Patent ID: 8109265

Claim:
A suction-recirculation device for stabilizing particle flows within a solar powered solid particle receiver against external winds blowing at an oblique angle, comprising: an insulated receiver box comprising a front face with a open aperture, a back wall, a ceiling, a bottom, and two side walls; a top slot and a bottom slot, located near the back wall, that direct a flow of solid particles to form into a particle curtain that intercepts rays of concentrated solar radiation shining through the aperture; a first array of holes perforating the back wall; a second array of holes perforating the ceiling; and a suction-recirculation loop comprising a suction fan and ducting configured for sucking air out of the box through the first array of holes in the back wall, and for recirculating and reintroducing said air back into the box through the second array of holes in the ceiling; whereby the recirculating air flow creates a sweeping airflow inside the box that stabilizes the particle curtain from disruption by external winds blowing into the box at an oblique angle.