Félix Trombe
Encyclopedia
Felix TrombeFelix Trombe (b. Nogent
, France
, 1906; d. Gautier
, France
, 1985) was a French
engineer
.
He is best known for his pioneering work in passive solar building design
with the Trombe wall
, which bears his name.
in the Pyrénées-Orientales
for high temperature experiments in physics and chemistry. In 1962, a 1000 kW solar furnace
was built in Odeillo.
Nogent
Nogent is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Nogent, in the Haute-Marne département* Nogent-l'Abbesse, in the Marne département* Nogent-l'Artaud, in the Aisne département* Nogent-sur-Aube, in the Aube département...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 1906; d. Gautier
Gautier
-People:*Saint Gautier , French saint*Gautier le Leu, thirteenth-century French poet*Gautier furniture, French furniture manufacturer*Émile Théodore Léon Gautier , French paleographer...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 1985) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
.
Passive solar building design
In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer...
with the Trombe wall
Trombe wall
A Trombe wall is a sun-facing wall separated from the outdoors by glass and an air space, which absorbs solar energy and releases it selectively towards the interior at night. The essential idea was first explored by Edward S. Morse and patented by him in 1881...
, which bears his name.
Mont-Louis Solar Furnace
In 1949 Trombe directed the construction of the experimental 50 kW Mont-Louis Solar FurnaceMont-Louis Solar Furnace
The Mont-Louis Solar Furnace is an experimental solar furnace - a solar thermal energy facility that was built in 1949. It was the first facility of its kind in the world, and was a precursor of the Odeillo Solar Furnace...
in the Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales is a department of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. It also surrounds the tiny Spanish enclave of Llívia, and thus has two distinct borders with Spain.- History :...
for high temperature experiments in physics and chemistry. In 1962, a 1000 kW solar furnace
Solar furnace
A solar furnace is a structure that captures sunlight to produce high temperatures, usually for industry. This is done with a curved mirror that acts as a parabolic reflector, concentrating light onto a focal point...
was built in Odeillo.