Patent ID: 7690377

Claim:
A solar receiver for a concentrating solar collection system, comprising: a receiver portion having an array of tubes, at least some of which are at least partially transparent, the receiver portion being disposed such that the array of tubes receives concentrated solar energy, each tube having a first inlet and a first outlet so as to define a first flow channel therebetween for conveying a working fluid, the first inlet configured to introduce the working fluid into the first flow channel from an inlet pipe, the first outlet configured to evacuate the working fluid from the first flow channel to an outlet pipe; and a second flow channel for conveying a cooling fluid in thermal contact with the tubes, the second flow channel being defined between a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the cooling fluid conveyed by the second flow channel cools the working fluid conveyed by the first flow channel further comprising a controller configured to detect temperatures of the tubes and to control the flow of cooling fluid responsively thereto.