Solar powered cooking device

Abstract

A cooking device includes a heatable element for providing heat for cooking food. The heatable element includes a fluid channel through which a heating fluid flows for transferring heat from the heating fluid to the heating element. A solar collector is provided through which the heating fluid flows. The solar collector includes heating tubes capable of receiving solar energy, and converting the solar energy, and converting the solar energy into heat energy, and transferring the generated heat energy to the heating fluid to heat the heating fluid to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The return conduit member is provided for collecting fluid which emerges from the heating element and conducting the heating fluid back to the solar collector for reheating by the solar collector

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooking device comprising:
 a heatable element for providing heat for cooking food, the heatable element including a fluid channel through which a heating fluid flows for transferring heat from the heating fluid to the heating element; and   a solar collector through which the heating fluid flows, the solar collector including heating tubes capable of receiving solar energy and converting the solar energy into heat energy, and transferring the generated heat energy to the heating fluid to heat the heating fluid to a temperature above the boiling point of water and return conducts for collecting fluid which emerges from the heating element, and conducting the heating fluid back to the solar collector for re-heating by the solar collector.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger through which heating fluid in the return conduit flows, the heat exchanger being configured for transferring heat in the heating fluid to a second heating fluid that flows in a second independent heating fluid path. 
     
     
         3 . The cooking device of  claim 1  where the second heating fluid path comprises a water heater. 
     
     
         4 . The cooking device of  claim 1  wherein the solar collector includes a series of spaced, evacuated thermal collector tubes, heating tubes for carrying fluid for a heater tubes for conducting a collector heating fluid between and in the evacuated collector tubes for heating the collector heating fluid, and in a header for transferring the beat in the collector heating fluid to the heating fluid;
 wherein the heating tubes in the header are spaced apart by a distance to promote turbulent flow of the heating fluid in the header. 
 
     
     
         5 . The cooking device of  claim 1  further comprising a secondary heating source for transferring heat to the heatable element for supplementing the heat provided by the solar collector. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking device of  claim 1  whereas the heatable element includes at least one of a variable valve member and variable pump disposed in the fluid channel for controlling the flow of fluid in the fluid channel. 
     
     
         7 . The cooking device of  claim 6  wherein the heating element includes a cooktop including a first cooktop portion and a second cooktop portion, and wherein the fluid channel includes a first fluid channel for transferring heat to the first cooktop portion and a second fluid channel for transferring heat to the second fluid channel. 
     
     
         8 . The cooking device of  claim 7  wherein the variable valve member includes a first variable valve member disposed in the first fluid channel for controlling the flow of heating fluid in the first fluid channel and a second variable valve member disposed in the second fluid channel for controlling the flow of fluid in the second fluid channel, the first variable valve member and second variable valve member being independently controllable to permit the temperature of the heat controllable cooktop portion to be controllable independently of the temperature of the second cooktop portion.