Flexible high flux solar simulator based on optical fiber bundles

Abstract High flux solar simulators have been widely used in solar thermal research due to their controllable flux intensity. Simulators based on optical-fiber transmission have recently gained further attention because of their superior flexibility. In this study, we developed a flexible, high-flux solar simulator that consists of a xenon lamp-truncated ellipsoidal mirror array, a multicomponent glass optical-fiber bundle and a secondary concentrator. The flexibility of the fibers allows the simulator to produce various flux distributions in 2D and 3D space through corresponding optical-fiber bundle arrangements. Each bundle has a diameter of 10 mm and contains 30,000 optical fibers that can transmit the high flux of a xenon lamp to a target. The density of the spot can reach 500 kW/m2. The intensity of the flux produced is determined by the power of the lamps, and the transmission properties and temperature resistance of the fiber bundle.