This paper describes aspects of the design methodology and heat transfer calculations for an elevated north-south oriented linear absorber. The absorber is part of a direct steam generation solar thermal concentrating system based on the Australian compact linear Fresnel reflector (CLFR) concept. The basic absorber design is an inverted air cavity with a glass cover enclosing a selective surface. This arrangement has been shown previously to offer good optical and thermal performance from measurements on a 4 kW(thermat) outdoor test apparatus. Two main design aims are discussed here: Firstly to maximise the heat transfer between the absorbing surface and the steam pipes, and secondly, to ensure that the absorber surface temperature is sufficiently uniform so as not to cause thermal degradation of the selective surface. Results are given of the absorber temperature distribution obtained from finite element analysis. Sufficiently low temperature differences between the fluid surface and the absorbing surface (<20 K) can be achieved with satisfactory pipe separations and sizes, and with practical absorber plate thicknesses. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.