Solar panels melt steel

Can a solar furnace melt metal?

A manufacturer of steel and stainless-steel watch components, the company will in a few months be the first in the world to use an industrial solar furnace to melt metal. “Our material will be 100% recycled and melted using renewable energy,” proudly says Liselotte Thuring, project manager.

How much energy does a solar metal smelter produce?

The Solar Metal Smelter produces about four kilowatts of energy at a temperature of about 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius and can melt a maximum of 20 kilograms of zinc or five kilograms of aluminium at one time. The largest object Seegers has produced using this process to date is a flywheel for one of his other machines.

Can a solar oven melt steel?

Steel has never been commercially melted using only the sun’s energy. Developed in partnership with the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Panatère’s solar oven will be 15 m wide and 6 m high. It consists of two surfaces covered with mirrors arranged differently.

How many tons of recycled steel can a solar furnace melt?

The solar furnace could melt up to 400 tons of recycled steel each year. The ingots will be reused by Panatère or sold to other companies. The furnace will reach a temperature of 2,000°C, which is more than enough because the melting point of steel, stainless steel and titanium is between 1,400 and 1,700°C.

How does a solar metal smelter work?

The Solar Metal Smelter features a large lens that is manually moved to follow the path of the sun and direct its heat into a crucible holding metal. Once liquid enough, the metal can be cast into a sand mould and made into a variety of products. Jelle Seegers presented his Solar Metal Smelter at Dutch Design Week. Photo is by Iris Rijskamp

Could a pilot model melt green steel?

A pilot model – and a world first – that will allow it to melt green steel, locally, to produce components for the watchmaking, medical and aeronautical sectors. Melting steel using solar energy is the bet Panatère is about to win.