It has generated growing interest since the Olympics opening ceremony last Friday in Paris. But what exactly is this Olympic cauldron with a flame that isn’t a flame? Let’s delve into the innovations.
Last Friday, during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony, Marie-José Pérec and Teddy Riner lit the Olympic cauldron, which rose into the sky, carried by a tethered balloon above the Jardin des Tuileries. This moment marked the end of the flame’s journey across France and the beginning of the games.
Since then, the cauldron has sparked growing interest from visitors. Free tickets can be downloaded from lavasque.paris2024.org to get up close to it throughout the Olympics in the Jardin des Tuileries. Be aware, that tickets go quickly, although the platform frequently releases new time slots.
DirectIndustry got a closer look at the cauldron to learn more about it.
Watch our video
Who is the Designer?
The Cauldron was designed by Mathieu Lehanneur, who also designed the Olympic torch (see our infographic for more technical details).
What is its Size?
This 30-meter-high Cauldron features a 7-meter-diameter ring of fire.
What Material Is It Made Of?
It is made of aluminum, a material that balances the need for lightness (as the cauldron rises into the sky) and robustness. The designers drew inspiration from aeronautical standards.
How Does it Diffuse the Flame?
The Cauldron emits a completely electric flame. An innovative system combining mist and projectors creates the illusion of fire.
Specifically, the cauldron includes 40 LED projectors with a luminous power equivalent to 4 million lumens. These LEDs illuminate a cloud of droplets formed by 200 high-pressure misting diffusers. A fan recreates the movement of flames, giving the appearance and shape of flames.
There is no heating element; water is misted, condensed, and then evacuated by ventilation.
Who Developed this Backlit Mist Technology?
EDF, the French nuclear leader, developed this technology. The company has even nicknamed it the “ring-flame” Cauldron.
According to Luc Rémont, Chairman and CEO of EDF,
“Thanks to an innovation by EDF, the Paris 2024 Cauldron will shine for the first time with a 100% electric flame. This ‘electric revolution’ was made possible thanks to the monumental work carried out by our teams and designer Mathieu Lehanneur. Their creativity and innovative strength have made it possible to design a flame without fossil fuel combustion, a flame made of water and light. The future is electric, and EDF’s teams are proud to have made history by helping to make Paris 2024 a more sustainable and responsible Games.”
What is the Water Consumption?
“water consumption is about 3 m³ per hour when the Cauldron is in flight, and 2 m³ when it is on the ground in the Jardin des Tuileries.”
What is the Balloon to Which it is Attached?
The Cauldron is carried by a tethered balloon from Aérophile, the same company that developed the air vacuums for the Olympic Village (read our interview with Mathieu Gobbi, the CEO of Aérophile). It can soar up to 60 meters high. The transport of high-pressure electricity and water to the ring-flame is managed through a cable that can follow the cauldron’s movements when in flight.
Due to the excitement generated by the Cauldron, there are calls for the Paris city council to keep it beyond the Olympics. In the meantime, the ring-flame rises each evening into the Paris sky.
![Image [BUYING GUIDE] How to Choose the Right Shelving?](/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/Featured-7-320x213.jpg)
