CNRS – PROMES – MegaWatt Solar Furnace (MWSF)
TA63 – CNRS-PROMES-MWSF
Location
Av. Professeur Félix Trombe
66120 Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Vi, France
Description
Organisation Description:
PROMES is a research unit of the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and is linked to the University of Perpignan (UPVD). The laboratory is located in three sites, namely Odeillo-Font Romeu (CNRS Solar furnaces), nearby Targasonne (central receiver solar facility in Thémis site), and Perpignan (Tecnosud business zone and University proximity). The staff of PROMES is comprised of about 150 employees, working in three research groups and six technical/administrative departments. The three research groups are ‘materials under extreme conditions’, ‘next generation CSP’, and ‘storage and solar chemistry’. PROMES is leading or is involved in several European and national projects. It is notably currently leading the national project ‘laboratory of excellence’ SOLSTICE (Solar Energy: Science, Technology and Innovation for Energy Conversion) to improve solar research.
A very large spectrum of research areas is supported, either at high temperatures (from ambient up to 4000°C) and/or high flux (up to 16 MW/m2), from fundamental research to industrial developments (TRL 3 to 7). This includes so far electricity production, energy storage (thermal latent or sensible, chemical such as metallic foams for hydrogen,…), thermochemistry (solar fuels, synthetic fuels, hydrogen,…), physics (heat exchanger characterisation, spectrum manipulation,…), solar metallurgy and high temperature materials synthesis or characterisation (aerospace, automotive, solar receivers, nuclear reactors,…), photophysics (high concentration PV, thermoionic conversion,…), biology (bioreactors, water treatment,…), industrial heat and processes hybridisation, space processes (components for probes including for NASA and ESA, moon/mars colonies,…)
Research Infrastructure Description
The MWSF (MegaWatt Solar Furnace) allows experiments with the temperature reaching 3500°C. The maximum power available at the focal point (spot diameter as large as 120cm) of the big solar furnace MWSF is 1000 kW, which allows unique high temperature pilot-scale experiments. Set-ups can be larger than 40m3, 20 metric tons. Together with its 63 heliostats (the flat moving 45m2 mirrors which follow the sun to collect its energy and send it toward the 2400 m2 concentrating parabola), this facility is fully equipped with auxiliary systems, including water-cooling, compressed air, laboratory gas lines, etc. Solar power and power density are flexibly regulated either by choosing the heliostats or with the shutter doors. External users either benefit from the MEDIASE set-up, or bring their own set-up, usually using dedicated components existing at PROMES-CNRS such as water-cooled safety panels or specialised instruments (camera and radiometers flux measurements, solarblind fast multispectral IR camera, pyrometers, acquisition systems, etc.). The MEDIASE set-up can be proposed to provide spectral directional emissivity determination of samples depending on their temperature, including all the experimental work and required data processing, leading to world-unique characterisation for part of the covered ranges.
Testing Capabilities
The MegaWatt Solar Furnace (MWSF) enables high-temperature experiments up to 3500°C with a maximum power of 1000 kW and large spot diameters, featuring flexible solar power regulation and auxiliary systems, including setups for spectral emissivity determination.
Technical Equipment
The MWSF (MegaWatt Solar Furnace) includes high-temperature furnaces reaching 3500°C, with a 1000 kW power capability and a 120cm focal spot. It features 63 heliostats, a 2400 m² parabola, and auxiliary systems such as water cooling and compressed air. Users can access the MEDIASE setup for spectral emissivity measurements and use custom or PROMES-CNRS components.
Additional information
Technology Readiness Level: 4-6
Special considerations: N/A
Technology clusters: CSP/STE, Materials for Energy
Website: http://www.promes.cnrs.fr
Availability: All year
Provision of tools to prepare data sets in a FAIR way: Yes
