Concentrated solar thermal reactor
AssigneeBlueshift, LLC
InventorsAndrew Timon Brewer, Ryan Garvey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor system and method of use for high temperature thermochemical processes and/or electrical power generation. In one embodiment, the vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor system produces a thermochemical reaction of a stream of irradiated particles arranged concentrically with a concentrated light cone. In one aspect, the vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor system collects an irradiated particle stream within a hot particle containment vessel which communicates thermal energy to a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger in turn driving an electrical power generator. In one embodiment, the particles are a lunar regolith.
Claims20
A concentrated solar thermal reactor system comprising:
- a vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor defining a vessel volume and configured to receive a concentrated light profile, the vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor comprising:
- a particle dispenser configured to dispense a particle stream within the concentrated light profile;
- a hot particle containment vessel;
- a heat exchanger coupled to the hot particle containment vessel and configured to receive and dispense thermal energy from the hot particle containment vessel;
- a power generator coupled to the heat exchanger and configured to store the thermal energy or to convert thermal energy received from the heat exchanger into electricity;
- and
- a vessel outlet configured to output particles from the hot particle containment vessel and form a vessel outlet stream;
- wherein:
- the particle dispenser dispenses the particle stream to move along a vertical axis coincident with the concentrated light profile;
- the concentrated light profile directly irradiates the particle stream as the particle stream moves along the vertical axis to form a hot particle stream;
- and
- the hot particle containment vessel receives the hot particle stream and forms a hot particle bed.
A concentrated solar thermal reactor system to produce electricity, the system comprising:
- a vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor defining a vessel volume and configured to receive a concentrated light profile, the vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor comprising:
- a particle dispenser configured to dispense a particle stream within the concentrated light profile, the particle stream moving along a vertical axis coincident with the concentrated light profile, the concentrated light profile directly irradiating the particle stream as the particle stream moves along the vertical axis to form a hot particle stream;
- a redirecting optic configured to receive solar energy and produce the concentrated light profile;
- a hot particle containment vessel configured to receive the hot particle stream and form a hot particle bed;
- a heat exchanger configured to encase the hot particle containment vessel and to receive thermal energy from the hot particle containment vessel;
- an electrical power generator coupled to the heat exchanger and configured to convert thermal energy received from the heat exchanger into electricity;
- and
- a vessel outlet configured to output particles from the hot particle containment vessel and form a vessel outlet stream;
- wherein:
- the redirecting optic is a compound parabolic reflector;
- the hot particle containment vessel comprises a reflective inner surface;
- and
- the particle dispenser comprises a particle stream conduit containing the particle stream, the particle stream conduit passing adjacent the heat exchanger to receive thermal energy from the heat exchanger to preheat the particle stream.
A concentrated solar thermal reactor system comprising:
- a vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor defining a vessel volume and configured to receive a concentrated light profile, the vertically oriented solar concentrator reactor comprising:
- a particle dispenser configured to dispense a particle stream within the concentrated light profile;
- a hot particle containment vessel;
- a heat exchanger coupled to the hot particle containment vessel and operating to receive and dispense thermal energy from the hot particle containment vessel;
- a power generator coupled to the heat exchanger and operating to store the thermal energy or to convert thermal energy received from the heat exchanger into electricity;
- and
- a vessel outlet to output particles from the hot particle containment vessel and form a vessel outlet stream;
- wherein:
- the particle dispenser is operable to dispense the particle stream along a vertical axis coincident with the concentrated light profile;
- the concentrated light profile directly irradiates the particle stream as the particle stream moves along the vertical axis to form a hot particle stream;
- and
- the hot particle containment vessel is configured to receive the hot particle stream and to formforms-a hot particle bed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.