Solar absorber with a structured surface – A way to increase efficiency

Abstract

The basic idea of a solar absorber’s thermal gain increase is the keyhole effect utilization during which the radiation is absorbed by multiple reflections on cavity walls. The lattice of pyramidal or conical cavities on the solar absorber surface can be formed to create a structured surface leading to its overall absorptivity increase and to a reduction of the surface absorptivity dependence on the solar radiation incident beam angle changes caused by the daily and annual solar cycles. This contribution concludes the results of simulations of the effect of cavity geometry, geographical position and absorber orientation on its thermal gain with respect to the technological manufacturability of cavities. Furthermore, the real construction of the absorber with a structured surface using laser welding and parallel hydroforming is briefly described.