Model:- Prometheus 1 Patent Applied For

The cooker is a dish 1,32m in diameter, presenting 1,36sq m to the sun and therefore intercepting roughly 1kW of solar radiation. This power is focused by 175 plane mirrors onto an oven or vessel placed at its focus. It comes flat packed in a box 52 cm by 52 cm by 7 cm that weighs 5 kilograms and takes an hour to assemble.

The oven (not supplied), painted with high temperature matt black paint, ideally a cylinder shaped pot of about 16cm in diameter by 26 cm high having a capacity of a little over 5 litres, is placed at the centre of the cooker. The base of the pot needs to be located correctly so that as the cooker is inclined to follow the sun, it cannot slide. It is held in place by clips, and is secured by a hook and line attached to one of its handles.

The cooker has to be lined up with the sun using an inbuilt aiming device, and needs to be moved only approx every half hour. The oven can reach temperatures above 250ºC, and behaves therefore as a simple electric oven, with roughly equal cooking times.

As with all appliances involving heat, special precautions should be taken. In this case, for example, it is unwise to stare at the reflection of the sun in the mirrors, although they have safety light diffusing properties, and sunglasses are recommended whilst cooking, to avoid glare. The oven will reach considerable temperatures so oven gloves or other protection should be used when removing the pot. Children and animals should be kept away from the cooker at all times. The cooker is best stored under cover when not in use, preferably hung up indoors against a wall. The cooker is made from water resistant card sandwiched between two plastic films: nevertheless, it is not suitable for long term use in conditions of high humidity. It should not be left outside since exposure to rain or morning dew will damage it.

Suitable dishes cooked in a solar oven have a very distinctive taste. Suitable dishes successfully cooked were chicken, lamb, and fish casseroles, soups, vegetables, bread, rice and couscous. Many dishes can be cooked during the day and kept warm in a hot box.

Water can be boiled and needles sterilised in a suitable pressure vessel.

Using Solar energy helps fight deforestation, pollution and desertification.