BY:

VIJAYAKUMAR.V

Solar cooker

Solar water heater

Other solar products

Solar energy is an important renewable energy that we get from the Sun. Solar energy is used for different purposes

i.e. residential and commercial. Solar energy is one such energy that is available in that too totally free of cost.

As said before it is used for various purposes and one of the most essential use of solar energy is for cooking and heating food with the help of a solar cooker.

This device uses the rays of the sun and converts it into heat energy for heating the food.

The solar cooker uses the energy of the sun directly for preparing food just like the plants that use sunlight to prepare their food.

Solar cookers are cheap and use no fuel because of which many people in developed and developing countries make use of it.

Solar cookers are mainly used when the food is prepared outdoor and helps in lowering pollution and deforestation.

A solar cooker is a container or a device that traps solar energy and helps in heating and cooking food. It mainly works on three principles

i.e. concentration, absorption and retention. A solar cooker has a mirror that helps in letting the sun’s UV rays in and converts it into infrared light rays.

The infrared radiation has the power to make the protein fat and water molecules present inside the food to shake vigorously which heats up the food.

The sun’s heat actually does not help in heating the food but it is the rays derived from the sun which converts into heat energy and cooks the food.

A lid is used to cover the food kept inside a pot so that the heat energy doers not escape.

An effective solar cooker thus helps in capturing heat and cooks food.

In these three kinds of solar cookers, the parabolic solar cooker is the best as it is much advanced in nature than the other two and is more

efficient to use.

we have some requirements which are as follows

A dark colored pot preferably black with a lid. A dark pot is required because a dark object gets heartened up quickly.

You then require a large glass bowl or a transparent covering that will allow the rays of the sun to reach the dark cooking pot inside which food is kept. This helps in increasing the temperature and also prevents the heat from escaping out.

You also require an extra material that will help you increase the sunlight inside the cooking pot. A mirror is generally used for this purpose as it can reflect the sunlight inside the cooker. Apart from a mirror an aluminum foil too can be used.

The more the sun rays the more the heat and faster the food gets cooked.

A reflective surface to trap heat that will be an aluminum foil, mirror

Cardboard box, scissors, box knife

Transparent plastic bag to seal the opening or closing the solar cooker well from all sides

A dark pot containing food

Newspapers to tape them inside the box for proper insulation

A transparent bowl

A ruler to set the angle of the sun rays for cooking food

Solar cookers help in preserving forests as sun’s energy is renewable and solar cooker makes use of it which does not cause any pollution to the environment.

The use of electricity has affected in global warming and as you know solar cooker does not require any electricity for its working again it does not lead to global warming.

Use of solar cookers helps in decreasing global warming.

Solar cookers do not produce smoke and can be used by anyone to cook food.

In summers you can make use of the cooker effectively and also the food will get prepared within no time.

Lastly it is totally free of cost.

It is Very easy to use and is totally devoid of complexities unlike the other cookers.

You can make recipe of your choice with the help of this cooker.

It cannot be used when the weather is cloudy as the sun is hidden by the clouds.

Also solar cookers can be used to cook food only during the daytime.

They cannot retain heat for a long period of time.

It can cause burns if the device is not built and handled properly.

It can destroy your eyesight if the beam of the sunlight gets reflected to your eyes.

Also sometimes it takes a long time to cook food so it is better to cook in normal pressure cooker.

Strong winds too can delay the cooking process of the solar cooker.

Lastly it can only be used in places where there is excessive sunlight.

The cooking process takes several hours; hence patience should be kept by the maker.

A solar water heater is a device that helps in boiling the water or making it warm.

Solar water heaters make use of the solar energy which is derived from the sun absolutely free.

Also the solar energy is one which is available in abundance.

The solar water heater can provide hot water for more than 605 of the household chores.

Solar heaters are very cheap and it can help you save energy by 20%.

Depending on the climate the heater helps in water warming.

There are basically two types of solar water heaters, i.e. active and passive.

Solar water heater helps in heating water with the help of solar energy for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes.

Basically a solar water collector that is placed in a wall facing the sun helps in heating the cold water with the help of the rays of the sun.

The heater is available in two types i.e. active and passive. The collectors consist of a box that is insulated and has a black painted glass cover, a solar metal absorber that is flat and is fastened to wires made of copper.

Heat is stored in a separate water tank with an outlet and inlet which is attached out to the collector.

Passive collectors make use of electricity to produce hot water where there is no access to sunlight and the temperature is too cold.

Solar water heaters help in warming the cold water with the help of sun’s energy.

If you do not wish to buy a soar water heater then you can make one of your won.

Basically it consists of heat collector and water storage tanks. The heat collector is placed in a place where there is abundant sunlight.

The heat collectors are generally black sheet metal that is attached to the tube. Black color helps in absorbing heat faster. A concave mirror too can be used in order to collect heat.

The mirror can be focused on the water collector to heat the water stored in it.

For the purpose of pumping the heated water to the house for general purposes try heating less amount of water at intervals once the eater inside the heat collector is hot it is pumped inside a large storage tank.

This pumping can be done with the help of active and passive methods. The passive method makes use of convection while active method uses pumps.

There are two kinds of primary systems namely

Batch: it is a tank inside a solar collector without any tubes. The water heats inside and either the gravity or the tendency of the hot water to rise, moves the water upwards and the water reaches the home pipes.

Thermosiphon: In this the water collector and solar system both are separate. Cold water moves through the solar collector tubes and then natural convection pumps which results in hot water in the storage tank. That water then travels to home pipes.

Direct: This system makes use of pumps. The water moves from solar collectors to storage tank with the help of electrical pumps.

Indirect: In this system the solar collectors heat the heat transfer fluid and not the water. The fluid then flows through a sealed piping of a heat exchanger which is full of water. The water absorbs the heat from the fluid and then is pumped inside the storage tank.

Drainback: This is similar to the indirect method. The only difference here however is that it uses distilled water as the heat transfer fluid. It has a separate tank for the distilled water. Pumping out the heat transfer liquid into a separate tank makes it perfect for use during cool climates.

As there is no requirement of electricity it save energy and can help in reducing your electricity bills.

It helps in saving the environment as you are suing natural resources and there is no pollution.

A well built solar heater lasts for many years so you can remain tension free for years. Also you can heat water when there is no power supply

Although you need not pay huge bills but initially for installing one you do require shelling out some money.

Countries all over the world offer favorable incentives for installing these solar water heaters.

To reduce costs you can make a solar water heater of your own.

They are highly effective in areas where it is sunny all day

Initially for installing the solar water heater you need to pay a huge amount which is not affordable for all.

It can be used only in areas where there is access to large amount of sunlight.

During winter and rainy seasons they require electrical and fuels back up as the amount of sunlight is very less.

Passive solar water heater has very low efficiency power.

The heater should be protected well and for gaining hot weather they need to have good sunlight.

They are totally useless in places where there is no access of sunlight.

They can be used to heat water only during the day i.e. when the sun is there.

Only when the rays of the sun are strong the heat collector can collect the heat in order to heat the water.

Initially for installing the solar water heater you need to pay a huge amount which is not affordable for all.

It can be used only in areas where there is access to large amount of sunlight.

During winter and rainy seasons they require electrical and fuels back up as the amount of sunlight is very less.

Passive solar water heater has very low efficiency power.

The heater should be protected well and for gaining hot weather they need to have good sunlight.

They are totally useless in places where there is no access of sunlight.

They can be used to heat water only during the day i.e. when the sun is there.

Only when the rays of the sun are strong the heat collector can collect the heat in order to heat the water.

so, we use for the solar product global warming will be reduced

Deforestation will be reduced

Electricity demand will be reduced

The solar energy is the natural power ,so we use the power properly to avoid the these kind of problems in our future