Concentrated solar power generation using solar receivers
AssigneeWilson Solarpower Corporation
InventorsBruce N. Anderson, William Dean Treece, Dan Brown, Florian Bennhold, Christoph Hilgert
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Abstract
Inventive concentrated solar power systems using solar receivers, and related devices and methods, are generally described. Low pressure solar receivers are provided that function to convert solar radiation energy to thermal energy of a working fluid, e.g., a working fluid of a power generation or thermal storage system. In some embodiments, low pressure solar receivers are provided herein that are useful in conjunction with gas turbine based power generation systems.
Claims16
A solar receiver system comprising:
- a low pressure fluid chamber comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and an opening for receiving concentrated solar radiation;
- a solar absorber housed within the low pressure fluid chamber;
- a transparent object that defines at least a portion of a wall of the low pressure fluid chamber;
- a gas turbine having an inlet and an exhaust outlet;
- a first fluidic pathway fluidically connected to the fluid outlet of the low pressure fluid chamber;
- and
- a second fluidic pathway positioned to receive heat transferred from the first fluidic pathway, the second fluidic pathway being connected to the inlet of the gas turbine;
- wherein the fluid inlet of the low pressure fluid chamber is fluidically connected with the exhaust outlet of the gas turbine via one or more conduits to receive a substantially uncompressed fluid having a pressure of between 0.9 and 1.1 ATM into the low pressure fluid chamber;
- and
- wherein concentrated solar radiation received through the opening passes through the transparent object into the low pressure fluid chamber and impinges upon the solar absorber, and wherein the low pressure fluid chamber defines a fluid flow path from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, wherein, between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the fluid flow path extends across at least a portion of the transparent object and through one or more passages within the solar absorber.
A concentrated solar power generation system, comprising:
- a solar receiver, comprising,
- a fluid chamber comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and an opening for receiving concentrated solar radiation;
- a solar absorber housed within the fluid chamber;
- a transparent object that defines at least a portion of a wall of the fluid chamber, wherein concentrated solar radiation received through the opening passes through the transparent object into the fluid chamber and impinges upon the solar absorber to produce a heated first fluid having a first pressure;
- a heat exchange system comprising a heat exchange unit positioned downstream of the solar receiver having an inlet fluidically connected to the fluid outlet of the fluid chamber, the heat exchange system being configured to transfer heat from the heated first fluid to a second fluid having a second pressure, the second pressure being greater than the first pressure to provide a heated second fluid;
- and
- a gas turbine in fluid communication with and downstream of an outlet of the heat exchange system, configured to receive the heated second fluid at a gas turbine inlet, wherein the gas turbine further comprises a gas turbine exhaust outlet fluidically connected to the fluid inlet of the fluid chamber via one or more conduits, to deliver a substantially uncompressed fluid having a pressure of between 0.9 and 1.1 ATM to the fluid chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.