Hybrid Dish/Stirling Systems: Combustor and Heat Pipe Receiver Development

A hybrid sodium heat pipe receiver has been developed within the project HYHPIRE, funded 50% by the European Commission. The hybrid receiver was designed for the SBP/LCS 10-kWel dish/Stirling system with the SOLO-161 Stirling engine. Design of the heat pipe receiver and combustion system are described in this paper The system has been tested successfully in all operation modes. Results and experience from the lab tests in combustion-only mode, as well as results from demonstration testing in the dish in solar-only, gas-only, and hybrid mode on the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA) in Spain, are reported.