STEP 1: Identify the problem- Individual

Your job is to identify the problem which you are trying to solve in its entirety.
You are to:
1. State the Problem: People in a rural community near Cotopaxi have just suffered
massive loss of electricity due to the eruption of the dormant volcano. The
government imagines these people will be without an energy source for at least 1
month. Unfortunately, the government has had most individuals change from gas
to electric stoves before the eruption, and these people are now not able to cook
their daily meals.
2. State what you have to do to solve this problem: You must design the most
efficient solar cooker, so that these people may be able to eat without using
electricity.
3. List all variables which may affect the design of your solar cooker (Hint: a
variable is defined as- a feature or factor):
1. The ashes might be something that will cause some problems, because when there is
an eruption the ashes go widespread into the atmosphere this might bar the sunlight
from reaching the cooker, therefore cutting out the main supply of energy for the
cookers.
2. The climate might influence too, if there is no good weather time, like rainy days with
lots of clouds, the amount of solar radiation production would be a lot lower therefore
the cookers wouldnt be as efficient.
3. The cost of the product, sometimes the materials you need to make the cooker can be
expensive depending on how industrialized it is.

STEP 2: Research the Problem- Individual

The most important, and commonly brushed over step is RESEARCH. We will never be
able to understand 100% of anything in life, but it is our job to prepare ourselves to
perform the best. Each variable which was listed in step one should be researched.

Variable: Ashes
1. What is this particular variable?
The ashes might be something that will cause some problems, because when there is
an eruption the ashes go widespread into the atmosphere this might bar the sunlight
from reaching the cooker, therefore cutting out the main supply of energy for the
cookers.

2. What is the history of this variable (Hint: History in the use of a solar cooker)?
Volcano's ashes usually cause a lot of trouble. As they dont allow the sun to reach the
surface they may cause crops to go bad and they have many other agricultural impacts,
they also have an impact in the health of the people nearby as they sulfur in the ash is
harmful for your lungs.
It has also been recorded in the past that the ashes of the the volcano have spread
through a wide area and have caused airplane difficulties, not allowing airplanes to fly.

3. What is the current use or understanding of this variable (Hint: Current use in the
functioning of a solar cooker)?
Currently we know that the sun is blocked by the ash, therefore the solar panels would
not receive any sunlight, this might be a big problem as our prime goal is to get energy,
specially radiation to this remote places that have been affected by the volcano and its
aftermath, that would be the ashes too.

Variable: Climate
4. What is this particular variable?
The climate might influence too, if there is no good weather time, like rainy days with lots
of clouds, the amount of solar radiation production would be a lot lower therefore the
cookers wouldnt be as efficient. Even though there would be some solar radiation and
the cooker would heat up a bit, it would be a lot less than what could be in a sunny day,
therefore it might not be hot enough to cook anything making useless.

5. What is the history of this variable (Hint: History in the use of a solar cooker)?
Normally for the most part climate has had a huge influence in our history, considering
not only the climate calamities, but daily rains and sunny days. Before climate was
explained with deities, now we actually understand how climate works. from there weve
designated its advantages to many useful projects, in this case we are using the suns
radiation as a source of energy, or as weve used since the greeks the wind for turbines,
that today power aeolic energy.

6. What is the current use or understanding of this variable (Hint: Current use in the
functioning of a solar cooker)?
Currently we are using this variable to our advantage in terms of the solar cooker as we
are using the heat the sun radiates to heat up the cooker.

Variable: Cost
7. What is this particular variable?
The price for the solar panels counts in as a variable because this is a factor that would
influence not really how the product functions,, but more if people in latacunga or in the
affected areas by the Cotopaxi volcano can afford it, or if it is provided by an NGO or the
government. This still does impact the product because depending on the materials we
use, the productivity of the product will vary, maybe it wont be as efficient if go on too
cheap.

8. What is the history of this variable (Hint: History in the use of a solar cooker)?
Weve a wide range of different cookers all very different, some a lot more industrialized
than others, for example we saw one that was made out f a pizza box and cooking foil,
reused. Probably this wouldnt be as efficient as one sponsored by Solar Cookers
International. We have also seen some that are given to people in Africa, in the middle of
nowhere far from civilization, in places where getting electricity wiring is pretty hard so
most likely these types are really efficient and simple at the same time.

9. What is the current use or understanding of this variable (Hint: Current use in the
functioning of a solar cooker)?

The cost really changes the game, because for this reason some people opt to use
homemade cookers in order to save money or others go for really expensive ones that
are more efficient due to the materials theyve been built with.

Bibliography:
http://www.solarcookers.org/basics/how.html
http://www.thermaxxjackets.com/5-most-common-thermal-insulation-materials/
http://exa.ec/bp21/index-en.html
http://www.livescience.com/31127-iceland-volcano-ash-plume-trouble.html
http://www.solarcooker-at-cantinawest.com/solarcooking-history.html

STEP 3: Develop Possible Solutions- Individual

During this step each person should come up with sketches and a brief description of 2
possible solutions.

Read over your problem statement first

Think about your research!

What can you design that would help solve this problem?

Each drawing should contain:

An overall drawing of the entire design

A brief description of how it will work

What each material is made of

What are the dimensions (length, width, and height) of the whole design

Sketches must have a name

Sketches must be drawn to scale

If there is more than one component to a drawing then draw each piece
separately to show how it fits together into the whole design

You must state what types of energy are present in your entire design

STEP 4: Select the best possible solution- Group

Now that everyone in your group has drawn design ideas, it is time to select the best
way to solve the problem. The creator of each design must explain the design to the
group members so that they can evaluate the idea.

After evaluating complete the following:

1. Write down the criticism and praise of each design into a chart, where you list the
pros and cons of each design.

Design 1: Inverter Solar Cooker Amazing Invention By Sun Min

Pros

The food receives a lot of sunlight.

The materials are easy to find.

Easy to make with the right materials.

Cons

Making a clay plate can be hard.

Design 2: Pizza Cooker

Pros

Cons

Easy to make.

The materials are easy to find.

The food receives a lot of

sunlight.

Maybe not effective due to the cheap

materials.

Design 3: Solar Mobile Pan

Pros

Cons

Portable and efficient.

Gets hot easily. (contains heat)

Efficient structure.

Good size.

Complicated to make.

Design 4: Solar Oven (Daniela)

Pros

Cons

Good Structure

Complicated to make.

Good size.

Some materials are hard to find.

Design 5: Solar Oven (Eva)

Pros

Cons

Materials are easy to find.

Easy to make.

Maybe not effective due to the cheap materials.

Design 6: Mini Altered Parabolic cooker.

Pros

Cons

If we learn how it works, it might

work.

Good quality = potential.

Some materials are hard to find.

Might not be efficient.

We dont fully understand how it

works.

Design 2: Solar Cooker

Pros

Cons

Easy to make.

The materials are easy to find.

The food receives a lot of

sunlight.

Maybe not effective due to the cheap

materials.

Design 8: Solar Oven (Iris)

Pros

Cons

Good Structure

Complicated to make.

Good size.

Some materials are hard to find.

2. Write a paragraph describing the one design you chose and why you chose it. \

We chose the solar oven by Iris, because it is easy to make. the materials are easy to
find, all the team members fully understand how it works, the prototype has an effective
structure and size.
3. Make a detailed drawing of your final design, which includes the following
a. Notes on each component (materials, dimensions, etc)
b. Assembly directions is necessary
c. A brief description on how you plan to make it (list tools necessary)

d. A brief description of how you will implement it to solve the problem

STEP 5: Construct a prototype- Group

Build the design which your group decided on.

STEP 6: Test and evaluate your prototype- Group

Develop a method of implementing your prototype- list all tools and necessary steps you
will take along the way.

STEP 7: Communicate your solution- Group