A solar simulator is a tool for characterizing solar devices in laboratory conditions, by producing a radiation spectrum similar to the solar one. A solar furnace is a solar simulator able to produce a high-flux solar radiation, useful for characterizing solar concentrating devices.
The system is provided by a xenon lamp, which has a spectrum reproducing at a good extent the solar spectrum and is typically used as reference for evaluating the performance of solar converters. The radiation flux can be reflected on a small area for simulating conditions of concentrated solar radiation (up to 5000 suns on a circular area of 5 mm diameter). Therefore, the solar furnace is a useful tool for performing measurements of thermal-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency and thermal/radiative accelerated ageing of materials.
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