Project Goals:

Short-term goal: To ideate and create a technologic design that can cook food in an appropriate time using only the sun as the energy source. Making this design user-friendly, made from readily available and easily accessible materials are also crucial components of the design.

Long-term goal: Share our prototype and experience with a group of dedicated Cal Poly engineers to further finalize the PVE Solar Cook Stove Design. The ultimate goal is to implement this technology within a developing community that is greatly affected by the indoor air pollution from indoor biomass stoves. The long term success of this project will depend upon collaboration between a variety of people, disciplines and cultures.

Problem Statement:

Overview:

According to the World Health Organization, “Over 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to the household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels” which is more than three times the global fatality rate of AIDS. This highlights an incredible problem that many families in developing countries around the world are experiencing first hand. There are too many people using inefficient cooking mechanisms leading to a myriad of health problems from smoke inhalation due to cooking with open fires in their homes. Technologic solutions such as solar cooking may be an innovative and appropriate way to eliminate indoor cooking related deaths. Also bringing global awareness to this issue is crucial; while many are aware of the AIDS epidemic, many are unaware of the negative health impact of indoor cooking.

More information about brick stove ovens and the effects indoor cooking has on people can be found at Aid Africa

Take a look at other groups in this class that are creating appropriate technologies for cooking in the developing world.
Solar Cooker

Indoor Cooking Pollution Example

A video is included below to illustrate the cooking conditions that millions of families around the world experience on a daily basis.

The Geographic Implications

Source: http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Household_air_pollution

This graph depicts the countries which are most negatively impacted by the effects of indoor cooking pollution.
As depicted, the issue of indoor air pollution is a vast world problem which gives a large potential market for the spread of our PVE Solar Cooking Technology.

There is specific interest for the implementation of Solar PVE Cookstoves in Uganda due to a partnership with AidAfrica and received funding for Cal Poly students involved with the development of this technology to travel to Uganda during the Summer ’16 to explore current cook methods and possible implementation of Solar PVE cookstoves.

Project Resources:

Our Technologic Design Process
/electronics
Proposed Business Model
PVE Solar Cooking Research
Background Information
Decision Matrix
Project Outlook
/testing

Group Members:

MEET OUR GROUP!

From the left: Carter, Courtney, Duncan, Maddi, and Mia!

Madison Fleming
Second-year Industrial Technology student with a minor in Packaging and Sustainable Environments. She is originally from Santa Barbara and has a passion for traveling, cooking, exploring the outdoors, learning, and helping others.
Contact: flemingmaddi@gmail.com

Duncan Mitchell
Second-Year Business Major, Finance Concentration. I plan on pursuing a BioTech minor. Born in Arizona, raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have a passion for science and education, but also would like to run a company one day.
Contact: dumitche@calpoly.edu

Carter Price
I am a fifth year Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in economics. I am originally from Atlanta, Georgia and have a passion for surfing, swimming and automation systems.
Contact: carterprice2@gmail.com

Mia Sheperd

Fourth-year General Engineering major concentrating in Structural Environmental Design. I am from San Diego, CA and I like to go to the beach, sit in the sun, eat vegan food and learn about others.
Contact: miasheperd@gmail.com

Courtney Wedel
Fifth Year Architecture student with a minor in Sustainable Environments. I am originally from Denver, Colorado. I have a passion for skiing, backpacking, art & photography and traveling.
Contact: courtneywedel@yahoo.com