Ceramic absorber modules are exposed to extremely challenging conditions:
- Solar flux input on the solar receiver changes rapidly.
- Ceramic material must quickly accommodate these changes, causing enormous material stress.
- Monolithic ceramics proved not ideal for these purposes.
- Therefore, ASTERIx-CAESar intends to use Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composites (OCMC) as absorber-carrying structures.
- This lightweight structure has quicker heat-up and cool-down rates and outperforms during extreme temperature changes (> 150K/min).
A successful stress test was performed in November 2024 by the OCMC’s producer, the project partner Walter E.C. Pritzkow Spezialkeramik, to prove its resilience.
Watch the video below depicting the test of two silicon carbide (SiC) solar foam absorbers installed in OCMC cups held together with OCMC carrier bars:
