Volumetric receivers in Solar Thermal Power Plants with Central Receiver System technology: A review

Deployment of the first generation of grid-connected plants for electricity production, based on Solar Thermal Power Plants with Central Receiver System technology using large heliostat fields and a solar receiver placed on the top of a tower, is currently being boosted by the first commercial plants in Spain, PS10, PS20, and Gemasolar. Therefore one of the main goals of solar technology research is the study of existing receivers and development of new designs to minimize heat losses. In this context, volumetric receivers appear to be the best alternative to tube receivers, mainly due to their functionality and geometric configuration. They consist of a porous material that absorbs concentrated radiation inside the volume of a structure and transfers the absorbed heat to a fluid passing through the structure. Solar radiation is first converted into thermal energy or chemical potential, and then at a later stage, into electricity. This volumetric receiver technology has been under development since the early 1990s in various research and development projects. This paper is a chronological review of the volumetric receivers of most interest for electricity production, identifying their different configurations, materials and real and expected results, and pointing out their main advantages and conclusions based on the multitude of international and national projects reports and references. This study also deals with other important issues surrounding the volumetric receiver, such as the basic plant configuration, flow stability phenomenon and the main problems of a windowed design for pressurized receivers. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.