Parabolic Cooker

The parabolic cooker is a so-called reflector cooker. Reflector cookers
concentrate the sunlight directly on the pan, so this type of cooker is very
efficient compared to the cooking box. High temperatures can be reached
quickly with this type of cooker.

On the WOT-field there are two SK-14's, a reflector cooker developed by Dr.
Ing. D. Seifert. He is connected to the non-profit development organisation
EG-solar in Germany. The SK-14 consists of a parabolic mirror (reflector) that
concentrates the light on a black pan. The pan absorbs the sunlight, and cooks
what is in it. Two litres of water will boil in 18 minutes. The parabolic cooker
can be used for example to cook or fry. Besides the preparation of meals, it can
also be used to sterilise or distillate water. In the design of the SK-14
disadvantages of earlier reflector cookers have been taken into account. The
focus point distance is chosen to be small so there is practically no risk of
burning or blinding.

The cooker itself is robust and simple. The frame can be made out of
different kind of materials. So the design can be adapted to locally available
materials and techniques. The reflector consists of specially coated, very
durable (at least 15 years), high shine aluminium. In combination with a
haybox, the SK-14 can be used to prepare food for about 15 people. The
cooker can be used from one hour after dawn to one hour before sunset.
Due to the work of development groups, the SK-14 has been spread in
about 50 countries. In quite a number of countries the SK-14 is produced in
local workshops (e.g. Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina,
Uganda, Nepal en India).