US 4,397,152 A · Solar furnace

Abstract

A solar furnace electricity generating system is provided herein. It includes a concentrator and accumulator for the sun's rays to generate a concentrated high temperature solar beam. A heat hearth is disposed, e.g., in the ground, to absorb the concentrated high temperature solar beam. A plurality of concentric alternating heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers and heat absorption zones are provided around the heat hearth. These zones are the following: a primary chamber containing a first heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with the heat hearth; a primary heat-absorption zone containing a primary heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with the primary chamber; a secondary chamber containing the same heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with the primary zone; a secondary heat-absorption zone containing a second and different heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with the secondary chamber; and a tertiary chamber containing the same heat-transfer medium in heat-transfer contact with the secondary zone. Valved outlet lines are provided from each heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber to conduct such heat-transfer media to a common vapor outlet line leading to a vapor-powered electricity-generating turbine. An outlet line is provided from the liquid reservoir to a plurality of valved inlet lines, each leading to an associated heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber. Control means are provided to actuate selected vaporization/condensation cycles from selected heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers, generally from the outer zones first and then from the inner core zones, to the exclusion of similar vaporization/condensation cycles from other heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers. In this way, substantially continuous generation of electricity during periods of daylight and nighttime is provided.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A solar furnace electricity generating system comprising:

(a) a concentrator and accumulator for the sun's rays to generate a concentrated high temperature solar beam;
(b) a heat hearth disposed to absorb heat from said concentrated high temperature solar beam;
(c) a plurality of concentric alternating heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers and heat absorption zones around said heat hearth, said plurality of zones comprising
(i) a primary chamber containing a first heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said heat hearth;
(ii) a primary heat-absorption zone containing a primary heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with said primary chamber;
(iii) a secondary chamber containing the same heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said primary zone;
(iv) a secondary heat-absorption zone containing a second and different heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with said secondary chamber;
and
(v) a tertiary chamber containing the same heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said secondary zone;
(d) valved outlet lines leading from each said heating-transfer-medium-containing chamber to conduct such heat-transfer media to a common vapour outlet line leading to a vapour-powered electricity-generating turbine;
(e) valved outlet line from said turbine connected to a liquid reservoir;
(f) valved outlet means from said liquid reservoir to a plurality of valved inlet lines, each leading to an associated said heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber;
and
(g) control means to actuate selected vapourization/condensation cycles from selected heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers, to the exclusion of similar vapourization/condensation cycles from other heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers;
thereby to result in substantially continuous generation of electricity during periods of daylight and nighttime.

12 more elements

A solar furnace electricity generating system comprising:

(a) a concentrator and accumulator for the sun's rays to generate a concentrated high temperature solar beam;
(b) a heat hearth disposed to absorb heat from said concentrated high temperature solar beam;
(c) a plurality of concentric alternating heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers and heat absorption zones around said heat hearth, said plurality of zones comprising
(i) a primary chamber containing a first heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said heat hearth;
(ii) a primary heat-absorption zone containing a primary heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with said primary chamber;
(iii) a secondary chamber containing the same heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said primary zone;
(iv) a secondary heat-absorption zone containing a second and different heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with said secondary chamber;
and
(v) a tertiary chamber containing the same heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said secondary zone;
(d) valved outlet lines leading from each said heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber to conduct such heat-transfer media to a common vapour outlet line leading to a vapour-powered electricity-generating turbine;
(e) valved outlet line from said turbine connected to a liquid reservoir, said reservoir including an upper primary reservoir and a lower liquid transfer reservoir;
(f) valved outlet means from said liquid reservoir to a plurality of valved inlet lines, each leading to an associated said heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber;
(g) control means to actuate selected vapourization/condensation cycles from selected heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers, to the exclusion of similar vapourization/condensation cycles from other heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers;
and
(h) said upper reservoir being provided with auxiliary heat exchanger to recover sensible heat from liquid in said upper reservoir;
thereby to result in substantially continuous generation of electricity during periods of daylight and nighttime.

13 more elements

A solar furnace electricity generating system comprising:

(a) a concentrator and accumulator for the sun's rays to generate a concentrated high temperature solar beam;
(b) a heat hearth disposed to absorb heat from said concentrated high temperature solar beam;
(c) a plurality of concentric alternating heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers and heat absorption zones around said heat hearth, said plurality of zones comprising
(i) a primary chamber containing a first heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said heat hearth;
(ii) a primary heat-absorption zone containing a primary heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with said primary chamber;
(iii) a secondary chamber containing the same heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said primary zone;
(iv) a secondary heat-absorption zone containing a second and different heat-absorbing material in heat-transfer contact with said secondary chamber;
and
(v) a tertiary chamber containing the same heat-transfer-medium in heat-transfer contact with said secondary zone;
(d) valved outlet lines leading from each said heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber to conduct such heat-transfer media to a common vapour outlet line leading to a vapour-powered electricity-generating turbine;
(e) valved outlet line from said turbine connected to a liquid reservoir, said reservoir including an upper primary reservoir and a lower liquid transfer reservoir;
(f) valved outlet means from said liquid reservoir to a plurality of valved inlet lines, each leading to an associated said heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber;
(g) control means to actuate selected vapourization/condensation cycles from selected heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers, to the exclusion of similar vapourization/condensation cycles from other heat-transfer-medium-containing chambers;
and
(h) said primary reservoir being connected to said lower liquid transfer reservoir by means of a primary check-valved flow conduit, and by a secondary, ball valve controlled flow conduit, said ball valve being a caged valve which moves in a controlled fashion either to seal a main outlet from said lower liquid transfer reservoir, or to allow liquid to enter said lower liquid transfer reservoir from said primary reservoir;
thereby to result in substantially continuous generation of electricity during periods of daylight and nighttime.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Solar furnace

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Solar furnace

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25