About the project
The general objective of the proposed project SUNFLOWER is the development of highly efficient absorber structures for open volumetric receivers (OVR) for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants with low environmental impact. The project aims to improve the powder raw material processing (CO2-footprint), to optimise the absorber design, to improve the material composition for Aluminium-alloy and Silicon Carbide and the fabrication technique for the developed absorbers. In addition, it aims at the testing and overall assessment of the improved structures. Combining the expertise on the materials, the fabrication process, the modelling, and operation, as well as commercialisation, absorber structures allowing the highest solar-to-electric conversion efficiency (up to 40%) and lowest environmental impact will be developed.
Improving the high-temperature stable materials and the design of the absorbers for OVR CSP, the project focuses directly on the call module objectives to increase the technology performance and lifetime by the use of new materials. Within the optimisation process an innovative new absorber design will be developed, ensuring higher efficiency (active moving absorber concept). Moreover, the proposed project contributes to the objective to reduce the environmental impact by optimising the fabrication process (sustainable raw material preparation and consumption, recycling approach, and increase of durability), the use of air as a heat transfer fluid and an optimised CSP plant size.