Ecological System Assessment of a Novel Chain Receiver for Solar Thermal Tower Applications

Kurzfassung

The performance of the solar central receiver can directly affect the effiency of the whole power generation system in a solar thermal power plant. The most common receivers used during this years were the molten salt tubular ones, where the concentrated radiation is transferred to the cooling uid through the metal of the tubes. GEMASOLAR is Torresol Energy's first project to use central tower technology and a molten salt system. This technology demonstrated during its first years of operation a very strong success, where as the results of performance tests exceeded the theoritical predictions. Yet, direct absorption receivers are the next development after indirect tubular receivers. But the risks of ejected heat transfer medium and negative secondary effects like environnement pollution, loss of medium and increased costs, etc, let Dr. Singer and the DLR's group think about an alternative technology which can help to prevent such system from any risk. Indeed, after analysis of innovative chain receivers in this work, metallic chain and wire rropes show to have a cost reduction potential compared to the reference state of the art.