Solar Thermal Receiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282017-A1
Application number	US-201415026804-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 3, 2014
Priority date	Oct 4, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to solar thermal receiver for a solar thermal energy plant comprising a light absorber ( 11 ) comprising nanoparticles ( 13 ) in a host material ( 15 ) which is transparent in an absorbing range of the light absorber ( 11 ) and where the nanoparticles ( 13 ) ekhibit plasmonic resonances within the absorbing range of the light absorber ( 11 ), wherein the dispersion of the nanoparticles ( 13 ) in the host material is controlled in such a way that the mean distance between said nanoparticles ( 13 ) is lower than the wavelengths of light in the absorbing range of the light absorber ( 11 ) for generating near field radiation interactions between said nanoparticles ( 13 ). The size and the distribution of the nanoparticles ( 13 ) is chosen to obtain a cutoff wavelength, where light of higher wavelength than the cutoff wavelength is less absorbed than light at shorter wavelengths with respect to the cutoff wavelength reducing losses due to infrared radiation of the absorber.

First claim

1 . Solar thermal receiver for a solar thermal energy plant comprising a light absorber comprising nanoparticles in a host material which is transparent in an absorbing range of the light absorber and where the nanoparticles exhibit plasmonic resonances within the absorbing range of the light absorber, wherein the dispersion of the nanoparticles in the host material is controlled in such a way that the mean distance between said nanoparticles is lower than the wavelengths of light in the absorbing range of the light absorber for generating near field radiation interactions between said nanoparticles, where the size and the distribution of the nanoparticles is chosen to obtain a cutoff wavelength, where light of higher wavelength than the cutoff wavelength is less absorbed than light at shorter wavelengths with respect to the cutoff wavelength reducing losses due to infrared radiation of the absorber.

2 . Solar thermal receiver absorber as to claim 1 , where the absorbing range is in the visible range and where said nanoparticles are metallic nanoparticles.

3 . Solar thermal receiver absorber as to claim 2 , where said metallic nanoparticles are made of silver and/or of gold.

4 . Solar thermal receiver absorber as to claim 1 , where the absorbing range is in the infrared range and where said nanoparticles are polarized polar nanoparticles.

5 . Solar thermal receiver absorber as to claim 1 , where said nanoparticles are at least of a first material and a second material different from the first material.

6 . Solar thermal receiver absorber as to claim 1 , where said nanoparticles comprise nanoparticles of a first mean size and nanoparticles of a second mean size, different from the first mean size.

7 . Solar thermal receiver as to claim 1 , where the mean radius of said nanoparticles is less than 100 nm.

8 . Solar thermal receiver as to claim 1 , where said nanoparticles are of spherical shape.

9 . Solar thermal receiver as to claim 1 , where said light absorber is arranged as a layer having a backside in contact with a heat conducting medium.

10 . A light absorber for use in a solar thermal receiver, the light absorber comprising:
a host material transparent in an absorbing range of the light absorber; and nanoparticles dispersed in said host material such that a mean distance between said nanoparticles is less than a wavelength of light in the absorbing range of the light absorber such that the nanoparticles generate near field radiation interactions between the nanoparticles and wherein:
said nanoparticles exhibit plasmonic resonances within the absorbing range of the light absorber; and
the size and the distribution of the nanoparticles is chosen to obtain a cutoff wavelength such that light having a wavelength longer than the cutoff wavelength is less absorbed than light having a wavelength which is shorter than the cutoff wavelength.

11 . The light absorber of claim 10 wherein the reducing the characteristic of said host material and nanoparticles are selected to reduce losses due to infrared radiation of the absorber.

12 . The light absorber of claim 10 wherein the absorbing range is in the visible range and where said nanoparticles are provided as metallic nanoparticles.

13 . The light absorber of claim 12 wherein said metallic nanoparticles are made of silver and/or of gold.

14 . The light absorber of claim 10 where the absorbing range is in the infrared range and where said nanoparticles are polarized polar nanoparticles.

15 . The light absorber of claim 10 wherein said nanoparticles are at least of a first material and a second material different from the first material.

16 . The light absorber of claim 10 wherein said nanoparticles comprise nanoparticles of a first mean size and nanoparticles of a second mean size, different from the first mean size.

17 . The light absorber of claim 10 wherein the mean radius of said nanoparticles is less than 100 nm.

18 . The light absorber of claim 10 wherein said nanoparticles are of spherical shape.

19 . The light absorber of claim 10 wherein said light absorber is arranged as a layer having a backside in contact with a heat conducting medium.

Assignees

• Total Marketing Services
• Centre Nat Rech Scient

Inventors

• Besbes Mondher
• Bru Hélène
• Ben-Abdallah Philippe
• Langlais I Mathieu

Classifications

• F24S90/00

  Solar heat systems not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F24S20/20

  Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants · CPC title

• B22F1/054

  Nanosized particles · CPC title

• F24J2/487 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24J2/42

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic