AutoSolar Thermal Electric Conversion (ASTEC) solar power system

A method of thermal collection comprising the steps of:

• receiving said relatively hot working fluid from a first tank and for providing same to a heat exchanger,
• discharging said working fluid from the heat exchanger at a lower temperature than a temperature of said relatively hot working fluid from said first tank;
• collecting solar energy in a solar collector connected for receiving the lower temperature working fluid from said heat exchanger;
• heating said lower temperature working fluid in the solar collector;
• feeding said heated working fluid from the solar collector to said first tank or to a second tank, containing working fluid at a lower temperature than said first tank;
• and
• feeding working fluid from said second tank to said solar collector;
• feeding working fluid from said heat exchanger to an intake side of said solar collector at least in a flow path independent of said second tank.

A method of improving the efficiency of removing heat from a solar collector using a relatively hot and relatively cold working fluid pumped through the solar collector and comprising the steps of:

• during early morning and late afternoon hours of the day, passing said relatively cold working fluid from a cold working fluid tank to said solar collector and returning the relatively cold working fluid, heated slightly by said solar collector to said cold working fluid tank;
• during peak sunlight hours of the day, passing said relatively hot working fluid from a hot working fluid tank to a heat exchanger and then to an intake side of said solar collector at least in a flow path independent of said cold working fluid tank;
• and
• during said peak sunlight hours of the day, additionally passing said relatively cold working fluid to said solar collector together with said relatively hot working fluid.

A method of generating electricity comprising the steps of:

• providing a thermal energy conversion (TEC) system comprising a heater/vaporizer, an expander, a condenser and a pump connected in series to pump TEC working fluid through said TEC system;
• providing a thermal energy collection and storage system (TCS) comprising a solar collector, a hot TCS working fluid tank storing relatively hot TCS working fluid and a cold TCS working fluid tank storing relatively cold TCS working fluid, and a heat exchanger coupled to said heater/vaporizer of said TEC system;
• during early morning and late afternoon hours of the day, passing said relatively cold TCS working fluid from said cold TCS working fluid tank to said solar collector and returning the relatively cold TCS working fluid, heated slightly by said solar collector to said cold TCS working fluid tank;
• during peak sunlight hours of the day, passing said relatively hot TCS working fluid from said hot TCS working fluid tank to said heat exchanger and then to an intake side of said solar collector at least in a flow path independent of said cold TCS working fluid tank;
• and
• during said peak sunlight hours of the day, additionally passing said relatively cold TCS working fluid to said solar collector together with said relatively hot TCS working fluid;
• heating said TEC working fluid in said heater/vaporizer of said TEC system by said TCS working fluid passing through said heat exchanger;
• and
• coupling an output of said expander to an electrical generator to produce electricity from operation of said TEC system.