No, this is not the base of the aliens and shooting area of science-fiction films. This is - Big Solar Furnace (BSP) capacity of 700 kilowatts, located in Uzbekistan. Anything in the world two such stoves, and the second in France.

Most solar oven is a sophisticated opto-mechanical set with automatic control systems, consisting of fields and geliostatnogo paraboloidal concentrator, which form in the focal zone of the hub stationary energy flow of high density. The area of the reflecting surface of the field geliostatnogo - 3020 m ², a hub - 1840 m ². The temperature at the focus of the rays of the concentrator exceeds 3,000 degrees Celsius. This is the largest solar furnace in the world.

Geliokompleks located 45 km from Tashkent, in Parkent area in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level. It was built between 1981 and 1987. Place to build a very carefully chosen: first the whole complex is located on a single rock mass, which is very important because it is located in a seismically hazardous area, and secondly, the number of sunny days per year is not less than 270.

Let's start with the examination of small solar oven. It is a mirror parabaloid diameter of about 2 meters, focusing the sun's rays to a point 2 cm in diameter.

The maximum temperature which can be obtained in this furnace - 2000 degrees Celsius. Interesting visual effect can be seen, with objects placed near the focal length. For example, the image of man standing next to the mirror increases, and all that is further reflected in upside down.

"Will the party, the desire of the people here will be built complex of the Sun" in May 1981. Implement the ambitious project "Institute of the Sun" was made possible thanks to the efforts and enthusiasm of academic Said Azimovicha Asimov. Trigonometric point and memorial plaque at the highest point of the complex - 1,100 meters above sea level.

Scientific geliokompleks includes four business units: the main building, geliostatnoe field concentrator technology tower.

Geliostatnoe field consists of 62 heliostats, placed in a checkerboard pattern (to reduce shading) on ​​a gentle slope in front of the hub.

Each heliostat size 7.5 x 6, 5 meters consists of 195 flat mirror elements, which are called "facets".

The reflecting surface geliostatnogo field is 3022 square meters.

From the archive. Longitudinal section of the hub and geliostatnogo field.

The sensors automatically adjust the position of each heliostat in accordance with movement of the sun. Each heliostat can be rotated both vertically and horizontally.

The size of the individual mirrors - 50x50 inches.

The reflective layer is formed by vacuum deposition of the facets of aluminum on the back side and is protected with acrylic paint.

A total of 12 090 field is used geliostatnom mirrors.

Office of the mirrors is fully automated and uses ready-made programs for every day, taking into account the position of the sun in the sky.

And here is the main object - the parabolic geliokontsentrator. It is the largest in the world gelikontsentrator, the area 1840 square meters. To estimate the scale look at the people at the bottom left of the frame.

From the archive. Sketch of the hub and geliostatnogo field.

In the Hub uses 10 700 mirrors total area of ​​1840 square meters. Mirrors are collected in 214 units, $ 4.5 x2, 25 m, 50 in each of the mirrors.

The hub is installed, and still is oriented north-south direction.

The flow of solar energy, directed heliostats is reflected from the parabolic mirror surface of the concentrator and focuses on one point on the technological tower with a diameter of 40 centimeters.

In the center of the parabolic concentrator surface at a height of six floors, is located pyrometric laboratory, from which control the operation of the furnace.

Panoramic view of the tower and technological hub.

The upper point of the concentrator has the mark of 1100 meters above sea level, which coincides with the point of installation of the memorial plate on top of geliostatnogo field. The size of the "mirror" the hub - 47h54 meters. And every single mirror has a size of 45x45 inches.

Weight of metal structures Hub - 200 thousand tons. At the top (12th floor) walks passenger elevator. And this is the hub looks like inside.

The south side of the hub. To protect from sunlight and temperature deformation metallikonstruktsy hub closed with special sun screens. In the foreground is a simple experimental solar furnace built from steel sheets.

Pyrometric laboratory on the 6th floor of the concentrator. Its windows overlook the technological tower. Hence, control the operation of the furnace.

At the top mark of the concentrator is an observation deck. Downstairs is the village the sun, with tall buildings for the staff of the institute.

Still above the red sight buttons to align all of the 62 heliostats.

Hence, also called panoramic view of the geliostatnoe field.

Matrix sighting marks.

Focal length of the hub - 18 meters, it is at this distance is a tower with a technological furnace. Non-operating oven door closed and forced cooling.

Stair-lift block on the south side of the hub.

The advantage of solar cookers is to achieve an instantaneous high temperature, allowing to obtain pure materials without impurities (including through the clean mountain air.) It therefore metals and alloys are characterized by extremely high purity and the absence of impurities. And one more important reason - for solar energy need not pay.

And of course we can not ignore the second big solar furnace in the world. Most of the solar furnace in Font-Romeu-Odeillo (France) Laboratory of the Sun was the world's first solar oven with such dimensions. Its construction was carried out in 1962-1968, respectively. The entire complex earned in 1970. The furnace consists of a parabolic concentrator, with the size of 54h48 m and 63 heliostats. The total area of the reflecting surface of the hub is only 10 square feet smaller than that of the BSP in Parkent, but due to the fact that the entire complex is located above (at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level) and applied a high-quality mirrors - the maximum capacity of the French solar furnace above and is 1 MW.