From desert storms to Tribiano: CSP and Duralux solar coatings

Special mirrors are used to concentrate vast amounts of solar radiation (heat) onto a small area (in exactly the same way Archimedes torched the Carthaginian ships) in order to reach high temperatures, ranging from a low of 400°C to a high of 1,000°C.Through various processes involving steam or gas turbines, all this thermal energy is transformed into electricity. The massive CSP plants are located in deserts, the ideal environments for taking full advantage of solar energy.

A primary component in CSP technology is, of course, parabolic mirrors, which come in different shapes and sizes but nonetheless must possess certain very specific characteristics to withstand the intense thermal and erosive stresses to which they are exposed. An especially crucial element is the protective coating that must ensure extremely high levels of performance -- nowhere close to those sufficient for conventional mirrors found in daily use.

The Fenzi group is involved in the production chain for CSP systems as a primary supplier of DURALUX SOLAR COATINGS, a line of solar mirror coatings engineered to ensure extremely high levels of chemical resistance to corrosion and UV radiation and very high resistance to abrasion. These coatings currently represent the highest degree of development achieved for this type of product. Because of this they are included in the “Research and experiments” section of the GLASS. THE GREAT UNEXPECTED exhibition staged in Hall 22 at Vitrum 2015.