Review of study on solid particle solar receivers

The solid particle solar receiver (SPSR) is a direct absorption central receiver that uses solid particles enclosed in a cavity to absorb concentrated solar radiation. The SPSR is a candidate for applications of solar energy in a thermo-chemical water-splitting process to produce hydrogen. This paper presents a review of the study on SPSRs, including the idea originality, design concepts, advantages and disadvantages, the solid particle identification, a conceptual design in Sandia National Laboratories and detailed studies performed on this design. The geometry, particle size, calculating domain selection, the wind effect, the aerowindow and other factors which influence the cavity efficiency have been studied and the results are presented.