CIEMAT-PSA-SOLFU
TA17 – CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almeria-SOLFU
Location
Ctra. de Senés, km. 4,5
04200 Tabernas, Spain
Description
The Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA) is recognised as a major European scientific facility by the European Commission and is also the largest and most complete research and development (R&D) centre in the world dedicated to solar thermal concentrating systems, solar desalination and photochemistry. It is a privileged place for the development, evaluation, demonstration, and transfer of solar concentrating technologies, both for thermal applications and for chemical processes. It offers researchers a location with insolation and climate characteristics similar to those of the developing countries of the equatorial belt with the advantages of owning the largest scientific facilities among European countries. The PSA consists of solar concentrating and solar water treatment facilities that are unique in the world due to their variety and size.
Thermal processing of materials at high temperature:
The PSA solar furnaces, whose concentration ratio are in the range of 3000 to 6000 suns, are very suitable for surface treatments of material, since metallic and ceramic samples can be treated at very high temperatures with great accuracy. The treatments can be carried out in air, vacuum or in controlled atmosphere conditions, inside different available vacuum chambers. Some of the thermal treatments that can be carried out are quenching, sintering, nitrurisation, carburisation, foaming, coatings, sintering of nanostructured materials, etc.
Volumetric Absorber Tests:
The PSA solar furnaces are very suitable for volumetric absorbers tests, since these receivers can be tested either at very high temperatures and/or solar fluxes, with very good control of both temperatures and air flow, in particular in the SF60 solar furnace. Various setups are available for the porous absorber to be tested under real operational conditions.
Accelerated aging thermal cycles:
The PSA solar furnaces are also suitable for accelerated aging durability tests, since metallic and ceramic samples can be treated at very high temperatures, and cycles (up to 10s) can be performed very precisely. The tests can be carried out in air, vacuum or in controlled atmosphere conditions. Several test campaigns have been carried out in the last years on this topic with remarkable results.
Tubular receiver specimen tests:
The PSA solar furnaces are suitable for the thermal and optical characterisation of tubular receiver’s specimens that can be tested under real conditions with controlled conditions. Different scenarios can be analysed under transient and steady conditions.
Testing Capabilities
The PSA solar furnaces are used for high-temperature material processing, volumetric absorber tests, accelerated aging, and tubular receiver specimen tests.
Technical Equipment
Solar furnaces for high-temperature thermal processing of materials (3000 to 6000 suns), including surface treatments, volumetric absorber tests, accelerated aging cycles, and tubular receiver specimen tests.
Additional information
Technology Readiness Level: 7 or above
Special considerations: N/A
Technology clusters: CSP/STE, Materials for Energy
Website: https://www.psa.es
Availability: All year
Provision of tools to prepare data sets in a FAIR way: Yes
