in a solar cooker?

Whatis the

purpose of havinginsulation?

solar cooking pack

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