Students at MIT are working on a case study for a new type of solar powered outdoor grill. Based on the technology from MIT professor David Wilson, this grill would collect thermal energy from the sun and store it to allow cooking times for up to twenty five hours at temperatures above 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The study is being conducted by Derek Ham, Eric Uva, and Theodora Vardouli, all part of an entrepreneurship course called “iTeams.” I-Teams, (short for “Innovation Teams”) is a unique MIT course that assembles cross-disciplinary teams of students from across MIT. The goal of i-Teams is to teach students the process of science and technology commercialization focusing on how to judge a technology’s commercial potential. Each team has access to faculty, practitioners, business mentors, and fellow students throughout their project.
“There are a lot of solar cookers out there,” says Wilson, “but surprisingly not many using latent-heat storage as an attribute to cook the food.” Wilson’s technology uses a Fresnel lens to harness the sun’s energy to melt down a container of Lithium Nitrate. The Lithium Nitrate serves as a solar battery. Due to its phase change reaction, the thermal energy is able to be stored at longer periods of time and at higher temperatures. Heat is then redistributed through convection, which allows for outdoor cooking.
This study is very timely because although the students are creating a new grill for American backyards, the business plan is designed to allow the grills to be deployed in developing countries as an alternative source for cooking. Wilson originally came up for the idea during his time spent in Nigeria. While there he noticed a large set of problems linked to practice of cooking with firewood. These problems include reports of women being raped during their daily search for firewood, constant increase in deforestation, and respiratory health issues due to the daily inhalation of smoke in closed proximities. According to the United Nations Statistics Division, 55 percent of households in sub-Saharan Africa depend on firewood. In developing countries this Solar Grill would become a solution to a growing need.
In the US market, according to the Barbecue Industry Association, about 75 percent of all U.S. households owned a barbecue grill in 1999, and 40 percent owned more than one. To respond to the demands of the American public, the proposed US model would be a hybrid system of both propane and solar cooking capabilities. This would allow you to have your flame kissed meat as well as the ability to slow roast corn from the thermal convection. Currently the technology is in its prototype stage, but if all goes well in a few years you might be able to have Solar-Cooked food at your next barbecue.
The students are currently taking a market survey on this technology via Survey Monkey. You can visit and take their survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GPNRXNJ
Post Submitted By Derek Ham
MIT Solar Barbecue iTeam
There’s lots of Solar Cookers out there already but certainly not of this sophistication..should this model pass muster & get off the ground, it would have the potential to be a huge seller (if the price is right & passes environmental concerns)..with electricity cost just gone up in Australia by 30%. I’d very happily put 1 out in the garden & use it every day..AUSTRALIA..the land of Sunshine, Melanomas,Koalas & Kangaroos..
I would love to test and evaluate one of these, with he costs of fuel going up every day this grill should be a hit as long as its performance is at least equal to that of its fueled ancestors
you better get these into production fast, before someone else does. just looking at it I know how to build it.
This is a perfect addition to a home that is off the grid. How will it perform in sub-freezing temperatures? That would be important to us here above Latitude 45. Even so, using the solar grill for nine months would be a great addition to reducing the stress on our non-renewable fuels.
What about combing solar with wood chips. I like the taste of wood smoke over propane flame and it would keep it sustainable.
Beautiful design for a really practical concept. If priced right this would be a HUGE hit in Nicaragua where a lt of cooking happens with wood also. Send me a test model guys!!!
The heck with the US and their regulatory BS. Get these into production in developing countries at affordable prices where they can do some real good improving peoples lives, health and nutrition.
Due to regs at my condo association I still could not have the “hybrid” propane and solar. Now electric and solar would be fine… Need options people. I would just prefer solar only. Hmm maybe I’ll build my own.
Derek Ham’s beautiful visual creations have given people the impression that the “solar grill” is about to be produced. It is not! And it is not a grill but a cooker, one on which meals can be produced in the evening on a hot plate, three-to-six hours after the sun has gone down (NOT 25 hours!) After many years of making unsuccessful proposals to foundations and to the US Agency for International Development I am working on this at home using my retirement funds. And in my 85th year I am not as speedy as I once was. I hope to get a demonstrator (the third generation of the stored-heat solar cooker) working in a few months. I hope that it will then attract enough funding so that we can put ten prototypes for test in various countries, and, after incorporating all suggested improvements, to distribute one thousand. After that it should be ready for mass production at an affordable price, where possible in the countries where they are to be used. Dave Wilson
I’m excited about the model for Africa, but disappointed that the model for US markets included propane. Why bother with solar if you have to have propane with it? The whole idea of solar is to get away from non-renewable fuels. Failure.
Does the sun shine everyday, without cloud cover, in all parts of the United States 364(5) days of the year, Judith?
Duh.
What a smoke at the African models. Yes these are photo-shopped images of course.
I want one…it is the answer for us all…
I hope soon you have this product able to export. As you know the north and norteast region of Brazil are granted with shining days all long the year but also, are the region where peoples suffers with no facilities for a normal life such as electric energy, drink water and propan gas cookers. Other idea is to licensing to a local manufacturer in Brazil which should import from the USA the lens and lithiun nitrate. By the way, how long is the life time of the lithiun nitrate?
CAN YOU TEL ME THE PRICE OF THE SOLAR GRILL PROTOTYPE
I would love to buy one of these, either in chrome or the black. I’m sure these things would sell, just depends on how good they cook food.
Curious as to the the lifespan of the Acrylic Fresnel lense when exposed to years of degradation from the sun’s UV. What would the replacement cost be of the acrylic lense itself?
When will you have a prototype???
Looking at the snazzy design from another keen solar cookers eyes I love it.I have never used the frenell lens to cook with yet but I know its true power and I would say get a daytime model up and running real soon as many people Im sure wouldnt care right now.
. You can work on the extended cooking time project into the evenings on your next model that will be financed by the earnings of your first model wich Im sure you could sell millions .If I was filthy rich I would finance your project but Im not but would love to have a licence to sell them but you have nothing yet .Im going to google up for a frenell lens right now good work guys good luck and oh hurry up.You surely will have stimulated the thoughts of many inventors designers like myself.
How much are the solar grills
I would love to take some of these to Haiti where they have cut down almost all the trees already. They need it badly. Will there be an inexpensive model?
Stupid! They have a fire burning in the background in a pit. Whose idea was that?
Wow! What a great idea. I would love to have one of those. Those would be perfect for out here in the desert. I can see these as being popular in tech countries as we try to use less wood, fuel, charcoal; and being extremely helpful in less developed countries.
Hello,
Can who ever posted this article please contact me by e-mail. I would like to find out who is doing the prototyping and how far along it is.
Thanks!
Peter
great invention but unfortunately the photo of them in africa looks photoshopped?? they look like they are floating with bizzare shadows, nice idea but truly give them to those in need not just fool us into thinking you already have…
Hi I would like to market this product in India is it up for sale yet? this will be a grate blessing for India.
kindly get in touch with me.
Regards Rajesh
Hi there to every one, the contents present at this web page
are actually remarkable for people experience, well, keep up
the nice work fellows.
Need direct contact for dit or manufacturer, for the African Market.
B.Regards
Pedro