Solar Cooking
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[[File:gosun kicker-04.png|thumb|The [[GoSun]] is an example of a solar '''trough cooker''' used with an [[:Category:Evacuated tube solar cooker designs|evacuated glass tube]].]]
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[[File:gosun kicker-04.png|thumb|300px|The [[GoSun]] is an example of a solar '''trough cooker''' used with an [[:Category:Evacuated tube solar cooker designs|evacuated glass tube]].]]
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[[File:Parabolic_Trough_Solar_Cooker.jpg|thumb|300px|A [[Parabolic Trough Solar Cooker (Yaholnitsky)|parabolic trough bread oven]] powers a [[solar bakery]] run by the [[Bethel Business and Community Development Centre]] in [[Lesotho]].]]
 
[[:Category:Solar trough cooker designs|Solar trough cookers]] use a reflector to capture light that has a curved parabolic cross-section, but continues as a straight trough in the other direction. Instead of focussing the light at one spot like a typical bowl shaped [[Parabolic|parabolic solar cooker]], the light is reflected along what is known as a focal line.
 
[[:Category:Solar trough cooker designs|Solar trough cookers]] use a reflector to capture light that has a curved parabolic cross-section, but continues as a straight trough in the other direction. Instead of focussing the light at one spot like a typical bowl shaped [[Parabolic|parabolic solar cooker]], the light is reflected along what is known as a focal line.
   
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==Advantages and disadvantages==
 
==Advantages and disadvantages==
 
'''Advantages'''
 
'''Advantages'''
*The curved trough reflector is efficient at gathering and focussing sunlight along a focal line
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*The curved trough reflector is efficient at gathering and focusing sunlight along a focal line
*Works well with [[:Category:Evacuated tube solar cooker designs|evacuated tube]] cooking chambers, maintaining higher temperatures with intermittent sunlight conditions in a compact package
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*Works well with [[:Category:Evacuated tube solar cooker designs|evacuated tube]] cooking chambers, maintaining higher temperatures in intermittent sunlight conditions.
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*The cooker can be a compact package, easy to use and store.
   
 
'''Disadvantages'''
 
'''Disadvantages'''
 
*The trough design does not focus sunlight onto a standard cook pot
 
*The trough design does not focus sunlight onto a standard cook pot
*Not particularly well suited for home enthusiast construction
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*Not particularly well-suited for home enthusiast construction
   
 
==What can you cook?==
 
==What can you cook?==
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===Personal===
 
===Personal===
 
Compact and efficient trough cookers are available commercially, though somewhat expensive with the evacuated tube and a sturdy reflector.
 
Compact and efficient trough cookers are available commercially, though somewhat expensive with the evacuated tube and a sturdy reflector.
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====Examples of personal solar trough cookers====
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====Examples of personal cookers====
 
*[[GoSun Grill]]
 
*[[GoSun Grill]]
 
*[[BIOGRI]]
 
*[[BIOGRI]]
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===Institutional===
 
===Institutional===
 
Systems using the linear arrays boil water to create steam to cook large amounts of food. However, [[:Category:Parabolic solar cooker designs|parabolic arrays]] may be better suited for [[tracking|tracking the sun]] for this purpose.
 
Systems using the linear arrays boil water to create steam to cook large amounts of food. However, [[:Category:Parabolic solar cooker designs|parabolic arrays]] may be better suited for [[tracking|tracking the sun]] for this purpose.
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====Examples of institutional cookers====
 
*[[Chari Solar Trough Cooker]]
 
*[[Chari Solar Trough Cooker]]
   

Revision as of 19:46, 28 September 2015

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Last edited: 28 September 2015      
Gosun kicker-04

The GoSun is an example of a solar trough cooker used with an evacuated glass tube.

Parabolic Trough Solar Cooker

A parabolic trough bread oven powers a solar bakery run by the Bethel Business and Community Development Centre in Lesotho.

Solar trough cookers use a reflector to capture light that has a curved parabolic cross-section, but continues as a straight trough in the other direction. Instead of focussing the light at one spot like a typical bowl shaped parabolic solar cooker, the light is reflected along what is known as a focal line.

This straight line of concentrated light is often directed onto an evacuated glass tube chamber containing food to be cooked. The two technologies work well together, as the well-insulated tube allows for less reorientation to the sun. Several commercial solar cookers using this combined approach are available for sale. Linear arrays of reflectors are also suited for larger steam generating cooking systems.

Because construction of the trough reflector requires bending only in one direction they can be easier to fabricate than a parabolic dish, but they do not offer the option of easily heating a single cook pot.

The trough can be aligned on a north-south axis, and rotated to track the sun as it moves across the sky each day, or faced in a southerly direction requiring no reorientation to the sun, with slightly less efficient output.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • The curved trough reflector is efficient at gathering and focusing sunlight along a focal line
  • Works well with evacuated tube cooking chambers, maintaining higher temperatures in intermittent sunlight conditions.
  • The cooker can be a compact package, easy to use and store.

Disadvantages

  • The trough design does not focus sunlight onto a standard cook pot
  • Not particularly well-suited for home enthusiast construction

What can you cook?

Any food cut into pieces that will fit conveniently into a sliding tray inside of an evacuated tube chamber or secured to a rotating skewer. Because the tube is used primarily in a horizontal position, boiling liquids, and cooking rice and beans, are usually not done with trough cookers.

Types of solar trough cookers

Personal

Compact and efficient trough cookers are available commercially, though somewhat expensive with the evacuated tube and a sturdy reflector.

Examples of personal cookers

Institutional

Systems using the linear arrays boil water to create steam to cook large amounts of food. However, parabolic arrays may be better suited for tracking the sun for this purpose.

Examples of institutional cookers

All solar trough cookers

  • Solar trough cooker designs are listed below along with a photographic directory to research individual cookers.

See also Cylindro-parabolic solar cookers.

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