REVIEW OF SOLAR COOKERS

Ever since its inception in June 1999 this site has been receiving lot of visitors and comments, only some of them are presented here to enthuse the reader to respond rather than boast about the site. I would have been very happy if the visitor, like Keshav Jaini ( quoted bellow ),or that of of Mr. Deris, who had tried out any one of these designs, or invented a new one, and informed me about the same. I am very hopeful of getting such a response in the near future.

Recently the SCI team has once again recognized the site and has decided to link it on to theirs, this would make it easier for the browser.

( Most of the respondents have E-mail addresses, but as I have not got their formal permission, I have not disclosed the same, but if anyone wishes to contact them I can send the address )

1. BEV BLUM, (former) Vice President, Solar Cooker International, USA- 9th Feb. 1999.

" Thank you very kindly for sending the TIDE issue with your excellent summary article on Review of Solar Cooker Design. It is a wonderful taxonomy of Solar Cookers"

( Note : Encouraged by this gesture I was prompted to launch the Review Paper on the net )

" your review paper arrieved a few days ago,and I have greatly enjoyed reading through it. It is excellent, and I thank you very sincerely for sending me a hard copy. You seem to have done an excellent and comprehensive job of putting together all the older as well as newer work and presenting it all in very clear,logical easily readable fasion, with a stisfying number of illustrations. I should think that it would be regarded as the "standard" for understanding the state of art of Solar Cookers for many years to come"

( Note : Way back in 80's, I was fortunate enough to get copies of Prof. Bowman's works through VITA. His work was indeed pioneering, very inspiring. He had presented several useful variations including the FIT Design of Solar Cookers. It is rather unfortunate that his classic design has not caught the attention of Solar Cooker enthusiasts. )

" I must congratulte you for putting up one of the most through and comprehensive sites I have seen. Thank you very much " " In the section on Box Cooker you refer to a material designated as 'MS' I am not familier with it "

" ______ I read your information on Solar Cookers on the mentioned URL with great interest "

" Congratulations on your comprehensive article on Solar Cookers Design on the Web. It must have involved a lot of effort to bring together at one place the diverse facts lurking in different places.

An interesting piece of information is that one ADAMS, in the 18th century was active in Bombay designing a Solar Cooker.

It is important that we should be looking out for easily available material for making solar cooker. Your efferts in finding suitable plastic and ways of putting the shine on aluminium Sheets are laudable "

( Note : I am yet to find and make a final list of suitable materials for use in solar Cookers, I would appreciate if readers help me in doing so, best and long lasting reflectors, insulations, Glass bowls, vessels, paints etc., the list is rather long. )

" ___ now I have read and enjoyed your ' Review of Solar Cooker Designs' , a big work with judicious comments.

Conceept VI you have suggested ( a double walled glass cover with vacumn inbetween ) would work well with 'Cookit' but I am afraid that the Cook may find it very difficult to handle the cooking pot ".

( Note : At the time of writing the review I had not paid much attention the this aspect, for in Solar Box type of cookers handling pots was easy though it ment lot of heat loss. Inverted Glass bowls and the like have been suggested in the past, but the best option is to use a upright bowl just covering most of the vessel and a lid also with a Glass cover to prevent heat loss as suggested by Prof. Bernard. This aspect is covered in detail under Prologue as well as Box type Cookers).

6. Prof. Barbara Kerr, USA ( one of the active workers in the field of Solar Cooking, and prolific respondents on solarcooking-l@igc.topica.com )

" Solar Cooking , as we both know, is the only truly sustainable methods of cooking. I have read your posting and honor all the work you have done and the devotion you have given to it over many years. I could not see where I can add to your efforts "

" I have been reading your review on Solar Cookers, congratulations on a lot of work on compiling the data.

" __ I was at Tibet and saw the Chinese Parabolic Cookers with 2 reflectors, which is very popular and easy to fabricate, but wwould not get one to India as it was too heavy and cumbersome.

" The 'Cookit' is a very good design for introducing solar cooking. I had taken one to Tibet, and it was quite effective."

" I like the work you've done on improving your fine document. How would you like to host them on the Solarcooking.org. site?"

( Note : I have given my consent, and very soon enthusiasts should be in a position to get to my site through solarcooking.org )

"I have just visited your amazing website and I am so happy that you have put all the information on the net, it is really a testiment for you "

( Note : Dr. Brett has updated the folding Umbrella type of Cookers, you would find his URL under other links )

" I have just found your website, and wish I had found it earlier. Very good work "

( Note : Dr. Quinton is doing commendable work in popularising Solar Cookers especially at PERU. You could get to his beautiful, informative and well layed out site, through other links )

" I just read through your incredible review about solar Ovens and discovered that you missed one type of design. It is called as 'Clear Dome Solar Oven'

"I really enjoy your web page on solar cookers, and am very impressed with its thuroughness. I would make a pair of suggestions. 1) Include the European Committee solar cooker test results (1 and 2) done in Spain (M. Grupp et. al.) and 2) Include the international test standard (attached) Paul _______________________________________ Dr. Paul A. Funk, Agricultural Engineer U.S.D.A. Agricultural Research Service' ( Prof. Paul Funk's paper on 'International Test Standards' has been added to this site in 'pages' /solar 7 & 8, I intend addeding it to all pages

Thank you for your email, and for your fine review of solar cookers. (However, I was unable to locate the funnel cooker in the short time I had to search -- but no doubt it is there!)

"I visited your home page on Solar-cookers. It is indeed very nice and informative. I congratulate you heartily for your efforts in propogating solar cooking. I am looking towards buying a solar cooker for my home in Mysore. Please let me know from where I can buy one.

"My name is David Acosta, I have read your information on the web and it is great! But I am looking for more information on Water Lens and I can not find any, what would you suggest I should look under?"

"I am Sriram, from Mumbai. I liked your site about solar cooking. Have you any ideas related to PV (PhotoVoltaic) cells or Solar Power Plants etc? I am trying to investigate into these areas. I like to see if India can make use of the Tropical Heat for mitigation of power crisis , atleast at home levels. I am very serious to investigate but I fall short in technology. I am a Comp.Science Guy. If you are not into these but If you know any person who knows these please let me know."

Let me thank you first for collection of designs. I am more interested in chemical cooker. I am kin to buy one if available or if not can you provide me more guidance with some more material. I have one box type cooker but it has been hardly used as we have to keep it on our terrace. Thanking you in advance,

"Would you please send if available details on solar system for heating up cold water for showers or bathing etc not cookers please to Benkara UK LTD. 24 The Wharf Tyne Crescent Brickhill Bedford Mk41-7XP, England."

"Hi my name is Rachel and I was wondering about your solar cooker design. I was wondering exactly like how it works. I know the sun's rays go through the glass and to cooking vessel, but I'm not sure how the suns rays cook the food. Rachel, Rslowenth@aol.com"

"It is a great site and you have put a lot of labor with passion. I congratulate you and hope that you will keep on serving the humanity with more noval designs. Ghazi A. Khan California, ghazikhan786@cs.com"

"I genuinely enjoyed your work on solar cookers. I live in Tampa Florida which is quite sunny. I want to either purchase or construct a cooker. Do you know of a commercially available unit that would be appropriate for my latitude? I would use it perhaps 3 or 4 times per week-not an essential device for my family but one that would have both environmental and educational value for my friends, neighbors and associates. George Hunt, Business Development Manager, National Account Manager for Microsoft, 11 Penn Plaza Eleventh Floor, New York, NY USA,10001"

"I have had seen your website with quite valuable information, I want to know where you are based at the moment and what are your personal interest in solar power technology. I am also working on solar power but in another way and involving latest technologies, will send you details and discuss in future provided I have the above mentioned information. ( I am sorry pal I am not asking for a CV). Have fun then, Best Regard's, Syed."

"I read with interest your website on solar cooking. I read the chart that compares the best types and saw that the Wiscon-Cin style was rated the most efficient. However, I could not find any other references to this design. Could you please direct me to a source of more information so that I can further my knowledge. Sincerely, Mark Hammari, USA."

( Note : I would appreciate letters of this type too informing me of the designs I have missed, once I have all the designs it would be easy for the reader to select the type he likes or the inventor or designer to improve upon the existing designs. Deris's ' Clear Dome Solar Cooker ' has been added to this site. He is a prolific inventor, has a wonderful site too and you could find URL under other links). I have not added new comments, but will add some soon.

PREVIOUS PART Authors home page

NEXT PART Prologue

S 1 - PROLOGUE	S2 - INTRODUCTION	S3 - Classification Chart
S4 - Light from below	S5-Light from below	S6 - Light from above
S7 - Box type designs	S8 - Indirect types	S9 - Chemical types
S10 - Selection of best design	S11-Recommendations	S12 - References and links
Authors home page	INDEX	Comments received

For details regarding testing standards for Solar Cookers ( International Standards ) please click here

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