| abstract |
A unitary volumetric receiver module or assembly for use in a solar thermal power plant having a receiver surface heated by radiation from the sun, said module or assembly comprises: a volumetric receiver body having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid permeable interior there between for passing an energy-carrying fluid medium such as a liquid or a gas, e.g. air, through it, and a support member having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid permeable interior there between for collecting the energy-carrying fluid medium leaving the outlet of the receiver body and passing it further on, said receiver body being assembled with said support member in such a manner and by such means that any mutual substantial mechanical and/or thermal stresses therebetween are avoided or eliminated, even when the unitary module or assembly is heated to the operational temperature(s) of the power plant. Also a process for producing silicon infiltrated silicon carbide (SiSiC) bodies is described, the bodies to be infiltrated, are placed in a furnace with an inert controlled atmosphere or vacuum and the silicon metal, which is to infiltrate the body, is placed on top of a sacrifice piece interposed between the silicon metal and the silicon carbide body, whereupon the temperature of the furnace is raised to or above that at which the silicon metal melts and is held at or above this level for a period of time sufficient to penetrate the porosity of the silicon carbide body with molten liquid silicon metal and the temperature is then lowered to solidify the inflitrated silicon metal inside the structure. |