the schefflerreflector

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The Idea

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The basic idea that lead to the development of the Scheffler Reflectors was to make solar
cooking as comfortable as possible. At the same time the device should be build in a way that
allows it to be constructed in any rural welding workshop in southern countries after a certain
period of training. The locally available materials must be sufficient.

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The Technology
To make cooking simple and comfortable the cookingplace should not have to be moved, even
better: it should be inside the house and the concentrating reflector outside in the sun.
The best solution was a eccentric, flexible parabolic reflector which rotates around an axis
parallel to earthaxis, synchronous with the sun. Additionally the reflector is adjusted to the
seasons by flexing it in a simple way.

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How does this work?

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The reflector is a small lateral section of a much

larger paraboloid. The inclined cut produces the
typical elliptical shape of the SchefflerReflector.
The sunlight that falls onto this section of the
paraboloid is reflected sideways to the focus located
at some distance of the reflector.

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The axis of daily rotation is located exactly in north

southdirection, parallel to earth axis and runs
through the centre of gravity of the reflector.
That way the reflector always maintains it's
gravitational equilibrium and the mechanical tracking
device (clockwork) doesn't need to be driven by
much force to rotate it synchronous with the sun.
The focus is located on the axis of rotation to
prevent it from moving when the reflector rotates.
The distance between focus and centre of the reflector depends on the selected parabola.
During the day the concentrated light will only rotate around its own centre but not move
sideways in any direction. That way the focus stays fixed, which is very useful, as it means the
cookingpot doesn't have to be moved either.
I
In the course of the seasons the incident angle of
the solar radiation varies + / 23,5 in relation with
the perpendicular to earthaxis. The paraboloid has
to perform the same change of inclination in order to
stay directed at the sun. Otherwise it's not possible
to obtain a sharp focal point. But the centre of the
reflector and the position of the focus are not
allowed to move.
This is only possible by shaping the reflector after an other parabola for each seasonal
inclinationangle of the sun, i.e. for each day of the year. This means the reflector has to
change its shape.
The reflectorframe is build for equinox. By inclining and elastically deforming the reflector
frame all other parabolas can be achieved with sufficient accuracy.

Changing the inclination and deforming the reflector

are mechanically combined: the two pivots A, at
each side of the reflectorframe, and pivot B, in the
centre of the reflector, do not form a line, but B is
located below. That way inclining the reflector leads
to a change in its depth, the centre of the reflector
is lifted up (big radius of crossbars) or pressed down
(small radius of crossbars) relative to the reflector
frame. It's enough to adjust the upper and lower end
of the reflector (C and D) to their correct position to obtain a sufficiently exact reflector
shape. The setting is done by a telescopic bar at each end of the reflector.
Adjusting the reflectorshape has to be done manually every 23 days. When all concentrated

light enters the opening of the cookingplace installed at the focal point the correct reflector
shape is achieved.
After passing the opening the light is redirected by a small reflector (secondary reflector) to
the black bottom of the cooking pot. There it is absorbed and transformed into heat. The
efficiency for cooking, i.e. heating water from 25C to 100C, can reach up to 57% and depends
on the cleanliness of the reflectorsurface and the state of insulation of the cookingpot. At
the focalpoint itself we have measured optical efficiency of up to 75% (with 2mm ordinary glass
mirrors). Depending on the season an elliptical reflector of 2,8m x 3.8m (standard size of 8m
SchefflerReflector) collects the sunlight of a 4,3m to 6,4m area, measured perpendicular to
the direction of the incident light (aperture). That way the cooking power varies with the
season. As an average a 8m Reflector can bring 22 litres of cold water to boiling temperature
within one hour (with 700W/m direct solar radiation).
There are many options for the design of the cookingplace. Mostly it is integrated into a
kitchen building and provides the possibility to use firewood for cooking when the sun doesn't
shine. Depending on the type of food which is cooked there is no need for a secondary
reflector. This increases the efficiency and simplifies maintenance. Instead of a cookingplace a
backingoven, steamgenerator or heatstorage can be installed at the focalpoint.
Dissemination
The first well functioning SchefflerReflector (size: 1,1m x 1,5m) was built by Wolfgang
Scheffler in 1986 at a missionstation in NorthKenya and is still in use .
Since then the technology has been continuously improved and passed on to many motivated
people. That way the number of installed reflectors increases from year to year .
For a number of years mainly 8m size reflectors were constructed for canteen kitchens. After
the year 2000 mostly 10m SchefflerReflectors are installed.
Its difficult to tell how many Scheffler Reflectors exist, as there is no central registration and
many workshops work independently. 2004 there were about 750 reflectors in 21 countries, that
coresponds to about 200 solar kitchens, including 12 solar steam kitchens with 10 to106
reflectors per installation. The biggest solar kitchen of the world in Abu Road, Rajastan (India)
is catering for up to 18 000 visiters of a Yoga center.
Now, 2006, there might be around 950 Scheffler Reflectors worldwide.

Local Production
During the whole time of development of the SchefflerReflectors up to now 23 years care
was taken to use simple materials and construction techniques common for rural settings. For
that reason Wolfgang Scheffler did a great deal of his developments in Kenya and India where
he learned local construction techniques. Together with local craftsmen he built a number of
first solar kitchens and installed them at interested schools.
The main construction of the reflectors (apart from the mirror surface) consists of steel. We
use profiles that are common in construction of furniture, waterinstallation and housing. This
material is relatively cheaply available everywhere.
For the reflector surface various materials can be used. Silvered glass mirrors as they are used
for bathroommirrors are most common.
The combination of affordable materials, common tools and uncomplicated techniques of
fabrication to create a product with hightech qualities enables interested groups to make
something with their own hands which will benefit them in a sustainable way.
A good example is the construction of the worlds largest solarkitchen in Abu Road, Rajastan,
by the Brahma Kumaris. Because they did most of the work involved themselves, the whole
installation ( 800m of Reflector surface + steam system + backup boiler) could be built for
only 100 000 . As they cook for a maximum of 18 000 people this equals 125, per m or 5,5
per person.
That way 400 liter diesel per day can be saved.
At the moment the Brahma Kumaris run six such solar kitchens (the other five are smaller).
Sunshine is locally available everywhere and shall add value locally and therefore increase the
local quality of living. Access to energy is the base of development and economic action.
SolarEconomy
An example for a starting solareconomy in Burkina Faso is heating sheanuts in locally produced
solar ovens (solar boxcooker) as one of the steps necessary to make sheanut butter. Usually
the nuts are heated on a iron plate over a woodfire. That way some of the nutshells get
charred. In the solar oven the nuts are heated slowly and uniformly, without getting burnt. The
effect is double: firewood is saved and the quality of the product is raised. Through this savings
and higher gains the solar oven can be financed.
Developments
The 2m SchefflerReflectors are now well designed for the use in Europe (especially for
southern Europe). We have developed a construction from aluminium, the reflectorsurface is
made from clearglass and the daily tracking is run automatically by a photovoltaiccontrol.
In cooperation with Indian engineer Ronny Sabawalla Wolfgang Scheffler developed and
constructed a 50m SchefflerReflector which is now being tested to deliver energy for
crematoriums.
Besides that SchefflerReflectors are build in varieties of 2,7m, 10m and 12m (the last one
with a longer focallength in order to reduce problems of shadow from an existing building).

For larger energyconsumption and when kitchen and reflectors have a separate location the
reflectors can produce steam, which is lead to the kitchen through steampipes. The biggest
installation of this kind is used in India at a yogacentre to cater for a maximum of 18 000
persons. Here the steam is also used as a medium of storage (2 hours full power without
sunshine).
Smaller systems use a well insulated solid ironblock which is heated to about 400C at the
focalpoint. For 8m Reflectors a 300kg ironblock is appropriate, for 2m Reflectors a 50kg iron
block. The energy can be stored over night and in case of the 300kg storage even over several
days.
Recently some work was done on providing steam for autoclaves in hospitals. Bigger systems
can use the same way of making steam as the large steam kitchens do. For small rural hospitals
an insulated iron block gets heated by a 10m reflector and provides steam at the instance.
Since 2006 16m reflectors are manufactured in India, they are mostly used for process heat in
industries.
Experiences
People happily like to use solarcookers when the cooker is practical, delivers enough energy
for their needs and when they dont have to change their cookinghabits too much.
Through the integration into the house a SchefflerReflector provides similar comfort like a gas
stove (comfortable height of work, no smoke, plus: time or moneysaving for acquiring
cookingfuel).
The weak point up to now has been the daily tracking of the reflector with a mechanical
clockwork. The advantage is that all the parts for such clockworks are available everywhere
inexpensively. But when the mechanism fails the cook is often neither able to repair it nor
willing to do the tracking manually. Therefore he/she will go back to their old woodfire.
A good solution is a maintenanceservice, but because of large distances and other reasons it
doesnt yet exist everywhere. Very reliable and with little need for maintenance is the PV
tracking device as we use it for the 2m reflectors in Europe. But (apart from India) the
components are normally not available in the country.
Longterm Operation
Since 1987 about 200 "small" solarkitchens with 1 to 3 SchefflerReflectors of 8m each were
built mainly to cater for boarding schools in rural areas. How well these kitchens are used
depends on various local conditions and the involved individuals and institutions. In some
places they are used enthusiastically on every sunshiny day even in the morning before the
sun comes up (where there is a storagesystem integrated). In other places the kitchens are
used rarely or even not at all. Best results show in India, where among the kitchens with 1 to
3 reflectors about half are used on controlvisits.
An entirely different picture shows for the big installations of steampowered kitchens. The
systems are always in use (apart from monsoontime) and well maintained. All technical
problems are solved sometimes after consultation by the operators themselves. Solar Energy
is used to its maximum and the owners are proud of the installation.
1998 the first big solar steam kitchen for 1000 people was inaugurated. Until now many more
have been set up, even Indias biggest temple, the Tirupati Temple in Andra Pradesh is
equipped with 105 reflectors.

Some Data on the 8m and 10m SchefflerReflector

Maximum temperature reached at focalpoint

Maximum optical efficiency
glass/ordinary glass)

(reflectorsurface

1020C
from

clear

84%
75%

Average cookingpower at 700W/m insolation, with normal

glassmirrors (8m Refllector)

2,2kW
(1,7kW in summer and
2,5kW in winter)

Maximum number of pots per reflector

Number of reflectors of the largest kitchen
Largest number of people catered for by one kitchen
Cost of materials for one reflector (in India)
Overall number of worldwide installed reflectors (2004)
Used materials

3
106
18000
approximatly 550,Euro
over 750
Steelprofiles, glassmirror

Internetaddresses about SchefflerReflectors

Communitykitchen of Yogacentre in India: www.charityindia.de/

Bakery in Namibia: www.ombili.home.pages/
Bakery in Argentina and Burkina Faso: www.hc

Bakery in Argentina and Burkina Faso: www.hc

solar.de
400
kg
ironstorage
in
India:
www.geocities.com/bvirw/Photos/solar
storage.html
generally: www.ecozen.com/,
www.teriin.org/renew/tech/solth/about.htm,
www.SolareBruecke.org
You can find various articles in the archives of
Solar
Cookers
International
http://solarcooking.org/

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