...
The first part of each of our visits is a technical exchange in which all the designs under consideration for the solution of the particular problems being considered are explained in adequate detail for all the team members to understand. Prof. Schlager and Nimia presented the two designs finished or under construction at the Solar Center. We decided to build two new cookers during the week, one essentially implementing the fold-able design with all the materials being readily available in Nicaragua and the second using the lighter of the Cornell designs with lower sides than our design and the door on the top. There were enough workers to allow construction of a solar dryer as well. We split into 3 construction teams mixing members of the various source teams to include people with relevant expertize on each team with members from all groups so as much learning was transferred as possible.
The fold-able cooker was built by Reyna, Yelba, Maghan, Jocie and Tim. The cooker with the door on the top was built by Lynn, Alex, Nimia and Maria Magdelena. The dryer was built by Ramuldah, Alejandra, Emma, Xichotl and Karen. All three were finished by Friday and all included some experimental features that will need observation during the first few months of useThe team helped build 2 new cookers and a food dryer with the considerable help and guidance of Dr. Lynn Schlager, PE a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin Platteville, who is a collaborator with the Solar Women and has been working with them this spring while on sabbatical leave. The cookers built this year were extensions of a design by Prof. Schlager and a design by our team. The solar dryer is an extension of a design built by the Solar Women with the help of a group from University of California at Davis.