Concentrated Solar Power Technology Research Articles

Thermal efficiency and performance analysis of 50 MW concentrated solar power plant

This study evaluates the operational efficiency and performance of the Shagaya 50 MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in Kuwait that has been operational since February 2019. Utilizing Parabolic Trough technology, the plant incorporates a large Solar Field (SF) comprising 8 platforms with total of 206 solar-collector loops. Thermal energy captured by the SF is utilized in a Low Temperature Rankine Cycle to generate electricity via water-steam cycle and heat exchangers, with a nominal turbine capacity of 50 MW. Supported by a thermal energy storage (TES) system capable of storing 1200 MWht energy in molten salt. Through a comprehensive assessment spanning 41 months, real-time operational data is analysed to evaluate the CSP-TES system's efficacy within Kuwait's climatic conditions. Various performance parameters are examined, providing insights into CSP technology's practical implications and operational strategies. Driven by the annual difference in downtime and TES availability, comparative analysis of the plant's annual electricity production over the three years reveals notable variations: 74.99 GWh in 2019, 160.62 GWh in 2020, and 140.04 GWh in 2021, corresponding to capacity factors of 19 %, 40.75 %, and 35.53 %, respectively. The findings underscore the strong correlation between the SF and TES system in determining overall plant efficiency. The study also highlights the impact of high wind speeds on plant operation, triggering shutdowns on 9 days during the assessment period. Additionally, soiling losses in the SF are assessed through daily reflectivity measurements, guiding cleaning efforts using semi-automated armed trucks. Seasonal peaks in cleanliness factor coincide with local spring season, underlining the detrimental effect of reflectivity losses on plant output due to higher dust mass densities. A design flaw causing frequent breakdowns of receiver tubes under high winds is identified and addressed.

Environmental and economic impacts of photovoltaic integration in concentrated solar power plants

This study conducted an environmental and economic assessment of an innovative hybrid energy generation system, a CSP+ plant, which integrates photovoltaic (PV) panels in a concentrated solar power (CSP) setup. The CSP+ concept uses a beam splitter that transmits part of the incident solar spectrum towards the PV cells for electricity generation and reflects ultraviolet and infrared light to the receiver tube for heating. This system allows more efficient use of solar radiation in a compact system with optimal efficiency.The environmental impacts were assessed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, focusing on the climate change impact category. The economic impacts were calculated using the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and the levelized cost of heat (LCOH). Both assessments considered a cradle-to-grave perspective in three scenarios (SC). SCI considered only electricity generation, while SCII involved the combined production of electricity and heat. These scenarios were compared to conventional CSP and PV technologies (SCIII) and benchmark values from the literature.The LCA results showed SCII was the most preferable: the impacts on climate change were reduced by up to 83% for electricity production and up to 97% for heat production compared to benchmark values. In SCII, the LCOE and the LCOH in the CSP+ plant were lower than the average benchmark values, with reductions of up to 70% for electricity and 40% for heat. The sensitivity analysis showed that the environmental performance was strongly influenced by the operating lifetime. For economic performance, the weighted cost of capital was the most influential factor.

Towards CSP technology modeling in power system expansion planning

Power systems with a high level of renewable energy penetration face challenges due to the inherent properties of some renewable energy sources, such as their variability and uncertainty. These systems require reliable technologies capable of handling large ramps and flexibility needs. Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) has been identified as one solution, which has been researched and implemented in several countries. This paper presents a novel analysis and evaluation of the impacts of choosing an inadequate representation of CSP technology in power system planning tools. The current state of CSP in power system expansion planning in the literature is examined, providing a classification for the modeling of investment and operation of CSP plants. Based on a proposed analysis framework, different models and configurations for CSP plants are evaluated and applied to a 5-bus test system. One of the key findings is that the selected model highly impacts the computational effort (150% more processing time), the quality of the planning decision (14% more overall costs), and the total emissions (up to 52% more emissions). A storage-based model proves to be the most suitable option, considering the operation and investment costs, as well as computational burden. The selected model achieves a 1% error compared to the results obtained with a reference model, while also requiring 40% less computation effort. The proposed framework can be applied to other power system structures by choosing the best suited CSP modeling.

Design of reactive particle fluidized bed heat exchangers for gas–solid thermochemical energy storage

Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems integrated with a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton power cycle are regarded as the primary future direction for CSP technologies. Calcium-based particles can be a suitable storage medium to achieve high temperatures exceeding 750 ℃. However, there have been few studies on reactive particle/sCO2 heat exchangers (HXs) to drive high-performance power cycles with high energy storage efficiencies. In this paper, the mechanisms by which chemically reactive particles release energy in a fluidized bed (FB) heat exchanger has been investigated to evaluate the performance of thermochemical storage systems. A 1-MWt thermal duty fluidized bed heat exchanger with sCO2 as the working fluid operating at 988 K was designed in different configurations, featuring single stage and multistage counter-flow HXs. A detailed shell and tube model combining the chemical reaction kinetics and the heat transfer between the fluidized particle and sCO2 FB HX design was developed. A comparison of sensible and chemical heat materials shows that thermochemical energy storage is advantageous due to the relatively short tube length and slow particle mass flow rate. The tube length and particle mass flow rate are reduced by 3.5 and 11.5 times, respectively. The average chemical conversion is 97.30 % for a one-stage heat exchanger, which is lower than the 99.95 % conversion achieved by the two-stage heat exchanger. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to understand the impacts of key operating parameters on the process performance. These findings provide insights into the operational stability and efficiency of the system, contributing to the development of advanced heat exchangers for thermochemical energy storage applications.

Heat storage and release characteristics of a prototype CaCO3/CaO thermochemical energy storage system based on a novel fluidized bed solar reactor

CaCO3/CaO thermochemical energy storage (TCES) system has a high heat storage density (1780 kJ/kg) along with high heat storage and release temperature (650–850 °C), which can be applied to concentrated solar power (CSP) technology utilizing CO2 Brayton cycles to improve power generation efficiency. There are several problems to be urgently resolved in current CaCO3/CaO solar calciners, such as poor heat and mass transfer and low thermochemical efficiency. This paper proposed a prototype CaCO3/CaO TCES system based on a novel fluidized bed solar reactor, which has a serrated arc surface in alignment with the direction of the incident solar rays to receive concentrated solar energy. The natural limestone particles were used as the reactive particles. The effects of operating modes (intermittent/continuous), initial mass of reactive particles, and initial carbonation temperature Tcar,initial on the heat storage and release characteristics of the TCES system were experimentally explored. During the carbonation reaction stage, the effective carbonation degrees in the continuous mode were generally higher than in the intermittent mode under the experimental conditions and declined at a slower rate. The reactive particles were recovered from the reactor for microstructural characterization after completing the experiments, high-temperature particle agglomeration and pore structure clogging were directly responsible for the decrease of the effective carbonation degree. In the continuous mode, the average thermochemical and total thermal efficiencies of 24.7 % and 53.5 % were obtained in the 1st calcination reaction, respectively, which represents significant advantages over other CaCO3/CaO solar calciners. The novel fluidized bed reactor demonstrated excellent fluidization in the experiments and did not exhibit mechanical deformation after multiple experiments under non-uniform concentrated radiation provided by an 84 kWe high-flux solar simulator. Overall, this paper provides a successful gas-solid reactor design to be coupled with CSP technology.

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Plant Optimization Study for the California Power Market (CalCSP)

In the United States, many states are implementing goals to achieve 100% carbon free power generation by 2050 or sooner. California has one of the more aggressive goals to achieve 100% carbon free generation of its retail power sales by 2045. California has excellent solar resources, but to accomplish this goal, California’s power utilities will need new zero carbon resources that can replace the natural gas units that they currently rely on for suppling power at night. Appropriately configured concentrating solar power plants with thermal energy storage are an option to serve this nighttime load. These plants would be designed to take advantage of CSP’s low-cost thermal energy storage and collect and store energy during the day and then be dispatched to produce power at night. The U.S. Department of Energy has funded a study to identify the design of a CSP plant that optimally meets the evolving CA grid needs. This will be done by taking a fresh look at how CSP technologies can best be designed to meet the emerging nighttime market for carbon free power generation or zero-carbon firm resources. The paper provides an overview of the study and present preliminary findings on the California power market requirements, CSP configurations, technoeconomic analysis, siting opportunities, and key issues for CSP deployment in this market.

Solar cavity receiver for melting zinc metal

Concentrating solar power technologies can be applied to reduce the cost and carbon footprint of zinc melting processes. This study aims to improve the knowledge related to small-scale solar melting using a dish concentrator. This technology can be applied to zinc production as well as a range of small-scale applications, such as casting, recycling, galvanisation, and thermal storage. An experimental and analytical analysis of a rotating cylindrical cavity receiver for the indirect melting of zinc metal using concentrated solar power is presented. A multi-facet parabolic dish with an incident area of 2.85 m2 was considered together with a rotating cylindrical cavity receiver. The receiver had an aperture diameter of 0.2 m and the capacity for housing 17 kg of zinc. Five experimental test runs were executed, during which up to 73.5 % of the zinc inventory could be tapped from the receiver in its molten state, and average thermal efficiencies of up to 42 % were achieved. A predictive analytical model considering wind speed, wind direction, and direct normal irradiance was developed and validated against experimental data. A heat transfer efficiency factor was experimentally determined to account for voids in the zinc feedstock. The model was used to predict that approximately 41 kg of molten zinc could be tapped from the experimental setup throughout a typical day with a peak direct normal irradiance of about 900 W/m2 and an average wind speed below 2 m/s. A case study highlighted that energy savings of 0.6 kWh are achievable per kilogram of zinc processed by concentrated solar power rather than the conventional induction furnace.

Case Study on Decarbonization Strategies for LNG Export Terminals Using Heat and Power from CSP/PV Hybrid Plants

The race towards decarbonization is driving major oil and gas companies to explore means to use renewable heat and power for their plants as part of their commitment to reduce their carbon intensity by 80% to 100% by 2050 [1]. In terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, natural gas is considered the cleanest fossil fuel option available, and decarbonization of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects is on the radar of many LNG projects developers. In addition, LNG cargos will have to be certified in the future by accredited authorities to meet defined GHG emission levels [2].
 This research study investigates a concept of providing both heat and power from a photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) solar tower hybrid plant to meet the energy demand of LNG export terminals. Two locations have been investigated for potential future LNG projects: Karratha in Australia and Ras Laffan in Qatar. Both locations have direct normal irradiance (DNI) values higher than 2000 kWh/m2/year, which is the minimum level required for CSP technology [3]. A techno-economic assessment was carried-out taking into consideration the electricity price, the grid carbon intensity and the carbon dioxide (CO2) tax in the region.
 The results indicate that the CSP/PV hybrid plant significantly accelerates the decarbonization of energy supply to the “All electric” LNG Plant. The quantity of CO2 emitted between 2025 and 2050 is reduced by 81% for Karratha (Australia) and by 88% for Ras Laffan (Qatar) compared to a grid connected LNG plant.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Central Receiver Plants According to the Optical Error of the Solar Field

Among the concentrated solar power technologies (CSP), the central receiver (CR) technology is the most promissing to achieve the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and the one expected to play one of the major roles in the energetic mix in the next years. For that purpose, succesful CR projects are needed, starting by the contruction and erection of a reliable heliostat field that fulfils its design specifications. In this work, the loss of energy production and the consequently rise of LCOE is investigated as function of the optical error of the heliostats. For that, a reference CR plant is defined in which the heliostat field layout and the receiver are optimized to collect the maximum annual energy. An aiming strategy is also implemented to obtain more realistic results. For instance, for a reasonable deviation of about 40-50% compared to the optical reference error, the annual collected energy can drop to a considerable 5%.

Soiling impact and cleaning techniques for optimizing photovoltaic and concentrated solar power power production: A state-of-the-art review

Nowadays, renewable energies are capturing the world's attention, particularly in light of the phenomenon of climate change and carbon dioxide emissions, which have caused major environmental damage. As a result, many investors have recently focused on developing investments in renewable energy projects worldwide, specifically photovoltaic and concentrated solar power plant projects. These solar technologies are considered among the most profitable solutions for generating power from a natural, free, and unlimited energy source. This review paper discusses one of the most significant issues affecting the performance of these solar systems, which is known as soiling. It has been supported by several studies in various nations with different climatic conditions, which offered accurate empirical data on the degradation rate of photovoltaic and concentrated solar power systems’ production due to the soiling effect. Furthermore, it provides various mitigating soiling ways, including manual and autonomous cleaning methods for both solar technologies. Ultimately, it summarizes each cleaning technique's main advantages and drawbacks, specifying its applicability according to the location characteristics and climatic conditions. Additionally, the review results reported in this work are intriguing enough to warrant further development of concentrated solar power and photovoltaic technologies.

Review of Concentrated Solar Power Technology Applications in Photocatalytic Water Purification and Energy Conversion: Overview, Challenges and Future Directions

Photocatalysis, a promising semiconductor-based technology activated by free and eternal solar energy, has great potential for addressing environmental remediation and energy conversion challenges. Concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies, namely parabolic trough reflectors, solar power towers, parabolic dish reflectors and linear Fresnel reflectors, exhibited excellent feasibility for boosting solar-driven photocatalytic processes. Based on the structural characteristics of CSP technologies, the CSP-based photocatalytic reactors could be divided into concentrated types and non/low-concentrated types. This academic review comprehensively investigated the integration of CSP technology in photocatalysis, emphasizing the feasibility of sunlight as an ideal energy source. Additionally, considering the optimal light irradiance and reaction temperature demands for achieving efficient photocatalytic processes, the significance of introducing CSP into solar light-driven photocatalytic reactions was highlighted. Moreover, the current challenges that exist in CSP-based photoreactors were identified, and potential solutions were proposed accordingly. This work hopes to provide some references for the future study of CSP-based photocatalytic reactors under the theme of sustainable development.

Innovative Industrial Solutions for Improving the Technical/Economic Competitiveness of Concentrated Solar Power

The modernization, efficiency, and decarbonization of the energy supply systems are among the new challenges to be faced in the coming decades to achieve the targets and objectives dictated by European strategic policies. Despite the countless benefits related to renewable energy sources (RES) integration, this brings key challenges to the power system, such as the risk of imbalance between energy generation and demand, sudden changes in flows in transmission lines with a need for expensive and time-consuming upgrades, and the withdrawal of conventional generation systems with consequent demands for new solutions and innovation to support grid services. A potential solution to limit the huge intermittence and fluctuation in power generation from RES is Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology integrated with thermal energy storage. The aim of this paper is to discuss the potential benefits related to the use of CSP technology by presenting innovative industrial solutions developed in the Italian SOLARGRID Project, namely the hybridization of CSP–PV systems and the solar thermo-electric system developed by MAGALDI, the parabolic trough collector of Eni, and the new linear Fresnel reflector configuration of IDEA S.r.l. These plant and component solutions are developed for improving the technical performance of CSP technology and reducing the levelized cost of electricity, thereby fostering an effective and massive deployment and encouraging the creation of new business models.

Statistical analysis of radiative solar trough collectors for MHD Jeffrey hybrid nanofluid flow with gyrotactic microorganism: entropy generation optimization

PurposeA parabolic trough solar collector is an advanced concentrated solar power technology that significantly captures radiant energy. Solar power will help different sectors reach their energy needs in areas where traditional fuels are in use. This study aims to examine the sensitivity analysis for optimizing the heat transfer and entropy generation in the Jeffrey magnetohydrodynamic hybrid nanofluid flow under the influence of motile gyrotactic microorganisms with solar radiation in the parabolic trough solar collectors. The influences of viscous dissipation and Ohmic heating are also considered in this investigation.Design/methodology/approachGoverning partial differential equations are derived via boundary layer assumptions and nondimensionalized with the help of suitable similarity transformations. The resulting higher-order coupled ordinary differential equations are numerically investigated using the Runga-Kutta fourth-order numerical approach with the shooting technique in the computational MATLAB tool.FindingsThe numerical outcomes of influential parameters are presented graphically for velocity, temperature, entropy generation, Bejan number, drag coefficient and Nusselt number. It is observed that escalating the values of melting heat parameter and the Prandl number enhances the Nusselt number, while reverse effect is observed with an enhancement in the magnetic field parameter and bioconvection Lewis number. Increasing the magnetic field and bioconvection diffusion parameter improves the entropy and Bejan number.Originality/valueNanotechnology has captured the interest of researchers due to its engrossing performance and wide range of applications in heat transfer and solar energy storage. There are numerous advantages of hybrid nanofluids over traditional heat transfer fluids. In addition, the upswing suspension of the motile gyrotactic microorganisms improves the hybrid nanofluid stability, enhancing the performance of the solar collector. The use of solar energy reduces the industry’s dependency on fossil fuels.

Development of Rotary Solar Receiver and Solar Simulator Facility for Concentrated Solar Power Applications

A prototype rotary solar receiver and a solar simulator facility have been designed, built and commissioned by Odqa Renewable Energy Technologies in conjunction with The Oxford Thermofluids Institute, University of Oxford for the validation of concentrated solar power technologies. The key features of the rotary solar thermal receiver include the rotating absorber surface which incorporates a high temperature heat transfer design. The innovative design also includes a compact solar power inlet aperture for very high incident heat flux to reduce the radiant heat loss from the high temperature surface. Air is used as the heat transfer fluid as this has system integration advantages over other types of heat transfer media, such as CO2, steam, molten salt, or solid particles. A 30kWe Xenon-arc lamp high heat flux incident light has also been developed to enable experimental validation of the solar receiver technologies. The Xenon-arc lamp array consists of three lamps combined with a custom designed, 5-degree-of-freedom focusing mechanism to achieve precise focus and maximise the heat flux. The receiver has successfully produced working fluid temperatures reaching 1200°C, demonstrating the concept viability for high temperature processes.

Concentrating Solar Power: The State of the Art, Research Gaps and Future Perspectives

In recent decades, the fight against climate change and the commitment to reduce greenhouse gases have shed a light on the production of energy from renewable sources, in particular those derived from solar energy. This has required the involvement of all stakeholders (producers, but also energy operators, authorities, distributors, and final consumers) which has led to the outline of a new scenario characterized by more efficient technologies, dedicated strategies and business models, and the research of alternatives solutions. Within solar technology, great attention has been given in recent years to concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies, both from research studies and technological development sides. This paper provides a theoretical framework based on a CSP literature review to define the state of the art and to identify research gaps and future research steps related to this technology. The work is based on an innovative bibliometric study to explore technical fields related to CSP, providing both a comprehensive framework with reference to the state of the art of the technology investigated, and a detailed analysis on CSP commercial applications, making the review a very useful tool for stakeholders and decision makers The results of the analysis: (1) help to clarify the technological advances of CSP, the strengths and weaknesses of the current technologies used (parabolic and tower systems are the most widespread), and indications of the prospects for dish systems; (2) identify an alternative to the economic problem that represents an obstacle to the diffusion of CSP, for example, by identifying the ability to couple it with thermal storage as a valid method to increase the flexibility of the system and reduce costs; (3) suggested hybrids, both with renewable and non-renewable technologies, identifying strengths and weaknesses for all the proposed proposals; (4) show that it is possible to identify new ongoing research such as that related to hydrogen production. This paper represents the first part of a larger research study developed within the SOLARGRID Project, which promotes and supports the development of innovative solutions for systems and components for CSP and concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) technologies, with the aim to enhance their energetic performances and economic competitiveness in applications for the distributed generation of both electric and thermal energy frameworks. The main findings of our study highlight that, though there is an increasing number of papers on the topic of CSP, several issues remain neglected.

A coupled fluid-thermo-mechanical evaluation of various freeze recovery strategies for molten salt parabolic trough collectors

This research advances the field of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) by offering a comprehensive assessment of freeze-recovery strategies for molten salt parabolic trough collectors, essential for the next generation of CSP plants. Employing a cutting-edge transient 3D Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) model, the research elucidates the significant yet previously underestimated role of natural convection in the phase transition of solidified salts. The study demonstrates that the strategic inclusion of impedance heating not only accelerates the defrosting process but also minimizes thermal stresses within the absorber tubes, ensuring mechanical integrity. Moreover, the dual-method approach, which combines solar and impedance heating, reveals a potential to improve the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) by 4% annually following a complete freeze event. The research conclusively suggests that this synergistic strategy could yield substantial operational cost savings while maintaining the structural robustness of CSP systems. The presented findings provide a detailed blueprint for enhancing plant resilience and economic viability, opening new avenues for operational excellence in CSP technology.

Techno-economic assessment of concentrated solar power generation in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia plans to shift a large portion of its domestic energy production away from fossil fuel towards solar energy by 2030. Yet, the solar energy pool is mainly targeting photovoltaic technology. This study analyzes the potential of cleaner energy production from solar energy using concentrated solar power technology. First, different locations for concentrated solar power technology deployment are assessed based on potential development opportunities, solar resources, and infrastructure. Second, the paper assesses the performance and financial feasibility of four concentrated solar power technologies using the capacity factor, levelized cost of energy, and energy yield. The analysis indicates that all the considered locations are suitable for concentrated solar power technologies with a preference for the NEOM city located in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. The simulation results revealed that solar tower technology produces the highest energy yield of 2738 kWh/kW. The levelized cost of energy for the four technologies varies between 14.54 – 22.67 ¢/kWh, with linear Fresnel demonstrating the lowest and parabolic trough exhibiting the highest levelized cost of energy.

Using an Al-Incorporated Deep Black Pigment Coating to Enhance the Solar Absorptance of Iron Oxide-Rich Particles

The use of solid particles as direct heat absorbance and storage media promises enhanced storage densities in concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies. The long-term optical performance of those particles, which aim to be operational over years, is crucial. Dry powder coating with a deep black Cu-Mn-oxide pigment in a resonant acoustic mixer and subsequent sintering was employed to improve the long-term optical performance of hematite-rich spherical particles, which aimed to replace the state-of-the-art bauxite proppants. Due to the specific reactivity of the hematite particles, a new strategy using an Al-modified composition of the initial deep black pigment was required. The Al modification diminishes cation diffusion into hematite, allowing the formation of spinel-type Fe-Mn-Cu-Al-oxide coatings with favorable long-term temperature and optical stability. The effect of chemical composition of the coating layer on the coating process mechanism was discussed and the need for an elongated sintering time was noticed to ensure the termination of stable spinel phase formation. The structural and optical measurements revealed the enhancement of the properties of hematite absorber particles through this new modified coating process.

Computational analysis of radiative heat transfer due to rotating tube in parabolic trough solar collectors with Darcy Forchheimer porous medium

This attempt numerically investigates the heat transfer in parabolic trough solar collectors due to the rotating tube for the hybrid nanofluid flow over the Riga surface with Darcy Forchheimer’s porous medium under the effect of solar radiation. The influences of viscous dissipation and Joule heating are also considered. Equations governing the fluid flow are non-dimensionalized by implementing appropriate similarity variables. The resulting non-dimensionalized ordinary differential equations are solved using the shooting technique with Adam Bashforth and Adam Moulten’s fourth-order numerical approach. The numerical outcomes for various influential physical parameters regarding the fluid velocity, temperature, Nusselt number, and entropy generation are presented in graphical form. It is observed that the thermal profile escalates with the higher values of Reynold’s number, modified magnetic field parameter, and Prandtl number. Also, the Nusselt number diminishes with augmenting values of the Eckert number, modified magnetic field parameter, Forchheimer number, and Darcy number. The optimization of heat transfer in parabolic trough collectors is essential to improve the performance of solar collectors. The concentrated solar power technology is adequate for storing radiation energy in higher amounts.

Evaluation of Concentrated Solar Power Systems and the Impact of Different Heat Transfer Fluids on Performance

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is one of the main technologies used. Thus, the object of research is the different concentrated solar power technologies. Moreover, this study aimed to compare the different concentrated solar power technologies in terms of their efficiency, cost, concentration ratio, and receiver temperature. Results showed that technologies were arranged according to high to low temperatures: the parabolic dish reflector, central receiver collector, linear Fresnel reflector, and parabolic trough collector. As well as, in this study, ranges of the heat transfer fluids are compared with each other by using exergy and energy analysis. The heat transfer fluids that are examined are liquid sodium, molten salt (60 % NaNO3, 40 % KNO3), supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2), water/steam, and air. Results showed that the liquid sodium at an elevated temperature range of (540–740 °C) is performed the best, with exergy efficiency of 61% of solar-to-fluid, the best liquid sodium case is at (do=10.3 mm, nbanks = 1, Δprec= 7.72 bar, ηΠ = 45.47 %) has been found. Finally, vas a positive and effective approach to solving the energy problems.