THE SOLAR COOKING COMPETITION

OUR SOLAR COOKER

By: Elizabeth Simon, Kevin Yok and Liew Jien Jie
(Representing the school of SMK Merbau)

Abstract
Mankind will continue to use energy, even if we all make a concerted to cut

down on our consumption.

So another important step to take if we want to save the environment is to
find alternative ways to produce and use sustainable, clean energy.
The main purpose of our project is to replace old wood fuel stoves with an
eco-friendly solar cooker that uses "green" energy.
A solar cooker is a device which uses the energy of sunlight to heat food or
drink or to sterilize it.
Solar cooking is a form of outdoor cooking and is often used in situations
where minimal fuel consumption is important, or the danger of accidental
fires is high.
The vast variety of the solar cookers presently in use are cheap, low tech
devices because they use no fuel, no electricity required to operate, they
reduce air pollution and slow deforestation and desertification.

Objective / Aim
To cook food in the process of using solar energy instead

of electricity or fuel
To find an alternative way to cook without using fuel.
To conceive an innovative idea to save resources.

Introduction and Problem Statements

We would continue to waste earth's resources without

proper management and efficiency.

In order to solve this problem, we need an alternative way
to overcome our needs for energy. This leads us to the use
of green energy, a brilliant and effective way to overcome
the problem.

Advantages
To conserve the usage of fuel.
To save our cost by purchasing low cost of products

instead of high cost of fuel.

Prevent of air pollution.
Prevent of global warming.
There is no danger of burning food and flavours remain
intact.

Disadvantages
Only functions during day time when weather is hot and

sunny.
Takes quite long to cook.
Takes long time to build the solar cooker.
Solar cookers are not as efficient at retaining heat as
compared to conventional cooking devices.
There is a risk of accidental injury or burns if the
appliance is not used properly

Materials
Gravels
D Arte black mat boards
Foil paper
Magnifying glass
A4 Paper
Plastic book wrapper
Spray paint : Black Number 30
Poly foam

Apparatus
500ml water container that absorbs heat
Black binding tape
Scissors
PVA glue
Board cutter
Eraser
Ruler
Blue, black and red pens
Pencil
Big NT cutter blade
Measuring cylinder

Pictorial Descriptions and Steps

Steps and Description

1.
2.

Prepare the materials and

apparatus.
Cut 5 mat boards for each size
according to sizes 30.5 cm x
30.5 cm and 38 cm x 38 cm
with a board cutter.

Pictures

Steps and Description

Pictures

3. Line the inside of the small box

and large box with foil paper

using polystyrene glue.
4. Join the cut 30.5 cm x 30.5 cm
and 38 cm x 38 cm mat boards
to make a box by taping the
sides using a binding tape.
5. Cut up some poly foam with
scissors and stuff them into the
space between the side walls of
the small box and large box.

(Currently not available)

(Currently not available)

Steps and Description

6. Prepare another 4 mat boards

and cut them according to the

size shown with scissors.
7. Fold all the flaps according to
the dotted lines.
8. Line the inner surface of the
collectors exclude all the flaps
with foil paper.
9. Join the side flaps of all mat
boards with binding tape.

Pictures

Steps and Description

Pictures

10. Tape the bottom flaps to the

11.
12.
13.
14.

15.

inner part of the small box with

binding tape.
Spray the water container with
black spray paint.
Measure 500 ml of water with a
measuring cylinder.
Pour the water into the water
container.
Put some gravels and the water
container into the plastic book
wrapper.
Put a magnifying glass on top
of the wrapped water container.

(Currently not available)

(Currently not available)

Steps and Description

Pictures

(Currently not available)

16. Wrap the whole solar cooker

with another bigger plastic

book wrapper.
17. Measure the initial temperature.
18. After several hours, measure
the final temperature.

(Currently not available)

Scientific Theory - Accumulation of Heat

Foil paper helps to reflect the sunlight.
Magnifying glass helps to enhance the amount of sunlight

and heat.
Gravels can absorb and retain heat.
A plastic book wrapper can trap the heat.
The poly foam helps to insulate the heat so that it prevents
heat loss.
A dark water container used can get very hot in sunlight
compared to light surfaces.

Scientific Concept Application

Reflection - Aluminium foil helps to reflect the sunlight to

the water container.

Greenhouse effect - The plastic book wrapper creates
green house effect by trapping the heat that enters the
solar cooker.
Refraction Sunlight is focused directly to the side of the
water container. When sunlight travel through a denser
magnifying glass medium light gets refracted and is
focused more towards the normal.

Reasons of Colour Chosen

Opposed to white,
which is..

Black is

Dark
Dull
Good heat absorber
Good heat
conductor

Bright
Shiny
Poor heat absorber
Poor heat
conductor

Trial and Error

Monday

Thursday

Initial temperature : 30C

Initial temperature : 30C

Temperature after 2 hour s: 50C

Temperature after 1 hour : 50.5C

Solar energy absorption:

The result seems to be better on Thursday compared to Monday as
they are some changes made to the solar cooker.
Example:
a) More gravels are put to absorb and remain the heat.
b) The gravels had been spray to a darker colour.
c) A large plastic book wrapper is used to trap the heat.

Conclusion
Solar cooker helps to conserve fuel.
Solar cooker requires less cost compared to the cost of

fuel.
Mankind should use solar cooker in order to conserve fuel
for the sake of the next generation.

END OF
PRESENTATION
Now for question and answer session. (Q & A Session)

THANK YOU FOR

YOUR ATTENTION