Mont-Louis Solar Furnace
Encyclopedia
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
. It provides a thermal power of 50 kW.
and his team made an initial demonstration of a mirror of DCA
in Meudon
in 1946 to show the possibility of reaching high temperatures very quickly using highly concentrated sunlight. The goal was to melt ore and extract very pure substances to make new and more effective refractory materials.
In order to do further experiments, the first solar furnace was built in Mont-Louis
in the Pyrénées-Orientales
in 1949.
to the countries of the south; the city of Safi
in Morocco
is participating in this process. The aim is to install in villages, solar ovens that will cook pots, plates for eating bread, building materials, and melt any metal to make pots or tools.
. Applications of simple scientific and educational experiments complement the visit, for example: the concentration of the solar rays to produce temperatures between 2000 °C and 3500 °C, the ignition of wood, melting of metal, and ceramic cooking. The visit concludes with an overview of technologies that use solar energy: solar thermal, solar forge, solar cell
s, solar cookers.
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...
- a solar thermal energy
Solar thermal energy
Solar thermal energy is a technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy . Solar thermal collectors are classified by the United States Energy Information Administration as low-, medium-, or high-temperature collectors. Low-temperature collectors are flat plates generally used to heat...
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
Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via
Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via , or Odeillo, is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales and Cerdagne near the Spanish border in the south of France.It also is one of the oldest ski resorts in France and the oldest in the Pyrenees.- Solar Power :...
. It provides a thermal power of 50 kW.
History
The French chemist Félix TrombeFélix Trombe
Felix Trombe 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.- Mont-Louis Solar Furnace :...
and his team made an initial demonstration of a mirror of DCA
Anti
Anti may refer to:* Anti , the ferryman who carried Isis to Set's island in Egyptian mythology* Anti, or Campa, a tribe of South American Indians* ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival, a yearly international live-art festival held in Kuopio, Finland...
in Meudon
Meudon
Meudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
in 1946 to show the possibility of reaching high temperatures very quickly using highly concentrated sunlight. The goal was to melt ore and extract very pure substances to make new and more effective refractory materials.
In order to do further experiments, the first solar furnace was built in Mont-Louis
Mont-Louis
Mont-Louis is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.In 2008, the citadel and the city walls of Mont-Louis were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as part of the "Fortifications of Vauban" group....
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 :...
in 1949.
Development and cooperation
The Mont-Louis Solar Furnace is engaged in a process of technology transferTechnology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
to the countries of the south; the city of Safi
Safi, Morocco
Safi is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of the Doukkala-Abda Region, it has a population of 282,227 , but is also the centre of an agglomeration which has an estimated 793,000 inhabitants ....
in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
is participating in this process. The aim is to install in villages, solar ovens that will cook pots, plates for eating bread, building materials, and melt any metal to make pots or tools.
Education
The centre gives demonstrations of its work. A guide takes visitors to the heart of the facility to explain the operation and use of the solar furnaceSolar 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...
. Applications of simple scientific and educational experiments complement the visit, for example: the concentration of the solar rays to produce temperatures between 2000 °C and 3500 °C, the ignition of wood, melting of metal, and ceramic cooking. The visit concludes with an overview of technologies that use solar energy: solar thermal, solar forge, solar cell
Solar cell
A solar cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect....
s, solar cookers.
External links
- Official site of the Mont-Louis Solar Furnace
- History of the Solar Furnace (in French)
- Cooperation with Morocco
See also
- Odeillo