Design and construction of solar furnace, used to study the performance of high temperature absorbing material and solar receiver/reactor in China and Iran

Iranian Project Leader: Dr. M. Ebrahim Foulaadvand, the University of Zanjan

Chinese Project Leader: Dr. Chuncheng Zhang, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Objective:

The aim of this joint project is to design and build two solar furnaces, which will be used to study the performance of absorbing materials under high temperature thermal flux, solar reactor, solar fuel production, thermo-chemical reactions and solar receiver/reactor performance. The major furnace will be built in China (20 KW) and the minor one (5 kW) in Iran.
The long-term goal is to develop and promote the solar thermal energy technology in both countries via mutual collaboration, as well as broaden its civil applications both in China and Iran. The solar furnace system is mainly composed of heliostat(s), secondary concentrator, shutter, and receiver platform.

Execution duration: 3 years

Total Budget:
Chinese: 120,000 USD
Iranian: 1,500,000,000 IRR (Equiv. 14,000 USD)

Expected outcomes:
a) Practical （Chinese side）: Installation of the major solar furnace system (in China) with the following technical parameters: Peak thermal power ≥20 kW; Concentration ratio ≥2500 suns under peak solar flux; Optical image at focal region ≤200 mm in diameter (the area of 90% of the total thermal power); Peak temperature at the focal region ≥1800℃.

b) Practical (Iranian side): Installation of the minor solar furnace system in Iran. The peak thermal power ≥5 kW. Concentration ratio≥500 suns under peak solar flux.

c) Theoretical: at least two papers are expected to be published based on the results of the research. Moreover, we will apply for at least two patents.

d) During the cooperation projects two Iranian postgraduate students will be trained on the methodology of design and construction techniques in order to design and build the minor solar furnaces in Iran

International Collaborative Research between the University of Zanjan and Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Iranian Project Leader: Dr. Ghasem Nabatian, the University of Zanjan
Chinese Project Leader: Prof. Qiuli Li, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Execution duration: 3 years

Following the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Zanjan (ZNU) and the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) to initiate academic, research and technological cooperation, the joint-applied project of “Cooperative research of microbeam analytical techniques of rock and minerals” which funded by “Strategic international cooperation for technology Innovation” of National Key Research and Development Plan has been approved.

Based on the data, we attempt to constrain the source of main important ore deposits in Iran as well the relationship between host rocks and these mineralizations to get more insight for the geodynamic and metallogeny of Fe and Cu in Iran.

Presents of Chinees Proffesers in University of Zanjan

SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer Laboratory)

Methodology or Project Design/ methods are as following:

• Zircon U-Pb dating
• Zircon Lu-Hf isotopes
• Zircon Oxygen isotope
• Re-Os dating of sulphide minerals
• S-O stable isotopes of sulphide and oxide minerals