Design, fabrication, and testing of a mechanical timer in application of a stored-heat solar cooker

Abstract

There is a large need in third-world tropical areas for a method of cooking in which users need minimal resources and traversing to heat food at night. A solution to this problem is to create a stored-heat solar cooker that may be left during the day and acquired at night to cook meals. Previously, a prototype had been built without much success in the timing of the device. This thesis aims to solve this problem by designing, building, and testing a mechanical timer. Several design choices were narrowed to the fabrication and testing of a hydraulic design similar to a gas spring. After this particular iteration of the prototype, proof of concept seems feasible. The next iterations of this timer should incorporate several design changes regarding the o-ring sealing and other various details for proper assembly and decreased cost.