Abstract:
A transparent windows (4) for a solar radiation receiver assembly and a solar receiver assembly using the same, which assembly comprising a housing (2) having an aperture (3) and holding a volumetric solar absorber (5), the transparent window (4) mounted in the aperture (3) for the admission of incident concentrated solar radiation, shielding the volumetric solar absorber so as to form a sealed absorber chamber capable of holding a fluid medium, and means for the ingress and egress of the fluid medium. The transparent window (4) consists of a plurality of discrete transparent window segments (11,12) set in a common matrix (10) and is capable of withstanding high temperature.