A non-deterministic uncertainty and global sensitivity analysis, based on the Sobol’s method, is developed for a parabolic-trough direct steam generation plant for process heat applications. The objective of this work is to evaluate the robustness of the simulation-based design stage,...

This paper presents an overview of the parabolic-trough collectors that have been built and marketed during the past century, as well as the prototypes currently under development. It also presents a survey of systems which could incorporate this type of concentrating solar system to supply...

The thermal evaluation of different absorber configurations for a volumetric solar receiver designed for a solar furnace has been carried out by means of commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software in a 2D numerical model. Simulation results for proposed configurations depending on...

Solar volumetric-receivers have been successfully used in both electricity production and thermochemical applications. This paper studies the applicability of this technology to the production of process heat for high-temperature uses (573–1073 K).

Parabolic-trough collectors (PTC) solar systems are one of the most promising of a wide range of the available solar technologies. Continuous breakthroughs are being achieved. Mainly due to the considerable amount of solar PTC plants that are being under operation in different countries. Within...

This paper presents a prediction procedure of the solar irradiance distribution on a plane parallel to the focal one of the Plataforma Solar de Almería’s Solar Furnace, within defined limits, as well as its application to test a sample of a volumetric solar receiver exposed to concentrated...

The efficiency of any thermal power plant is related to the maximum working temperature that some components can reach. Examples of material constraints are the first stage blades of a gas turbine or the receiver of a solar tower plant, but there are other temperature constraints, such as the...