Isfahan University of Technology Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering 2251-600X 38 4 2022 12 31 Synthesis and Characterization of Mechanical Behavior and Thermal Shock Resistance of Macro-Porous SiC Solar Absorber Synthesis and Characterization of Mechanical Behavior and Thermal Shock Resistance of Macro-Porous SiC Solar Absorber 87 101 2506 10.47176/jame.38.4.3721 FA A. R. Parvanian Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, 8415683111. H. R. Salimijazi Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, 8415683111. M. H. Fathi Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, 8415683111. Journal Article 2022 12 31 The concentrated solar power (CSP) is one of the renewable energy sources in which solar irradiation heat energy will be used in a steam turbine to generate electrical grid. Solar radiation is absorbed by a solar receiver reactor on the surface of a porous solar absorber. In this survey, synthesis and mechanical/thermal characterization of micro-porous silicon carbide (SiC) absorber to be used in solar reactor is carried out. SiC foams were synthesized and categorized based on three different pore sizes i.e. 5, 12 and 75 ppi. Mechanical behavior and thermal shock resistance of porous foams in the working temperature range for absorber (25-1200 °C) were evaluated. Results revealed that the specific compressive strength (σc/ρ) of foams increase exponentially by a decrement in the porosity percentage and the average pore size. Moreover, for foams with smaller pore size, a considerable decrease in mechanical strength due to thermal shock was observed. This could be due to increase in the number of struts per unit volume i.e. more weak struts to withstand the mechanical loading. So, porous foams with coarser pore sizes were distinguished to be more capable of tolerating thermal shock while serving as solar absorbers. The concentrated solar power (CSP) is one of the renewable energy sources in which solar irradiation heat energy will be used in a steam turbine to generate electrical grid. Solar radiation is absorbed by a solar receiver reactor on the surface of a porous solar absorber. In this survey, synthesis and mechanical/thermal characterization of micro-porous silicon carbide (SiC) absorber to be used in solar reactor is carried out. SiC foams were synthesized and categorized based on three different pore sizes i.e. 5, 12 and 75 ppi. Mechanical behavior and thermal shock resistance of porous foams in the working temperature range for absorber (25-1200 °C) were evaluated. Results revealed that the specific compressive strength (σc/ρ) of foams increase exponentially by a decrement in the porosity percentage and the average pore size. Moreover, for foams with smaller pore size, a considerable decrease in mechanical strength due to thermal shock was observed. This could be due to increase in the number of struts per unit volume i.e. more weak struts to withstand the mechanical loading. So, porous foams with coarser pore sizes were distinguished to be more capable of tolerating thermal shock while serving as solar absorbers. https://jame.iut.ac.ir/article_2506_87682805257e619d49b8e0dfdc14affa.pdf