Experimental investigation of Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces for high-temperature solar receivers

This study experimentally investigates Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) as structured porous media for concentrated solar power systems. Two mock-up planar solar receivers with different TPMS lattices, Diamond and SplitP, were fabricated using Additive Manufacturing. Testing was conducted within the SFERA III project, funded by the EU, utilizing a solar simulator facility at IMDEA Energy Institute in Madrid, Spain. Thermal performance was evaluated under varying mass flow rates and heat flux levels, using synthetic air as the working fluid. Results show superior performance of the SplitP lattice over the Diamond lattice, exhibiting higher heat absorption, lower heat loss, and improved thermal and exergetic efficiencies. SplitP achieved a maximum thermal efficiency of approximately 70 %, compared to 60 % for Diamond, and an exergetic efficiency of approximately 12 %, compared to 8 % for Diamond. •Two planar solar receivers manufactured in stainless steel with TPMS lattices.•Receivers were tested in a solar simulator and compared experimentally.•Effects of mass flow rate and heat flux were analyzed.•The sample with SplitP lattice showed higher thermal and exergy performance.