Solar Engines Of The XIX Century: Auguste Mushaud And Abel Pithre - Alternative View

Solar Engines Of The XIX Century: Auguste Mushaud And Abel Pithre - Alternative View
Solar Engines Of The XIX Century: Auguste Mushaud And Abel Pithre - Alternative View

Video: Solar Engines Of The XIX Century: Auguste Mushaud And Abel Pithre - Alternative View

Video: Solar Engines Of The XIX Century: Auguste Mushaud And Abel Pithre - Alternative View
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The history of renewable energy efforts is fascinating indeed. For example, our today's story, about the works of Auguste Mushaud and his assistant Abel Pifre, those people who were the first to make and try to use solar thermal concentrators (CSP Solar Thermal Power) in life.

Auguste Mushaud, a mathematics teacher in the elementary grades of an ordinary French school, in the period from 1852 to 1871 prepared a device and carried out a series of experiments and tests on it to convert solar energy. And it was absolutely not in vain: his experimental projects showed simply amazing results, so much so that the French government allocated a special grant for research.

Early schemes of the solar concentrator by Auguste Mushaud
Early schemes of the solar concentrator by Auguste Mushaud

Early schemes of the solar concentrator by Auguste Mushaud.

Of course, Auguste Mushaud did not start his research from scratch. His work was based on the research of Horace-Benedict de Saussure, the first designer of the "solar oven" (in 1767) and the inventor of the pyrheliometer, Claude Pouillet (1838).

Solar concentrator Auguste Mushaud at the World's Fair in Paris, 1878
Solar concentrator Auguste Mushaud at the World's Fair in Paris, 1878

Solar concentrator Auguste Mushaud at the World's Fair in Paris, 1878

Since Musho's device required a lot of sun, the inventor in French Algeria worked on its manufacture, and after manufacturing he had to disassemble the device and bring it back to Paris for display at the World Exhibition of 1878. There he won the gold medal, impressing the judges with the power of the sun to produce ice.

Solar concentrator Auguste Mushaud at the World's Fair in Paris, 1878
Solar concentrator Auguste Mushaud at the World's Fair in Paris, 1878

Solar concentrator Auguste Mushaud at the World's Fair in Paris, 1878

Unfortunately, the fall in coal prices, driven by the efficiency of transport and free trade agreements with the UK, has resulted in Musho's "solar machine" being pushed back and deemed unnecessary. Funding for the work was cut shortly after August's triumph at the World's Fair.

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Abel Pifre and his solar-powered printing press, May 1882
Abel Pifre and his solar-powered printing press, May 1882

Abel Pifre and his solar-powered printing press, May 1882

However, his assistant Abel Pifre continued his work and in 1882 demonstrated a solar-powered printing press in the Tuileries Gardens. Despite the cloudy conditions on the day of the demonstration, the machine was printing half a thousand copies of Le Journal du Soleil per hour. The newspaper contained materials specially written for tests and about tests.

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