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Processes, Materials and Solar Energy laboratory - PROMES
A laboratory of CNRS, France (National Centre for Scientific Research) |
PROMES is the French national R&D laboratory on solar concentrating systems, It is a CNRS laboratory
closely associated with the University of Perpignan.
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The research objectives of the laboratory are:
To study solar energy conversion into heat, coldness,
electricIty and hydrogen (energy carriers) uslng partlcularly
thermal and thermochemical processes.
To qualify and improve high temperature materials, and
elaborate new materials using concentrated solar energy
To develop low environmental impact processes and long
lifetime materials.
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The 1 MW solar fumace and
the dish/Stirling in operation
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The scientific and technical permanent staff of PROMES is 75 persons and a total of about 100 persons
are currently working in the laboratory at Odeillo and Perpignan.
PROMES operates high flux solar facilities at Odeillo Centre: 10 small size (1-2 kW) solar furnaces that
reach maximum concentration of 18000, a 6 kW solar furnace (concentration 4500) and a 1000 kW solar
fumace (concentration 10000). In addition a 50 kW parabola (concentration 10000) equipped with a 10 kWe
Stirling engine is tested daily.
High priority scientific topics are related to solar thermal power generation using gas thermodynamic cycles,
hydrogen production, medium and high temperature heat storage, high temperature materials testing and
evaluation, materials synthesis, and solar heating and cooling of buildings.
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Vertical axis solar furnaces.
South of the building

Thermolysis of water for
hydrogen production

Metrology at the focus of a
solar furnace
(see SOLLAB highlight)
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SOLLAB Highlight
A 2 m in diameter horizontal
axis solar furnace
(concentration up to 18000)
is devoted to SOLLAB
actions in metrology.
Equipements include solar
blind pyrometres,
bidirectional reflectometre
and test chambers.
Applications in progress
deal with temperature
measurement, emissivity
and reflectivity measurement
at high temperature (800°C -
3200°C), material ageing.
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NEWS and EVENTS |
June 15 – 17, 2017
13th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies will be organised in Berlin by the DLR, Germany |
June 6 – 8, 2016
12th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies will be organised by the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA), Spain |
June 23 – 25, 2014 10th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at PROMES Odeillo, France |
March 2014
New position for a research engineer, experienced in energy systems at CNRS/PROMES |
May 13 – 14, 2013 9th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at Hornberg Castle in the Black Forest, Germany |
June 25-26, 2012 8th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at Almería, Spain |
December 19, 2011 New Position for a PhD student opened at the Paul Scherrer Institute |
March 24-25, 2011 2nd SFERA Winter School at ETH Zürich, Switzerland |
March 21-23, 2011 7th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium in Grindelwald, Switzerland | June7-9, 2010 6th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PROMES Odeillo, France |
September 2009 New Post-doctoral position opened at PROMES, 2009-2010 |
June 22-24, 2009 5th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, DLR Cologne, Germany |
September 10-12, 2008 4th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PSA, Spain |
September 11-12-13, 2007 3rd SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PROMES-Odeillo, France |
14-15 Apr. 2006 1st Workshop SOLLAB Flux and Temperature Measurement Group - Odeillo |
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