Review of performance enhancing measures for concentrating solar particle receiver technologies

Generation 3 concentrating solar power systems that utilize solid, sand-like particles as the heat transfer and thermal storage medium show promise in reducing the levelized cost of electricity relative to current molten-salt-based systems. A variety of receiver designs, which include both direct and indirect irradiation of the particle media, have been studied since the technology's inception in the 1980s. Directly irradiated particle receivers reduce the peak flux limitations allowing for higher concentration ratios and smaller receivers, but are susceptible to reduced efficiency due to direct interaction with the environment through an open aperture. Indirectly irradiated particle receivers mitigate the risks associated with an open aperture through particle containment but require high temperature alloys and increased heat transfer area. Strategies to mitigate the disadvantages of both technologies have been explored. This article reviews and evaluates each of these designs and strategies, highlighting the key features and the remaining challenges that must be addressed.