Abstract: A glass tube with a glass tube wall is provided, wherein an inner surface of the glass tube wall comprises at least partially at least one infrared light reflective coating. Additionally a heat receiver tube for absorbing solar energy and for transferring absorbed solar energy to a heat transfer fluid, which can be located inside a core tube of the heat receiver tube, is provided. The core tube comprises a core tube surface with a solar energy absorptive coating for absorbing solar absorption radiation of the sunlight. The core tube surface and an encapsulation are arranged in a distance between the core tube surface and the inner surface of the encapsulation wall with the infrared reflective surface such, that the solar absorption radiation can penetrate the encapsulation with the infrared light reflective coating and can impinge the solar energy absorptive coating.

Abstract: A heat receiver tube for absorbing solar energy and for transferring absorbed solar energy to a heat transfer fluid which can be located inside of at least one core tube of the heat receiver tube is provided. The core tube includes a core tube surface with at least one solar energy absorptive coating for absorbing solar radiation. The core tube is enveloped by at least one enveloping tube. The enveloping tube includes at least one enveloping tube wall which is at least partly transparent for the solar radiation. The enveloping tube wall includes at least one inner enveloping tube surface. The core tube and the enveloping tube are coaxially arranged to each other such that an inner heat receiver tube space is formed which is bordered by the core tube surface (and the inner enveloping tube surface.

Abstract: A heat receiver tube for absorbing solar energy and for transferring absorbed solar energy to a heat transfer fluid may include: a core tube with a solar energy absorptive coating for absorbing solar radiation, the heat transfer fluid at least partially inside the core tube; and an enveloping tube surrounding the core tube, the enveloping tube including an inner enveloping tube surface. The core tube and the enveloping tube are coaxially arranged forming an inner heat receiver tube space. There is an inert gas in the inner heat receiver tube space. The tube may further include a dimension adapting device having a flexible adapting device wall compensating for thermally induced changes in a dimension of the tube. The enveloping tube and the dimension adapting device are joined together by a skirt having an inlet port for the inert gas. The inlet port is sealed with a metal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of applying a coating to a glass sleeve with an inner surface and an outer surface, the glass sleeve configured as a part of a solar-receiver tube. Thereby, the coating is solely applied to one of the surfaces of the glass sleeve. Also disclosed is a method of fixing such glass sleeve in an interior of a coating tank, such coating tank and a fixing arrangement for fixing such glass sleeve in an interior of a coating tank.

Abstract: A heat receiver tube for absorbing solar energy and for transferring the absorbed solar energy to a heat transfer fluid is provided. The heat receiver tube includes a first partial surface, which is covered by a solar energy absorptive coating, and a second partial surface, which is substantially uncovered by the absorbing coating. Also provided is a parabolic trough collector with a parabolic mirror having a sunlight reflecting surface for concentrating sunlight in a focal line of the parabolic minor and a heat receiver tube which is arranged in the focal line of the parabolic mirror, wherein the heat receiver tube is arranged in the focal line such that the first partial surface with the solar absorptive coating is at least partially located opposite to the sunlight reflecting surface and the second partial surface at least partially averted to the sunlight reflecting surface.

Abstract: A solar energy absorptive coating for absorbing sunlight energy includes a multilayer stack, including a first absorbing layer with first absorbing layer material for absorbing an absorption radiation of a certain spectrum of the sunlight, a transmission dielectric layer with a transmission dielectric layer material for a transmission of the absorption radiation, and a second absorbing layer with a second absorbing layer material for absorbing the absorption radiation, wherein at least one of the absorbing layer materials has an absorbing layer material refractive index for the absorption radiation, between 1.5 and 4.0, and an absorbing layer material extinction coefficient for the absorption radiation, between 0.8 and 3.0, and the transmission dielectric layer material has a dielectric layer material refractive index for the absorption radiation, between 1.0 and 3.0, and a dielectric layer material extinction coefficient for the absorption radiation, between 0.0 and 0.2.

Abstract: A heat receiver tube having first, second, and further partial heat receiver tube surfaces for absorbing and transferring solar energy to heat transfer fluid is presented. The first and further partial heat receiver tube surfaces are formed by solar absorptive coatings deposited on partial surfaces of core tube. The second partial heat receiver tube surface is formed by emission radiation inhibiting coating deposited on second core tube surface for inhibiting emissivity for infrared radiation. The further partial heat receiver tube surface is arranged in radiation window of second partial heat receiver tube surface such that direct sunlight impinges further partial heat receiver tube surface. The heat receiver tube is arranged in focal line of parabolic mirror of parabolic trough collector. The first partial heat receiver tube surface and sunlight reflecting surface is arranged face to face, second and further partial heat receiver tube surfaces are averted to reflecting surface.

Abstract: There is provided a pipe in a solar thermal power plant. The pipe includes an inner tube configured for carrying a heated heat transfer fluid, an outer tube surrounding the inner tube, wherein the space between the inner and outer tube is evacuated, and a getter restraint structure configured for maintaining getters in a predetermined position. The getter restraint structure is in contact with the outer tube and otherwise entirely free of contact with the inner tube and/or is in thermal isolation from the inner tube.

Abstract: A support element configured for supporting a heat collection element (HCE) of a solar concentrator in a solar thermal power plant is provided. The support element comprises a post engaging portion being configured for being pivotally articulated to the top of an HCE support post, and an HCE engaging portion being configured for retaining therein the HCE.

Abstract: A method of applying a coating to a glass sleeve with an inner surface and an outer surface, the glass sleeve configured as a part of a solar-receiver tube, is provided. Thereby, the coating is solely applied to one of the surfaces of the glass sleeve. A method of fixing such glass sleeve in an interior of a coating tank, such coating tank and a fixing arrangement for fixing such glass sleeve in an interior of a coating tank, is also provided.

Abstract: A solar thermal power plant is provided. The solar thermal power plant includes a solar collection system configured for utilizing incident solar radiation to heat a heat transfer fluid (HTF) and a power block configured for utilizing the heated HTF to generate power. The solar collection system includes a plurality of pipes for carrying HTF characterized by a first degree of permeability to hydrogen, at least some of the pipes including portions exposed to the atmosphere, and including a membrane made of a material being characterized by a second degree of permeability to hydrogen, the second degree of permeability being higher than the first degree of permeability to hydrogen.

Abstract: A solar thermal power plant is provided comprising a solar collection system and a steam-electric power plant. The solar collection system comprises one or more tube radiation absorbers containing a thermal fluid therewithin, the system being configured to heat the thermal fluid by passing the thermal fluid through the one or more tube radiation absorbers while the absorbers are irradiated with solar radiation. The steam-electric power plant comprises an intermediate-pressure steam turbine, a low-pressure steam turbine, at least one additional steam turbine having an inlet pressure higher than that of the intermediate-pressure steam turbine, and piping containing a working fluid. Each turbine is associated with a heat exchange system adapted to transfer heat from the thermal fluid to the working fluid.

Abstract: A solar thermal power plant is provided. The plant includes a steam-electric power plant associated with a steam generation system operationally connected thereto for providing heat to drive its operation, a solar collection system designed to heat thermal fluid and is in communication with the steam-electric power plant to provide heat thereto for driving its operation, and a non-solar power plant including a power generation unit and a waste heat recovery unit. The solar thermal power plant further includes a controller configured to selectively operationally connect the solar collection system and the waste heat recovery unit to the steam-electric power plant to provide heat thereto.

Abstract: A solar thermal power plant is provided comprising a solar collection system and a steam-electric power plant. The solar collection system comprises one or more tube radiation absorbers containing a thermal fluid therewithin, the system being configured to heat the thermal fluid by passing the thermal fluid through the one or more tube radiation absorbers while the absorbers are irradiated with solar radiation. The steam-electric power plant comprises an intermediate-pressure steam turbine, a low-pressure steam turbine, at least one additional steam turbine having an inlet pressure higher than that of the intermediate-pressure steam turbine, and piping containing a working fluid. Each turbine is associated with a heat exchange system adapted to transfer heat from the thermal fluid to the working fluid.