The DLR Solar Furnace in Cologne is a facility that concentrates direct solar radiation with a concentration factor up to 5200. The energy of such concentrated solar radiation can be used to cause thermal or photochemical effects in the irradiated materials. For astrophysical and mineralogical applications a new vacuum chamber with a specific design and instrumentation for solar experiments was developed and installed at the DLR Solar Furnace. This facility enables testing of small samples under high vacuum conditions. Within a project dealing with chondrule formation (chondrules are parts of meteorites) solid samples were melted by concentrated solar radiation. The aim was to investigate and simulate a fast heating-up (“flash heating”) of the samples and a subsequent solidification by controlled cooling. Another experiment series investigates thermal reduction of samples of metal oxide and of lunar regolith simulant. The goal of this activity is to produce oxygen and eventually also pure metals by pyrolysis. The in-situ production of oxygen and metals on the moon is a key technology for future lunar bases or manned Mars missions. The first solar furnace tests within both projects showed the performance of the new vacuum chamber and the feasibility of the different investigation paths.
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ASME 2003 International Solar Energy Conference
March 15–18, 2003
Kohala Coast, Hawaii, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Solar Energy Division
ISBN:
0-7918-3676-2
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Astrophysical and Mineralogical Experiments in the DLR Solar Furnace
M. Sauerborn,
M. Sauerborn
DLR – German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
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A. Neumann,
A. Neumann
DLR – German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
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W. Seboldt
W. Seboldt
DLR – German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
Search for other works by this author on:
M. Sauerborn
DLR – German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
A. Neumann
DLR – German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
W. Seboldt
DLR – German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
Paper No:
ISEC2003-44208, pp. 203-209; 7 pages
Published Online:
January 5, 2009
Citation
Sauerborn, M, Neumann, A, & Seboldt, W. "Astrophysical and Mineralogical Experiments in the DLR Solar Furnace." Proceedings of the ASME 2003 International Solar Energy Conference. Solar Energy. Kohala Coast, Hawaii, USA. March 15–18, 2003. pp. 203-209. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ISEC2003-44208
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