A novel solar cooker from Portugal ¾ the Sun Cook ¾ is now available from SUN CO, Companhia de Energia Solar S.A. The Sun Cook is a concentrator-type solar cooker with many solar box cooker characteristics. It weighs just over 24 pounds (11 kilograms) and has a cooking area of 13.8 inches by 16.2 inches (35 centimeters by 41 centimeters).

The Sun Cook uses ideal, non-imaging optics (also known as compound parabolic concentrator, or CPC-type optics) inside the box, concentrating incoming solar radiation by a factor of 1.46x onto a black, Teflon®-coated aluminum absorber plate, upon which the pot sits. The internal box walls are shaped as two identical asymmetric CPCs in one direction and two distinct, asymmetric CPCs in the other.

The Sun Cook’s unique system of external, anodized aluminum reflectors directs addition sunlight onto the absorber plate and cooking pot. The primary reflector, which can be vertically extended via a slide-out mirror, is attached at the back of the cooker’s lid. The second reflector can be attached on either side of the lid, and fans open to accommodate the primary reflector’s tilt.

Five types of injection-molded plastic are used in the cooker, allowing for precise shaping of the cooker’s sophisticated optics and the potential for mass production. The five plastics ¾ Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT), Polypropylene (PP), Polyamide or Nylon (PA), a Polyamide-Polytetrafluoroethylene blend (PA/PTFE), and Polyoxymethylene or Acetal (POM) ¾ were chosen for their resilience at varying temperatures and levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure. Oven-type insulation is used inside the box and below the absorber plate. The Sun Cook’s “window” is double glazed with tempered glass and sealed to prevent moisture infiltration.

If needed, cooking times can be controlled by a unique solar “clock” that works in conjunction with the side reflector to cast a shadow across the cooker after a specified period of time.

The Sun Cook is available at a suggested retail price of 249 € (approximately US $290), and comes with two cooking pots and a recipe book.

Contact: SUN CO, Companhia de Energia Solar S.A., Rua Augusto Costa, Picassinos, 2431-956 Marinha Grande, Portugal. Tel: +351 244 573 420, fax: +351 244 573 428, e-mail: contact@sun-co.pt, web: www.sun-co.pt or www.sun-cook.com.

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Solar Cooker Review
Solar Cooker Review is published two or three times per year with the purpose of presenting solar cooking information from around the world. Topics include solar cooker technology, dissemiNation Newstrategies, educational materials, and cultural and social adaptations. From time to time we cover related topics such as women’s issues, wood shortages, health, nutrition, air pollution, climatic changes, and the environment.

Solar Cooker Review is sent to those who contribute money or s about solar cooking projects. The suggested subscription price is US $10/year. Single copies are sent free to select libraries and groups overseas.

We welcome reports and commentary related to solar cooking for possible inclusion. These may be edited for clarity or space. Please cite sources whenever possible. We will credit your contribution. Send contributions to Solar Cookers International, 1919 21st Street, Suite 101, Sacramento, California 95814-6827, USA. You may also send them by fax: (916) 455-4498 or e-mail: info@solarcookers.org.

Solar Cooker Review is compiled and edited by the staff of Solar Cookers International (SCI), with layout graciously provided by IMPACT Publications located in Medford, Oregon, USA.

SCI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization assisting communities to use the power of the sun to cook food and pasteurize water for the benefit of people and environments. We do not sell, rent or trade names of our donors. Tax ID # 68-0153141.

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