Jerez Manuel, Carballar Alejandro, Conceição Ricardo, González-Aguilar Jose
Electronic Engineering Department, Universidad de Sevilla (E.T.S. de Ingeniería), C/Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
High Temperature Processes Unit, IMDEA Energy, Av. Ramón de La Sagra, 3, Móstoles, 28935 Madrid, Spain.
Sensors (Basel). 2025 Aug 11;25(16):4973. doi: 10.3390/s25164973.
Extreme operating conditions in solar receivers of concentrated solar thermal power plants, such as high temperatures, intense irradiance, and thermal cycling, pose significant challenges for conventional sensors. Optical fibers offer a promising alternative for flux measurement in such environments, but their long-term performance and degradation mechanisms require detailed investigation and characterization. This work presents a proof of concept for high solar flux measurement by using optical fibers as photon-capturing elements and showcases the behavior and damage that these optical fibers undergo when exposed to relevant conditions, including temperatures over 600 °C and flux levels exceeding 400 kW/m. Three fiber configurations, including polyimide and gold-coated fibers, were tested at a high-flux solar simulator and analyzed via scanning electron microscopy to assess structural integrity and material degradation. Results reveal significant coating deterioration, fiber retraction, and thermal-induced stress effects, which impact measurement reliability. These findings provide essential insights for improving the durability and accuracy of optical fiber-based sensing technologies in concentrating solar energy.
聚光太阳能热发电站的太阳能接收器中极端的运行条件，如高温、强辐照度和热循环，给传统传感器带来了重大挑战。光纤为在这种环境下进行通量测量提供了一种很有前景的替代方案，但其长期性能和退化机制需要详细研究和表征。这项工作展示了通过使用光纤作为光子捕获元件进行高太阳通量测量的概念验证，并展示了这些光纤在暴露于相关条件下（包括超过600°C的温度和超过400kW/m的通量水平）时的行为和损伤情况。三种光纤配置，包括聚酰亚胺光纤和镀金光纤，在高通量太阳模拟器上进行了测试，并通过扫描电子显微镜进行分析，以评估结构完整性和材料退化情况。结果显示涂层有明显劣化、光纤收缩以及热致应力效应，这些都会影响测量可靠性。这些发现为提高基于光纤的传感技术在聚光太阳能领域的耐久性和准确性提供了重要见解。
