# US 10,371,126 B2 · Solar power collection systems and methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,126 B2 - Document ID: US10371126B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/563,364 - Filed: 2016-04-01 - Published: 2018-03-22 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-01 - Applicants: Gina Tibbott; Neel Krishnan - Inventors: Gina Tibbott; Neel Krishnan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371126B2 ## CPC - F03G 6/062: {Parabolic point or dish concentrators} - F03G 6/065: {having a Rankine cycle} - F03G 6/066: {of the Organic Rankine Cycle [ORC] type or the Kalina Cycle type} - F03G 6/071: {with energy storage devices} - F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants - F24S 23/00: Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors - F24S 23/31: {having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses} - F24S 50/20: for tracking - F24S 60/10: using latent heat - F24S 70/16: made of ceramic; made of concrete; made of natural stone - F28D 20/02: using latent heat - F24S 23/30: with lenses - F24S 23/70: with reflectors - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/44: Heat exchange systems - Y02E 10/46: Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines - Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking - Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage - Y02E 70/30: Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Solar power collection systems characterized by using a collimated or otherwise concentrated beam (201) of solar radiation to directly heat a porcelain or other high-heat capacity ceramic heating element (202) by contact with an absorption surface on the element, which element in turn heats a thermal storage medium (205) by conduction, methods of using the systems for collecting solar energy, and applications of the systems are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solar power collecting system, comprising: two or more lenses arranged in a configuration adapted to form a collimated or otherwise concentrated beam of solar radiation; a thermal storage medium contained within a thermal storage capsule; and a ceramic solar heating element, forming a cap of the thermal storage capsule, the ceramic heating element comprising: a top surface exterior to the thermal storage capsule and forming a generally conical or concave depression having a solar radiation absorption surface; and a bottom surface interior to the thermal storage capsule and forming a generally conical protrusion on the bottom surface, wherein, when the beam of solar radiation is directed at the depression, the ceramic solar heating element collects heat energy from the beam of solar radiation striking the solar radiation absorption surface, and wherein said solar heating element transfers heat energy to the thermal storage medium through the protrusion on the bottom surface which extends into the thermal storage medium and which is in direct contact with or very near to the thermal storage medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the solar heating element is composed of vitrified porcelain. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, where the solar radiation absorption surface is coated by a layer of oxide-rich glaze in order to enhance absorption of the beam of solar radiation, and to act as a heat sealant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the solar heating element is textured with a honeycomb pattern. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the solar heating element is embedded with nichrome wires that protrude into the thermal storage medium, to increase thermal transfer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the thermal storage medium is separated into a plurality of chambers arrayed around the central solar heating element, wherein each interior chamber is surrounded by a thermally conductive material, and wherein each chamber holds a phase change material as the thermal storage medium. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The solar power collecting system of claim 6, wherein the phase change material in each successive chamber of the thermal storage medium has a higher melting point than in the chamber exterior to it. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the two or more lenses comprises a Fresnel lens used in conjunction with a converging or diverging lens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The solar power collecting system of claim 8, wherein the Fresnel lens has a focal point positioned near the top of a tube with a reflective interior surface, wherein the top portion of the tube has a section which tapers to an opening into which the light is focused, wherein the tapered portion is bent such that it resembles a trumpet bell aimed into the rest of the tube. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the thermal storage medium is a 60-40 mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the thermal storage medium is sodium chloride. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The solar power collecting system of claim 1, wherein the thermal storage medium is used as an evaporator for a Rankine cycle.