Structural Design of a Superheater for a Central Solar Receiver

One of the critical components of a receiver in a central solar thermal power system is the superheater. A solar superheater is subjected to nonaxisymmetric radiant heating and is usually required to operate at elevated temperatures. Unlike those in conventional and nuclear power systems, solar superheaters are also subjected to thermal and stress cycles associated with startups and shutdowns due to diurnal solar variations and cloud covers. Because of these features, solar superheaters warrant special treatment with regards to structural analysis and design. This paper describes the structural analysis and design considerations and proposes a set of evaluation criteria for a superheater in a central solar receiver.