Thermal Cycling of Solar Absorber Coatings under Concentrated Solar Flux

Abstract

This master thesis describes the followed processes to analyze and characterize optical performance and degradation patterns of different coatings intended to be used as solar radiation absorbers for different CSP technologies in search for improvevents in their performance and durability and enabling the widespread of this renewable energy by reducing its cost. Within RAISELIFE project’s work package 3.1, several experimental absorber coatings (based on T91 and VM12 stainless steel substrates) were tested on a parabolic dish test bench in order to evaluate their degradation patterns and optical performances under concentrated sunlight. This document describes how the complete process was carried out concerning experiment design, setup and execution. It includes detailed description regarding the test bench instrumentation and control software, including early problems detection and further redesigns and modifications. It contains as well detailed procedures followed to experimentally in depth characterization of testbench’s concentrated solar flux and ist comparison with their prediction models. It explores the possibility of radiometer Integration for closing the flux control loop using those characterizations and, as last, it Details laboratory campaigns and analysis results.