Volumetric solar receiver

Abstract

A volumetric receiver vessel for heating a fluid with concentrated solar radiation which includes: an external housing having an aperture at the front end; an internal housing separating fluid entering the vessel from fluid exiting thereof; a window covering the aperture of the vessel, where the window closes and seals the aperture of said vessel against a non-metallic seal; and a radiation absorber, located inside the vessel and places to absorb radiation entering the vessel through said window on a radiation absorbing surface, where said surface include at least two zones with different radiation absorption coefficients.

1 . A vessel comprising:
 an external housing with a front end and a rear end, and having an aperture at the front end;   an internal housing separating fluid entering the vessel from fluid exiting the vessel;   a window covering the aperture of the vessel;   a radiation absorber, located inside the vessel and placed to absorb radiation entering the vessel through said window on a radiation absorbing surface, said surface comprising at least two zones with different respective radiation absorption coefficients on a side of the absorber facing said window;   a fluid ingress and a fluid egress in the external housing to, respectively, inject therein or withdraw therefrom a fluid in a manner enabling fluid interaction with the radiation absorber.   
     
     
         2 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein said window is flat. 
     
     
         3 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein said window is conical. 
     
     
         4 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein said window is concave in relation to said vessel. 
     
     
         5 . A vessel according  1 , wherein the radiation absorber includes a coating that produces the difference in radiation absorptivity. 
     
     
         6 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation absorptivity of said radiation absorber surface is higher in a perimeter of said absorber than in a center of said absorber. 
     
     
         7 . A vessel according to  claim 6 , wherein said radiation absorber surface with a lower radiation absorptivity has a larger distance to the window in its inner regions than in the outer regions. 
     
     
         8 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein said radiation absorber surface is made of silicon carbide in the outer regions of said radiation absorber and said radiation absorber surface is made of alumina in the inner regions of said radiation absorber. 
     
     
         9 . A vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein said radiation absorber surface is made of silicon nitride in the outer regions of said radiation absorber and said radiation absorber surface is made of alumina in the inner regions of said radiation absorber. 
     
     
         10 . A vessel comprising:
 an external housing having a front and a rear end, and having an aperture at the front end;   an internal housing separating fluid entering the vessel from fluid exiting thereof;   a window covering the aperture of the vessel, where said window closes and seals the aperture of said vessel against a non-metallic seal by contact with only a seal;   a radiation absorber, located inside the vessel and placed to absorb radiation entering the vessel through said window on a radiation absorbing surface;   a fluid ingress and a fluid egress in the external housing to, respectively, inject therein or withdraw therefrom a fluid in a manner enabling fluid interaction with the radiation absorber.   
     
     
         11 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said window is flat. 
     
     
         12 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said window is concave in relation to said vessel. 
     
     
         13 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said radiation absorbing surface is made of silicon carbide. 
     
     
         14 . A vessel according  claim 10 , wherein said radiation absorbing surface is made of silicon nitride. 
     
     
         15 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said radiation absorbing surface is made of alumina. 
     
     
         16 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said radiation absorber consists of at least one material with high radiation absorptivity and one material with low radiation absorptivity. 
     
     
         17 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein the radiation absorptivity of said radiation absorber surface is higher in a perimeter than in a center of said absorber. 
     
     
         18 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said radiation absorber surface with a lower radiation absorptivity has a larger distance to the window in its inner regions than in the outer regions. 
     
     
         19 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said radiation absorber surface is made of silicon carbide in the outer regions of said radiation absorber and said radiation absorber surface is made of alumina in the inner regions of said radiation absorber. 
     
     
         20 . A vessel according to  claim 10 , wherein said radiation absorber surface is made of silicon nitride in the outer regions of said radiation absorber and said radiation absorber surface is made of alumina in the inner regions of said radiation absorber.