# US 4,397,152 A · Solar furnace > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,397,152 A - Document ID: US4397152A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/191,123 - Filed: 1980-09-26 - Granted: 1983-08-09 - Earliest claimed: 1980-09-26 - Inventors: Derrick A. Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397152A ## CPC - F03G 6/067: {Binary cycle plants where the fluid from the solar collector heats the working fluid via a heat exchanger} - F03G 6/071: {with energy storage devices} - F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants - F24S 23/12: {Light guides} - F24S 23/70: with reflectors - F28D 20/00: Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 - F28D 20/0034: {using liquid heat storage material} - F28D 20/0056: {using solid heat storage material (F28D20/0052 takes precedence)} - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/46: Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines - Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage - Y02E 70/30: Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said heat hearth is provided with a central heat shaft to absorb heat from said concentrated high temperature solar beam. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein said heat shaft is pierced by a plurality of heat-absorbing metal rods. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3 wherein each said heat-absorbing metal rod projects into said heat hearth and is provided with a plurality of heat-dissipating ribs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4 wherein said heat hearth is packed with a heat-absorbing, heat-transfer material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5 wherein said heat-absorbing, heat-transfer material is comminuted metal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein each said primary, secondary and tertiary chambers comprises a double walled, hollow, rectangular parallelepiped chamber formed of a heat-conducting, structural material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said primary heat-absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of sand, stone and clay. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 including an auxiliary packing of lead as a molten, low melting point substance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said secondary heat-absorbing material is bricks. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 including a first heat-insulating zone in heat-transfer contact with said tertiary chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein said first heat-insulating zone is packed with asbestos as a heat-insulating material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 encased in concrete as a heat-insulating structural casing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said concentrator (a) includes a semi-globular hollow one-way mirror bulb terminating in a depending shaft for the passage of said collimated concentrated high temperature solar beam. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said semi-globular bulb includes additional heat-reflecting internal mirrors to assist in collimating and concentrating said sun's rays. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 including at least one connecting heat-conducting shaft to convey said solar beam to said heat shaft, assisted by 45.degree. reflectors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said heat shaft includes a heat concentrating lens therein. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said valves in the outlets from each said heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber are one-way valves adapted to open automatically at a minimum pre-set vapour pressure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said valves in the inlets to each said heat-transfer-medium-containing chamber are one-way valves adapted to open upon positive activation provided a minimum pre-set vapour pressure condition is satisfied. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said valve on said outlet line from said turbine is a one-way valve adapted to be opened upon positive activation. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said reservoir includes an upper primary reservoir and a lower liquid transfer reservoir. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said heat-transfer medium is water. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein each of the primary, secondary and tertiary heat-transfer medium-containing chambers comprise a plurality of interconnected, spaced apart, network of tubular members. ### Claim 24 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. ### Claim 25 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.