1) Michael Kramer designed two solar oven prototypes using various insulating materials like foam and cloth. The first design placed dark cloth on the bottom and white foam on the sides, scoring a total of 7 points. 2) Testing showed the first design reached a maximum temperature of 59.4°C but cooled down within 3 minutes. The second design, which placed foam on the bottom and sides and light cloth inside, scored lower with a maximum of only 44.1°C. 3) Upon reflection, Kramer determined that changing from dark to light cloth was not an effective choice as the lighter material reflected heat rather than absorbing it like the darker cloth. Future designs will focus on better trapping heat inside the oven

1. Designing a Solar oven
By. Michael Kramer
Monday, May 20, 13

2. Imagine for design
#1
Idea #1 to put the white foam on the sides of the cloth
and put the dark blue cloth on the bottom of the box.
Our materials are dark blue cloth and white foam.
We need 1 unit for the dark cloth and 2 units for the
white foam
The advantage of this idea is are that dark cloth can be
reused and foam can be recycled, also that both of the
materials are good insulators.
The disadvantages of this idea is that the foam takes
longer to break down than cloth.
Monday, May 20, 13

3. Imagine for idea
#2
Idea #2 were going to put the foam on the bottom
and the light cloth on the sides.
Our materials are white foam and light cloth.
We need 1 unit for the foam and 2 units for the
light cloth.
The advantages for this idea is they both are
recyclable and reusable.
The disadvantages for this idea is we can only use
two materials.
Monday, May 20, 13

4. Plan for design #1
(Top view)
Monday, May 20, 13

5. Plan for design #1
(Side view)
Monday, May 20, 13

6. Plan for design #1
Materials Units
We will use
the material
White foam 2
Put it on the
sides of the
box
Dark cloth 1
Put it on the
bottom of
the box
Monday, May 20, 13

7. Impact score for
design #1
Design
#1
Reduce
Natural
or
processed
Reuse
Recycl
e
Total
Points
Foam
4
units
Processe
d
No Yes 2 pts.
Dark
cloth
1
units
Process
ed
Yes No 5 pts.
Our total impact score is 7 points.
Monday, May 20, 13

8. Solar oven testing
in the sun
Time Temperature
0 min. 25°c
5 min. 48.7°c
10 min. 50.4°c
15 min. 55.5°c
20 min. 59.4°c
25 min. 58.8°c
Monday, May 20, 13

9. Solar oven testing
in the shade
Time (minutes) Solar oven temp.
1 min. 41.7°c
2 min. 36°c
3 min. 34.2°c
4 min. 32°c
5 min. 30.5°
Monday, May 20, 13

10. Create for design
#1
Our heat score is the difference from our
solar ovens maximum temperature from the
control oven 58-55=3
Our time score number is the number of
minutes it took to cool down which was 3
minutes.
Our total impact score was 7 points
Our total score for the solar oven is -1
Monday, May 20, 13

11. Improve for design
#1
The total score for our first solar oven was -1
points. worked well was the foam because it was
trapping most of the heat.
The parts of our solar oven design that did not
work well was the cloth because it was loose in
the box.
We are going to try to improve our heat score
We will improve our heat score by rearranging the
materials in the box.
Monday, May 20, 13

12. Plan for design #2
(Top View)
Monday, May 20, 13

13. Plan for design #2
(Side View)
Monday, May 20, 13

14. Plan for design #2
Materials Units
How will you use
the material
Foam 2
Put it on the sides
and bottom
Cloth 1
Put it on
the bottom
Monday, May 20, 13

15. Impact score for
design #2
Design
#2
Reduce
Natural or
processed
Reuse
Recycle Total
points
Foam 4 pts. Processed No Yes 5
Light
Cloth
1 pts. Processed Yes No 2
The total impact score is 7 points
Monday, May 20, 13

16. Solar oven testing
in sun
Time Temperature
0 min 24.4°c
5 min 48.5°c
10 min 38°c
15 min 43.2°c
20 min 44.1°c
25 min 44.1°c
Monday, May 20, 13

17. Solar oven testing
in the shade
Time Temperature
1 min 33.1°c
2 min 29°c
3 min 26.7°c
4 min 26.6°c
5 min 26.2°c
6 min 25.8°c
7 min 25°c
8 min 24.7c
9 min 24.7°c
10 min 24.8°c
Monday, May 20, 13

18. Create for design #2
Our heat score is our solar oven maximum
temperature subtracted from the control
oven: 44-53=-9
Our time score is the number of minutes it
took to cool down which was 2 minutes.
Our total impact score was 7 points
Our new total score for the solar oven is
-14
Monday, May 20, 13

19. Reflection
Our improved design did not work well
because the materials we used weren't
good insulators. The materials we changed
was the dark cloth to light cloth. The new
material was a poor insulator. The light
cloth is a lighter color so it reflects light
and darker things absorb light.
If we could improve again, we would
move around the materials in a way where
the heat would be trapped in the oven.
Monday, May 20, 13