Third Generation Solar Research Furnace
1.2 kilowatts of sunlight power for steam and energy
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Refinements and experiments have made the need for a new solar furnace apparent.  This unit has a larger lens, automatically tracks the Sun, and produces high pressure steam for our research.  This furnace is over 8 feet tall (about 2.6 meters) and is made of welded steel.

Solar research furnace, version 3.  This unit has optical sensors (on the right corner of the lens frame) to track the Sun automatically.  Steam pressures of over 300 PSI (about 20 bars) have been generated using this hardware.  A chain drive at the central post tracks the azimuth, and the elevation is tracked with an automobile window motor.

A new array of ten lenses, each measuring 1x1.4 meters, is presently being constructed and will be in operation by the end of June, 2008.  Steam pressure from this array will operated a steam turbine and generator, producing useful electrical power.  A water injection system for the boiler has been installed on this research unit.

Here is a closer view of the elevation system.
This view shows the optical sensors that are used to track the Sun position/

 

 

 

This is the rotation or azimuth system (shown below)