Design of method for controlling temperature in a central solar thermal receiver

A novel method for controlling the temperature in a cenrtral cavity solar reciever has been developed. The solution consists of an aperture control mechanism, altering the size of the window through which solar radiation can enter the receiver. It uniquely utilises the circle-like properties of a squircle to form the aperture, leading to a simple yet effective mechanism with motion facilitated by planetary gears and cam-follower pairs. The design has been validated and illustrated through the use of 3-dimensional computer models and prototype construction. Using analytical and experimental data, it has been demonstrated that this mechanism is able to control temperature in a mock receiver as intended. This has the potential to work with existing concentrated solar thermal (CST) technology to bring an effective source of energy to remote communities as well as make existing processes more efficient. Improvements that can be made with future work, such as automation, increased manufacturability and more appropriate materials are also discussed.