# US 11,732,928 B1 · Gas receiver for capturing solar energy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,732,928 B1 - Document ID: US11732928B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/014,972 - Filed: 2020-09-08 - Granted: 2023-08-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-09 - Assignees: Heliogen Holdings, Inc. - Applicants: Heliogen Holdings, Inc. - Inventors: Steven Schell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11732928B1 ## CPC - F24S 10/25: having two or more passages for the same working fluid layered in direction of solar-rays, e.g. having upper circulation channels connected with lower circulation channels - F24S 23/77: with flat reflective plates - F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants - F24S 23/70: with reflectors - F24S 30/40: for rotary movement - F24S 30/00: Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules - F24S 70/12: made of metallic material - F24S 70/16: made of ceramic; made of concrete; made of natural stone - F24S 2080/07: {Arrangements for one-way heat transfer, e.g. thermal diodes} - Y02E 10/44: Heat exchange systems - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A gas receiver configured to heat a working fluid is disclosed. The receiver comprises an aperture, a light absorber, and a pre-heater interposed between the aperture and light absorber. The pre-heater is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared. The pre-heater in the preferred embodiment comprises quartz in the form of a plurality of quartz plates or quartz tubes, for example, that are oriented substantially parallel to one another. The quartz plates are separated from one another by a gap to permit air to pass into the receiver cavity, while the quartz tubes are hollow to permit air to pass therethrough. The quartz plates or tubes are configured to transmit visible light from the aperture to the light absorber, and to absorb infrared radiation passing from the light absorber toward the aperture. Since the quartz structures absorb infrared, they serve to capture blackbody radiation emitted from the absorber and use that energy to pre-heat air before it passes into the absorber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas receiver configured to heat a working fluid, the receiver comprising: an aperture configured to allow sunlight and a working fluid to pass therethrough; a light absorber: and a pre-heater interposed between the aperture and light absorber; wherein the pre-heater is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas receiver of claim 1, wherein the pre-heater comprises quartz. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gas receiver of claim 2, wherein the pre-heater comprises a plurality of quartz plates configured to absorb infrared radiation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gas receiver of claim 3, wherein the plurality of quartz plates are oriented substantially parallel to one another and relative to the aperture so that at least some rays of sunlight pass between the plates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The gas receiver of claim 4, wherein all the plurality of quartz plates are separated from one another by a gap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The gas receiver of claim 5, wherein the gap between the plurality of quartz plates is sized to permit the working fluid to pass from the aperture, through the pre-heater, and to the light absorber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The gas receiver of claim 5, wherein the quartz plates are configured to: transmit visible light from the aperture to the light absorber; and absorb infrared radiation passing from the light absorber toward the aperture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gas receiver of claim 1, wherein the light absorber comprises FeCrAl foil. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gas receiver of claim 1, wherein the light absorber comprises wire mesh. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gas receiver of claim 1, wherein the light absorber comprises a ceramic foam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gas receiver of claim 1, wherein the working fluid is air. ### Claim 12 A gas receiver configured to heat a working fluid, the receiver comprising: an aperture configured to allow sunlight and a working fluid to pass therethrough; a light absorber; and a pre-heater interposed between the aperture and light absorber comprising a plurality of plates oriented substantially parallel to one another and transverse to a plane of the aperture, the plurality of plates being configured to absorb infrared radiation, wherein the pre-heater is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gas receiver of claim 12, wherein the plurality of plates comprise quartz. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The gas receiver of claim 12, wherein the plurality of plates are separated from one another by a gap. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The gas receiver of claim 14, wherein the gap between the plurality of plates is sized to permit air to pass from the aperture, through the pre-heater, and to the light absorber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The gas receiver of claim 12, wherein the plurality of plates are configured to: transmit visible light from the aperture to the light absorber; and absorb infrared radiation passing from the light absorber toward the aperture. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The gas receiver of claim 12, wherein the light absorber comprises FeCrAl foil. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The gas receiver of claim 12, wherein the light absorber comprises wire mesh. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The gas receiver of claim 12, wherein the light absorber comprises a ceramic foam. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The gas receiver of claim 12, wherein the working fluid is air.