An innovative revamp of an existing solar cooking device has earned a group of Electrical Engineering students and their lecturers a prime spot in the final round of the International Xplore New Automation Competition.
The team is one of 29 out of 100 selected to compete in the finals that takes place in Germany today.
The CPUT team will showcase their automated solar oven power generator, a device that operates off-grid and which can be used to boil water, cook food and power a battery.
SUSTAINABLE: The device can be used to boil water and cook food
Ben Dixon, one of the five students in the team, says they are positive about their entry.
Thanks to customised 3D parts that they manufactured, the device is fully automated and features several new fittings, such as an engine that runs entirely on heat, a safety buzzer and several solar panels.
“The standard devices have to be physically turned towards the sun. This one is fully automated. It tracks the sun and moves all the time,” says Ben.
ENERGY: The device powers a battery
Lecturer Dr Wilfred Fritz says with the device operating off-grid, its implications will be far-reaching, given the current energy crisis facing South Africa.
Fritz, along with lecturer Deon Kallis, supervised the student team that comprises of Masters student Ben, BTech students Maahir Rahmna and Greyson Du Toit as well as second-years Werner Lotter and Brendon van Breda.
The competition is hosted by Phoenix Contact, the market leader in industrial electrical and automation technology and is held every three years.
CPUT participated in 2012 and the entry, a reciprocating kite generator, saw them clinch second place in the Environment\Renewable Energy category.
Fritz and Kallis would like to acknowledge the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, the Marketing and Communication Department and the Electrical Engineering Department for supporting the project.
The event will be streamed live. To view, visit http://www.xplore.org/2015/en/943_1125.htm
Written by Candes Keating
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