BIRLA VISHVAKARMA MAHAVIDYALAYA

Mechanical Department
Minor Project
ME441
 Title:
Development of Scheffler dish for domestic
application

• Prepared by
1. Vagish Kanasagara 15ME005
2. Saurav Rathod 15ME006
3. Harshit Kanakiya 15ME021
4. Deep Baladha 15ME031
Guided by
Dr. H A Bhargav
 Methodology blueprint

Reviewing various applications and performance of scheffler dish

Identifying the potential of scheffler dish for domestic application

Designing of Scheffler Dish of 2m2 using SolidWorks

Fabrication of Scheffler Dish of 2m2

Experimental analysis of Scheffler Dish for domestic application.

Concentrating solar technologies
What is Scheffler dish…?
 History of Scheffler reflector

• Invented by Wolfgang Scheffler.

• First solar cooker of size: 1.1m X 1.5m
• In india this innovation started in early 1990
– 24 no. of 7.5 sq.m Scheffler dishes for 1000 person meal at
Gyan sarovar, Mount Abu
– 84 no. of 10 sq.m Scheffler dishes for 33000 person meal
at Shantivan, Brahma Kumaris
– 10 no. of Scheffler dishes for 500 persons in ladakh army
camp
Ladakh Army camp
Brahmkumari mount abu
 What makes scheffler dish different than others?

• Stationary receiver

• Single axis maneuverability

• Freedom of locating receiver

• Cast away focus

Example of Scheffler dish with above mentioned benefits
 Literature review
Sr Name of author Area of Application of scheffler Temperature range Pressure
no scheffler collector
reflector
1 Kamboj and yadav[6] 1.54m2 Used for coffee making Up to 1200C -

2 Patil et al.[4] 2m2 Scheffler reflector based on Up to 980C -

ANN and analytical expression
3 M.chandrashekhra 2.7m2 Used scheffler reflector for Upto 1000C -
and desalination system with
Avadheshyadav[14] exfoliated coating and latent
heat storage materials in
received 6.67 liter distillate
output
4 Akhade and patil[15] 2.7m2 Used scheffler reflector for Up to 920C 10 bar
increasing temperature of
water
5 Acharya and 4m2 Used for production of plaster - -
chandak[16] of paris
6 Phate et al.[17] 4m2 Used scheffler reflector for boiling test of water - -

7 Afzal et al.[17] 6m2 Compared performance analysis of oil extraction - -

process of scheffler reflector and conventional process

8 Rupeshpatil at al[4] 8m2 Used scheffler reflector for water heating and storage 98 to -
purpose and compared mathematical and 1500C
experimental result
9 Chandak et at. 8 m2 Used 2 nos. of scheffeler reflector integrated with - -
[13] multi effect solar distillation and found 6.5 liter/m2
distillate output
10 Munir et al.[17] 8m2 Used scheffler reflector for distillation and oil - -
extraction process
11 IqraAyub et al.[8] 10m2 Used for baking 200 to
2300C
12 Desale et al.[17] 10m2 Used Scheffler reflector with water tank receiver for - -
boiling test of water
13 Gregor[17] 10m2 Used scheffler reflector - -
for syrup production(2
year payback period)
14 C.V sudhir et al.[1] 16m2 Used for distillation of 140 to -
water 1800C
15 Toshiba machine private ltd[2] 16m2 used for cooking 110 to -
purpose 1200C
16 Vishal R Dafle and N Shinde[3] 16m2 Hot water for bathing 110 to 2 bar for
and steam cooking 1200C steam
cooking
17 Praveen j Sanga et al.[5] - Performance evaluation Up to 1.5 bar
of scheffler concentrator 2000C
and steam generation (In steam
header)
• After reviewing the literatures ,
– Size of dish: 2 sq.m
– Temperature range: 60 to 1300C

Perfectly suitable for domestic application such as cooking ,

water heating & food processing.
Design of Scheffler dish
𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 2 ; an equation of parabola
2 m2 ; Projected area
𝑦 ′ = 2𝑚𝑥 ; Slope of the curve

Minor axis of the ellipse is also the

diameter of beam radiation circle.

For the ease of the application and to

avoid shadow of the dish on the
receiver , distance of focus is taken as
1.5 𝑚.

Slope of that point is 45°. Coordinate

of point Pn is taken as (1.5, 0.75). This
point is also on the parabola, so
equation of parabola can be obtained
as;

0.75 = 𝑚 1.5 2
𝑚 = 0.3333
So equation of parabola at equinox ; 𝑦 = 0.3333𝑥 2
Comparing the area of circle and projected area of ellipse in top plane; values of semi-major
and semi-minor axis are obtained as:

𝜋ൗ 2𝑏 2 = 𝜋𝑎𝑏 ∗ cos 43.23°

4
And 𝜋𝑎𝑏 = 2

Hence;

𝑎 = 0.981 𝑚
𝑏 = 0.6945 𝑚

The ends of the vertical cross bar are calculated by adding and subtracting the semi-minor
axis value to/from focal distance respectively.

𝐸1 𝑥 = 𝑃𝑛 𝑥 − 𝑏 = 1.5 − 0.694 = 0.806

𝐸2(𝑥) = 𝑃𝑛(𝑥) + 𝑏 = 1.5 + 0.694 = 2.194
 And from the equation of
the parabola itself;

𝐸1 𝑦 = 0.2165
𝐸2 𝑦 = 1.6043

After getting the values of 𝑎,

𝑏, 𝐸1 and 𝐸2 ; with the help
of SOLIDWORKS (3-point arc
method), length and radius
of horizontal crossbars are
achieved; which forms the
base frame for the mirrors.
Number of cross-bar Length Radius

1 1049.39 1852.19
2 1333.15 2041.52
3 1412.98 2208.45
4 1327.03 2357.76
5 1043.00 2492.76
Fabrication progress

• By known values of a (semi major axis),b

(semi minor axis), and calculated value of c;
we can draw the ellipse.

• After drawing the ellipse ,elliptical frame is

made by cold working of 25X5 C/S bar

•By known value of maximum depth at 5

points (which is equals to maximum depth of
cross bar at that point),vertical bar is made by
rolling and cold working of 20X20 C/S bar.
•After that, cross bar is made by knowing value of maximum depth and its
length , which is measured by the SOLIDWORKS software.
•Cross bar is also made by rolling and cold working of 20X20 C/S bar.

Joints are made by welding and are

of permanent type.

Also vertical cross-bar is fixed in

the first place ( interpolating the
five points obtained in design ) and
later horizontal cross-bars are
attached.

Further frame is to be made using

rigid wires to form sustainable base
for the mirrors.
 Next steps

•After making of elliptical frame, we will make stand and the

tracking mechanism for daily tracking of sun.

•Then we will fix the good reflector glass on the frame.

•Then , by fixing the receiver distance as per the design , our

scheffler dish
will be ready for the experimental analysis.