Solar Furnace

High temperature, highest to 3500¡ãC can obtain in the focal point if rays of the sun are concentrated. Experiment on metallurgy, fireproof material and high temperature chemical reaction can be conducted by use of the high temperature with the characteristic of extreme clean surroundings. In 1921, German scientist designed a solar furnace composed by parabolic concentrator and lenses. In 1933, another solar furnace was built comprising of a concentrator and heliostats. In 1951, the US manufactured a parabolic solar furnace with the opening diameter of 3m. In 1952, the worldwide first set of large-scale solar furnace was built in Pyrenean of France, with the power of 50kW. After that, a batch of large scale of solar furnace with the power from 60 to 100 kW were completed in successive in the US and Japan. In the 1970s, France designed and constructed the existing worldwide largest solar furnace in Pyrenean, with the output power of 1000kW. It was estimated that more than 10 sets of solar furnace have been completed in the world. But there were few reports after the 1980s.

China has 2 small-sized solar furnaces, with the diameter of 0.95m and 1.5m respectively, with the temperature in focal point higher than 3000¡ãC, applying to the high temperature experiment on material.