New solar grill uses latent heat storage - Students at MIT are working on a case study for a new type of solar powered outdoor grill. Based on the technology from MIT professor
David Wilson, this grill will collect thermal energy from the sun and store it to allow cooking times for up to twenty-five hours at temperatures above 230¡ãC (450¡ãF). Wilson¡¯s technology uses a
Fresnel solar reflector to harness the sun¡¯s energy to melt down a container of
lithium nitrate. The lithium nitrate serves as a solar battery. Due to its phase change reaction, the thermal energy is able to be stored for longer periods of time and at higher temperatures, by means of latent
heat storage. Heat is then redistributed through convection, which allows for outdoor cooking.
A Solar Grill Prototype for a Greener Tomorrow -