ELIOSLAB project: Design and realization of a 30 kW optical power peak solar furnace

This paper presents the design of the main components of the solar furnace that is being installed at ENEA Portici Research Centre in the framework of the ELIOSLAB project financed by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR), which aims to create a research platform in order to develop components and systems for the production and utilization of medium and high temperature heat using concentrated solar energy. In the present work the details about the design and the on-site installation of the heliostat and the off-axis primary collector are provided, and the design of the main components of the furnace thermal circuit, namely the solar cavity receiver and the high temperature packed bed sensible heat storage system, will be discussed as well.