Mentor
H. S. Udaykumar
Participation year
2012
Project title

Tracking Mechanism for Scheffler Reflector Solar Cooking Device in Rajasthan, India

Abstract

In India, burning wood is the traditional way to cook, but this practice is affecting the environment in this country. Due to rapidly increasing deforestation, ecological and sociological concerns—largely that of early deaths of women and children because of cooking smoke-- demand a solution to stop both the rampant transformation of forests to deserts. To solve this problem a solar cooker needs to be designed, to take advantage of the warm climate rather than the rapidly decreasing forest wood. A Scheffler reflector is the main component of this solar cooker that needs a tracker to follow the sun during the day to maintain the sun’s rays in the focal point of the reflector. It is necessary that this solar tracker can be constructed at a low cost and with materials that can be found easily. A mechanical solar tracker has been designed and simulated as part of this research. Autodesk Inventor was utilized to design all the parts of the design and the final assembly of the system. This system uses the principle of a pendulum clock for its operation. With the pendulum clock system, we can maintain an angular velocity of one revolution per day, achieving our goal so that the reflector follows the passage of the sun. Finally we simulate the motion of the whole system and successfully design all the parts with the necessary specification to be constructed."

Edwin Mercado
Education
University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez