Patent ID: 11971197
Assignee: KING SAUD UNIVERSITY
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 4:
5. A method of capturing solar energy with a solar central receiver system, the method comprising:
releasing solid particles that form a curtain of solid particles at a point of release into a cavity configured to receive solar irradiation; and
increasing a resident time of the curtain of solid particles falling through the cavity with a porous foam structure that impedes the fall of the solid particles; wherein the point of release of the curtain of solid particles is above the porous foam structure so that the curtain of solid particles falls down, under the force of gravity, through the porous foam structure; and wherein the porous foam structure has ligaments that facilitate dispersion of the solid particles through the porous foam structure between an inlet portion of the porous foam structure and an outlet portion of the porous foam structure.