Modular solar energy harvesting and storage systems for power generation
AssigneePhotonstor Corp.
InventorJon Wade Burfitt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Offshore solar energy harvesting and storage systems for onshore power generation. Solar energy harvesting and storage systems to enhance power generation per acre on land. Thermal energy storage systems and methods that include near-black body concentrated sunlight receivers disposed in thermal storage media for storing sunlight and extracting thermal energy for multiple end-use applications. The thermal energy storage systems are modular and transportable and can be scaled-up in capacity.
Claims40
An offshore solar energy harvesting and storage system disposed on a watercraft, the system including:
- a sunlight to thermal energy conversion system including:
- one or more thermal energy storage systems for storing thermal energy produced from concentrated sunlight, each thermal energy storage system including:
- one or more concentrated sunlight receivers disposed in thermal contact with thermal energy storage media;
- a first chamber configured to house the one or more concentrated sunlight receivers and the thermal energy storage media;
- a second chamber substantially encapsulating the first chamber and separated from the first chamber by an insulation assembly;
- and
- a light duct disposed between a respective thermal energy storage system inlet and an inlet associated with each of the respective one or more concentrated sunlight receivers;
- and
- one or more solar concentrators disposed on a deck of the watercraft, wherein concentrated sunlight from each of the one or more solar concentrators is transferred to the one or more thermal energy storage systems using one or more optical light guides.
A solar energy harvesting and storage system including:
- a sunlight to thermal energy conversion system including:
- a thermal energy storage system for storing thermal energy produced from concentrated sunlight, the thermal energy storage system including:
- one or more concentrated sunlight receivers disposed in thermal contact with thermal energy storage media;
- a first chamber configured to house the one or more concentrated sunlight receivers and the thermal energy storage media;
- a second chamber substantially encapsulating the first chamber and separated from the first chamber by an insulation assembly;
- and
- a light duct disposed between a thermal energy storage system inlet and an inlet associated with each of the respective one or more concentrated sunlight receivers;
- and
- one or more solar concentrators disposed on a support tower or wall, wherein concentrated sunlight from each of the one or more solar concentrators is transferred to the thermal energy storage system using one or more optical light guides.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.