How to Build a Solar Furnace
Solar furnaces are actually made up of something known as silicon, the same substance that makes silica or sand. The funny part is that though sand is found in abundance on earth, it is still rather expensive to build solar furnaces. This is because making cells that are photovoltaic are used in the furnaces is an expensive affair. However, once you get the cells, making the furnaces is an easy enough job.
Required Materials
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furnace tray
frame absorber plate
copper tubing
insulation
glazing
Basic Choices
Monocrystalline Solar Furnaces: These solar furnaces have perfectly rounded solar cells that are visible from every angle and are always stacked in perfectly uniform rows. This is the option that is most efficient and is a perfect choice for households where there is not a lot of room.
Polycrystalline Solar Furnaces: These are made from silicon that is multi-crystalline. They are diverse and shaped as a square and look like mosaics. The manufacturing cost is cheaper, even though the efficiency is less than mono-crystalline modules. On a large scale, thus is more affordable for consumers.
Thin Film Solar Furnaces: Thin film solar furnaces are a new technology that uses glass or stainless steel, on which silicon material is applied. From the manufacturing angle, they are more efficient as they easily absorb light. Less material and a thin design is used.
Instructions
Step one: The cells that are photovoltaic, usually flat and light can easily be transported from one place to another. To build a solar furnace you should first identify a good place in the backyard or garden depending on where you want to place the furnace. The place should actually be such that it receives maximum amount of the heat from the sun heat be directly under the sun.
Step two: Cells that are photovoltaic need to be placed horizontally, and they must be on ground or on roof. The solar panels will then get heated and the heat will get stored in them as the rays of the sun fall on it directly. These furnaces are designed to produce from the sun's heat, which can be used for running household appliances.
Step three: Most do-it-at-home solar furnaces come with a tool kit, which can be used to assemble the solar furnace. For additional guidance the buyers are also provided with a complimentary CD-ROM to guide them through the process. A layman with no prior construction experience can assemble a solar furnace and use it from the very first day.
Regarding the durability materials used, since the primary materials used in building the furnace is actually wood as well as glass, there is minimal chances of damage in the furnace. Moreover, glass does not get spoilt even when it is continuously exposed to dust and sun. The primary metal used in the furnace, copper, is also a very durable metal and does not rust like iron. So the entire structure of the furnace is built to last for several years.
