Tower systems are forecast to become the dominant CSP technology in the future due to the potential to achieve high working fluid temperatures, thereby enhancing thermodynamic efficiency in the power block and facilitating dispatchable electricity through thermal energy storage. The receiver links the solar collector field and power conversion cycle in a tower plant, and is therefore a critical component that requires careful consideration. Tubular receivers represent the most prominent in commercial scale applications, with many research efforts devoted to the characterisation and modelling of such concepts. This article compiles literature engaged in steady-state thermal and mechanical modelling of tubular solar receivers. The discussion outlines contrasting approaches adopted by various authors, while also detailing some important findings from their investigations. Recent studies concerned with evaluating receiver thermal performance indicates a trend towards semi-empirical techniques, offering greater flexibility and accuracy than simplified analytical methods, without imposing a considerable computational expense that is inherent with more detailed numerical models. Such advantages allow for the screening of a large number of geometries, configurations, heat transfer media, tube materials, and operational scenarios at the receiver design stage. Mechanical reliability investigations generally consider thermal and pressure induced stresses, estimating potential damage of the component across its desired lifetime using design code guidelines or tube material data. The selection of thermal stress theory and damage evaluation method is critical to the overall mechanical life prediction, with different approaches presented.

由于具有实现高工作流体温度的潜力，预计塔式系统将在未来成为主导的CSP技术，从而提高动力块的热力学效率，并通过热能存储促进可调度的电力使用。接收器将塔式设备中的太阳能收集器场和功率转换周期联系在一起，因此是需要仔细考虑的关键组件。管状接收器是商业规模应用中最主要的代表，许多研究工作致力于此类概念的表征和建模。本文汇编了有关管状太阳能接收器的稳态热和机械建模的文献。讨论概述了不同作者采用的对比方法，同时详细介绍了他们调查中的一些重要发现。与评估接收器的热性能有关的最新研究表明，半经验技术已成为一种趋势，与简化的分析方法相比，它具有更大的灵活性和准确性，并且不会增加更详细的数值模型固有的计算量。这些优点允许在接收器设计阶段筛选大量的几何形状，配置，传热介质，管材和操作方案。机械可靠性研究通常会考虑由热和压力引起的应力，使用设计规范指南或管材数据估算组件在其预期使用寿命内的潜在损坏。