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US 2019/0293056 A1Published application
Solar power collection system and methods thereof
OwnerGina Anne Tibbott, Neel Krishnaninventors
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Abstract
Solar power collection systems characterized by using a collimated or otherwise concentrated beam of solar radiation to directly heat a porcelain or other high-heat capacity ceramic heating element by contact with an absorption surface on the element, which element in turn heats a thermal storage medium by conduction, methods of using the systems for collecting solar energy, and applications of the systems are disclosed.
Claims11
A solar power collecting system, comprising:
- a Frenel lens having a focal point positioned near a top portion of a tube with a reflective interior surface, wherein the top portion of the tube has a tapered portion which tapers to an opening into which solar radiation is focused, wherein the tapered portion is bent such that it resembles a trumpet bell aimed into the rest of the tube;
- 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 solar radiation is directed at the depression, the ceramic solar heating element collects heat energy from the 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.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.