skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Design fabrication and testing of ceramic solar absorber plates

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5775365

The effects of fabrication procedures on the thermal performance of various ceramic systems for active solar applications were investigated. A shale-based structural clay body was used as a standard. This body was also coated with silicon carbide, a glossy black glaze and a matte black glaze. Metal samples used included copper, aluminum and aluminum coated with a flat black paint. Experiments were performed using a solar test box linked to an automated data acquisition system. Temperatures of samples were recorded at 3 min. intervals for 4 h solar periods. An F-statistical analysis was performed on the resulting data and was correlated with total solar emittance, total solar reflectance and monochromatic reflectance as a function of incident wavelength. The information above was also utilized in developing a computer model used to simulate the performance of various materials in active solar testing. Results suggest that a structural clay body fired to maturity and coated with a matte black glaze could be commercially useful for applications requiring large quantities of heated water.

Research Organization:
Alfred Univ., NY (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-81CS30636
OSTI ID:
5775365
Report Number(s):
DOE/CS/30636-T1; ON: DE86012575
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Thesis
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English