Solar Oven
The Solar Oven project started in Athens, inspired by the catastrophes that had been unfolding in the world
Problem
War and chaos are ravaging parts of the world, leaving people with almost nothing. The ability to cook food to a safe temperature is necessary for the body on a nutritional and hygiene level. This must be achieved in a safe, healthy way with resources that can be scavenged from urban wreckage.
Solution
The footprint size 60 x 40 was chosen as it would be big enough for a family sized Dutch oven and provide space to catch and reflect the solar energy.
Pallet wood is free and easy to find in the street. It can be exchanged for solid wood board where available; however I am working from the lowest common denominator here. I opted to buy screws, hinges and brackets as although they can be scavenged, I wanted to use this for educational purposes and give it a relatively 'tidy' image.
Afterall this should suggest hygiene.
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Hinge and Door
Due to limited access I designed this so that the door went on this end in particular. It could just as easily gone on the other end and I see no reason why it could not have gone on the back side (also wood).
Initially I considered having the glass as a moving part but this requires more complexity.
This project is simple for the sake of being easily replicable with hand tools in a war zone if need be.
Almost finished
I had the glass professionally cut. Again this object is for demonstrative purposes as well. In a pinch plastic could be used; although glass does not run the risk of offgassing. Both plastic and glass can be sourced easily.
A walk around Athens reveals a number of discarded glass panels of suitable size; while I could walk into the kitchen and find plastic in the form of cling film or a transparent bag.
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With some knowledge glass is not difficult to score and cut; although this does need gloves and a lot of care while doing so.
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Energy bounces around
The solar oven works by allowing solar energy to come through the glass and land on the black pot. The reflective walls are to ensure that solar energy bounces off surfaces that are not meant to warm up. The pot should be the only element that absorbs energy. Everything else can be considered wasted energy if it absorbs.
Off the bottom
To raise the pot from the bottom, I also created a little block. This is something of a test, but it will allow light to reflect off the floor of the oven better. We can consider that doing this loses no surface area, but does gain surface area as the bottom of the pot can potentially now receive energy.