1 MWt bench model solar receiver test program

This report is an account of the design, checkout and solar testing of a cavity receiver using metal gas-in-tube heat exchangers. The design represents a scale model of a Brayton cycle solar electric plant receiver. The program span from initiation of design to test completion was 32 months. The DOE-Central receiver test facility was utilized in this inaugural test. Tests involved controlled parameter investigations of heat balance, non-uniform heating and transients; and demonstrations of solar load following. Design thermal efficiency predictions were achieved