Ngubong Engineering and Contracts.
(Commercial Industrial and Engineering) Consultants
Some solar energy devices.
What can be done with solar energy?
The model of a parabolic solar cooker.
Solar cooking-the principle:
Solar cooking works on the principle of tapping the Sun's heat in an air-tight insulted container which raises the temperature resulting in boiling and cooking/ baking of foodstuff.
The parabolic cooker works on the principle of concentrating the Sun's heat, the way we used to burn paper using a concave lens during our school days. This results in reaching of higher temperatures similar to the LPG stove in our kitchen.
there are several devices which can perform this task.
· The parabolic solar cooker which can cook food just like the other means of cooking such as gas kerosene etc.
· Moreover it can be manufactured from a wide variety of materials.
· The solar oven which can cook food which can be cooked by boiling, does not require regular attention.
· Ngubong Engineering has adapted it to use electricity.
· The solar panel cooker which can also only cook by boiling, is very cheap to build.
Solar energy can be used for
1) Cooking food using solar ovens (solar box cookers), solar panel cookers and solar parabolic reflector cookers.
2) Drying farm produce in order to preserve it for long periods.
3) Heat water for factory or domestic use using the green house effect or concentration of the solar rays in a parabolic reflector configuration.
4) Generate electricity using the photo-voltaic system or the solar thermal system where water or some other working fluid is boiled an the vapour passed through heat engines such as steam turbines to generate electricity. This method has the advantage of being producable in the third world.
Above is a solar oven made of wood.
A solar oven which can be used to cook food requiring boiling only. It is made from wood. An abundant commodity in tropical Africa.
Right: A solar drier which can be used to dry farm produce. Poor infrastructure means that a lot of farm produce is lost due to lack of preservation techniques
Far Left: A typical solar thermal configuration and left is a photo of a solar drier.
Solar Energy Advantages
1. Saves you money
· After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.
· The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.
· Financial incentives are available form the government that will reduce your cost.
· If your system produce more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account! This is called net metering.
· It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all.
· Solar energy does not require any fuel.
· It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.
· The savings are immediate and for many years to come.
The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.
2. Environmentally friendly
· Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.
· It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generations does.
· Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.
· It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.
· It's generated where it is needed.
· By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.
3. Independent/ semi-independent
· Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.
· A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independent, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.
· The use of Solar Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or international events and so contributes to a sustainable future.
· Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.
4. Low/ no maintenance
· Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.
· Once installed, there are no recurring costs.
· They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.
· More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family's needs grow.
Solar thermal devices can use the direct heat of the sun to boil a working fluid and turn a heat engine or heat up another fluid such as water or air for home use and crop drying respectively.