Final design of a multi cavity volumetric solar receiver

Abstract In order to design a multi cavity volumetric solar receiver, a model has been set up which allows the determination of both the transversely averaged surface and air temperature, as functions of the axial distance from the opening of a typical cavity. A procedure based on a ray-tracing technique which takes into account the geometry of the channel, as well as the directional characteristic of the irradiation resulting from the specular nature of the reflection from the mirror field has been used to calculate the distribution of solar radiation in the channel. Based on such analysis, the final design of the receiver has been completed and a prototype has been constructed and testing is in progress at an appropriate demonstration plant.