RT Journal Article
T1 Combining ray-tracing and a linear thermal model to predict the performance of a panel solar cooker under varying solar angles
A1 García-Fernández, Jesús
A1 Carrillo-Andrés, Antonio
A1 Apaolaza-Pagoaga, Xabier
A1 García-Ruiz, Antonio
A1 Ruiz-Reina, Emilio
K1 Cocinas
K1 Energía solar
AB Panel-type solar cookers are low-cost, lightweight systems that are easy to assemble using readily available materials, making them well suited for sustainable energy initiatives in low-income or displaced communities. These cookers usually rely on manual azimuthal sun-tracking, but their optical performance is sensitive to the solar elevation angle, which can vary significantly during a typical cooking session. Such variability directly affects the overall thermal performance of the cooker, reducing the probability of successful cooking. This work introduces a combined optical and thermal simulation workflow capable of predicting the performance of a panel-type solar cooker under varying solar angles. The method is applied to the Copenhagen solar cooker, whose complex, non-analytical panel geometry is reproduced using a structural simulation of the folding process. These geometrical models form the basis for ray-tracing simulations that generate two-dimensional optical performance maps coupled to a simplified thermal model to predict heat gain under different solar angles. Simulated and experimental results agree well, demonstrating that the proposed workflow is a practical and transferable tool for performance prediction and design optimization of simple solar cooking technologies.
PB Elsevier
YR 2026
FD 2026-05
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/45700
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/45700
LA eng
NO García-Fernández, Jesús, Carrillo-Andrés, Antonio, Apaolaza-Pagoaga, Xabier, García-Ruiz, Antonio, Ruiz-Reina, Emilio (2026). Combining ray-tracing and a linear thermal model to predict the performance of a panel solar cooker under varying solar angles. Renewable Energy. Elsevier.  Vol. 263, 1 de mayo
NO Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 27 feb 2026