Oxidation and high-temperature radiative properties of the Kanthal Super ER intermetallic alloy

The oxidation resistance of receivers is a critical point in the development of plants using solar tower technology. Intermetallics in Mo-Si-Al system present oxidation maximum temperature and creep resistance superior to the ones of the currently used Ni-based alloys. We followed here the oxidation resistance of such intermetallic exposed to different treatments in air: long-term oxidation (up to 700 h) at 1373 K, and for several cycles of 20 minutes in solar furnace. The normal spectral emissivity is measured up to 1640 K in air, and our main positive conclusion is this property is not degraded by the oxidation.