The　optical　efficiency　of　the　solar　receiver　is　important　to　the　global　efficiency　of　the　solar　power　tower　plant.　However,　the　present　commercial　cylindrical　receiver　causes　a　considerable　optical　loss　because　most　of　the　sunrays　reflected　by　the　receiver　surface　are　lost　to　the　environment.　To　improve　optical　efficiency,　three　novel　receivers　with　vertical　finned　structures　and　two　novel　receivers　with　horizontal　finned　structures　are　proposed　in　this　paper.　The　optimal　configurations　of　these　receivers　are　obtained　after　parametric　optimization.　The　optical　efficiency　and　solar　fluxes　distributions　of　the　optimal　novel　receivers　are　compared　with　those　of　the　traditional　cylindrical　receiver　at　the　noon　of　spring　equinox.　The　results　show　that　there　is　an　optimal　fin　number　of　6　for　all　the　receivers　with　vertical　finned　structures.　The　receiver　with　vertical　finned　structures　and　the　flat　bottom　shows　the　maximal　optical　efficiency　of　63.9%.　It　indicates　an　improvement　of　3.2　percentage　points　compared　with　that　of　the　traditional　cylindrical　receiver.　The　receiver　with　horizontal　fins　with　flat　bottom　shows　the　minimal　optical　efficiency　of　60.3%　at　the　noon　of　the　spring　equinox.　It　indicates　a　decrease　of　0.4　percentage　points　compared　with　that　of　the　traditional　cylindrical　receiver.　Additionally,　the　peak　solar　fluxes　on　the　novel　receivers　are　quite　close　to　each　other　and　are　nearly　double　that　of　the　traditional　cylindrical　receiver.　In　the　end,　a　multi-point　aiming　strategy　is　applied　to　the　optimal　novel　receivers,　and　the　results　show　that　the　peak　fluxes　can　be　obviously　reduced.　It　is　concluded　that　optical　efficiency　can　be　effectively　improved　by　using　the　receivers　with　vertical　finned　structures.