How Solar Ovens Work

If you've heard of solar ovens, you might wonder 'how do solar ovens work?' These days, mankind is running short of fuels. If fuel continues to be used at the same rate as it is being used now, then very soon there would be no fuel available. In order to avoid this, we have to search for other options for fuel. One such option is solar energy. Solar energy can be used for different purposes, one of them being to run solar ovens. Solar ovens are used by many of us, for cooking food or boiling water. These ovens are inexpensive, easy to use and do not require much cost to run. As no fuel is required for running them, it helps in energy conservation too. Simple solar ovens cannot work at night or on a cloudy day, since solar energy is required for its working. If you want to use the solar ovens at night or on a cloudy day, then you will have to purchase advanced solar ovens, which make use of modern techniques for its working. So let's find out how solar ovens work.

How do Solar Ovens Work?
The solar ovens work by converting solar energy to heat energy, which is further used for cooking food. Solar ovens consists of a dark pot which is placed inside the solar oven and is used for absorbing heat. Since this pot is dark in color, it absorbs maximum solar energy. Almost all the solar oven temperatures are as high as 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Read more on: how solar energy works.

Many kinds of solar ovens are available. To understand how solar ovens work, let's take a look at the working of different solar oven designs patterns:

Panel Cookers
These are the simplest kind of solar cookers and make use of flat solar panels, which are covered with reflective coating, in order to direct the solar energy. The panels can be made from aluminum foils or cardboard. Above the solar oven cooker, exists a black pot where the solar energy is absorbed. Since this pot is black in color, it is used for absorbing most of the light, which is further converted to heat. In order to stop the heat from flowing out into the air, the pot is wrapped with a plastic coating. The temperature in this solar oven is not very high. But, they can be used in sunny days for cooking grains, vegetables and meat. This was in brief about how solar cooker works.

Box Oven
As the name suggests, it is an insulated box which consists of a glass or plastic top for trapping the heat. The sides and bottom of this box oven are either black in color or are made up of a reflective substance. There exists a black pot inside the box. The sides of this box are used for converting light into heat. The box oven has the capability of reaching temperatures of up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Curved Concentrators
This solar oven design can be said as the advanced versions of panel cookers. Unlike flat panels used in panel cookers, curved concentrators make use of parabolic or bowl-shaped reflector, which is used for focusing the sunlight on the pot. This curved concentrator produces heat, according to the weather and the size of the reflector. Read more on:

• Making a Solar Oven
• Build your Own Solar Panels
• Do Solar Panels Work at Night
• Do Solar Panels Work in the Winter

Hope this has cleared some of your doubts about how solar ovens work. Solar ovens can be portable for camping or large units suitable for homes. There are many kits available in the market along with solar oven instructions for construction and using them. Since, solar ovens make use of solar energy and do not require fuel for its functioning, they help a lot in saving fuel. Hence, we should try to use solar ovens and use solar energy to the fullest. You must have also got an idea about how solar cookers work!