Direct Absorption Receiver

Three major goals of the receiver research effort of the Solar Thermal Research Program are to lower the cost of receivers, achieve higher working temperatures, and improve durability. Toward that end the Solar Energy Research Institute is investigating a novel receiver concept that has the potential to meet these three goals. This concept, the Direct Absorption Receiver (DAR), is based onflowing a thin film of molten salt down a flat, absorbing surface and directly exposing this film to concentrated solar flux from a heliostat field. This paper describes a research task aimed at evaluating the technical feasibility of this concept during FY 1984 and FY 1985. First, the concept and its potential benefits and problems are discussed. Then, the long-and short-term goals of the taskare described. Finally, the paper explains the analytical and experimental elements of the task in general terms and gives the conclusions drawn to date.