Iran replicates Sheikh Bahaei's furnace

After more than three centuries, Iran has duplicated Sheikh Bahaei's boiler that used a single candle as its energy source.

“Sheikh Bahaei's boiler has been replicated after 300 years and uses 30% less fuel,” Fars news agency quoted the head of the Union of Inventors in Iran's Khorasan Razavi province, Ali Asghar Berahmand, as saying on Sunday.

“The boiler is a duplicate of Sheikh Bahaei's which was heated by a single candle. But there are minor differences between the two furnaces, as we are unaware of some secrets that have yet to be brought to light,” he added.

“The small but unique boiler has won two gold medals in Switzerland and Moscow in 2006 and 2007,” he asserted.

According to Berahmand, many countries are interested in buying the furnace, which costs about 600 dollars.

“The furnace has been displayed in numerous foreign exhibitions this year,” he concluded.

Sheikh Bahaei lived almost 400 years ago, and was a philosopher, mathematician and astronomer. He has a recognized legacy of 88 articles, letters and books along with poetry in Persian and Arabic.

As the architect of Isfahan's Imam Mosque, he demonstrated his knowledge of architecture and geometry.

His design and construction of a public bath in Isfahan, still known as Sheikh Bahaei's bath, was amazing. All the water was heated by a single candle. According to his own instructions, the system would fail if the enclosure was ever opened. This happened during the restoration and repair of the building; to date, no one has been able to restart the boiler.

Sheikh Bahaei also designed the Manar Jonban, the Shaking Minarets, which continue to move in Isfahan.