[TheForge] Re: How to melt steel with sunlight: 2

[Mike Spencer]

I recall seeing a magazine article back in the 70s about an aluminum
smelter (foundry?) in (I think) Italy.  The melting pot (?) was in a
pod at the top of a tower.  In a field below was an array of big
parabolic mirrors.  What's the geometric term?  The shape you get by
translating a parabola perpendicular to the plane it's drawn in rather
than rotating it.  Shape like a sagging sheet of paper, not like a
candy dish.  That kind of parabolic mirrors.

The mirrors could all be synched to the sun with some kind of
electronics.  And there was a big heat-proof door in the pod.  Synch
in the mirrors, open the door and the pot of aluminum melted real
quick.  Used enough power to drive the mirror servos versus enough to
operate a gigaundice arc furnace.

Time Magazine maybe? Circa 1971?


FWIW,
- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^