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US 9,850,878 B2Granted
System and method for generating steam using a solar power source in conjunction with a geothermal power source
AssigneeUS Micropower LLC
InventorMichael Newman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for generating electrical power using a solar power system that comprises a pressurized closed loop pipe containing a transfer liquid extending between a solar collector and a heat exchanger. The transfer liquid is heated by the solar collector and gives up its thermal energy at the heat exchange to produce steam. The system also includes a source of geothermal energy and a source of natural gas. The geothermal energy in the form of heat separates the natural gas from the ground water in a separation tank. At the resulting heated ground water from the separation tank is connected to the heat exchanger to supplement thermal energy from the solar collector.
Claims30
A method for generating a vapor comprising:
- a) heating a closed loop pipe containing a heat transfer liquid having a boiling temperature at one atmosphere of pressure, wherein the pipe is positioned such that concentrated solar energy from a solar collector is focused on a portion of the closed loop pipe thereby heating the transfer liquid to an operating temperature that is above the boiling temperature of the heat transfer liquid at the one atmosphere of pressure;
- b) pressurizing the closed loop pipe by means of a closed internal chamber, where vapor of the heat transfer liquid can form in an upper section of the chamber but cannot be released, thereby self-regulating the vapor pressure of the heat transfer liquid contained in the closed loop pipe to maintain the heat transfer liquid in its liquid state in the closed loop pipe at the operating temperature;
- c) extracting thermal energy from the closed loop pipe by means of a heat exchanger with a portion of the closed loop pipe located in the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger including a vapor outlet pipe for vapor;
- d) connecting a ground source of natural gas and a ground source of thermal energy to a gas/water separation tank;
- e) separating of ground water from the natural gas by supplying geothermal energy from the ground source to the gas/water separation tank thereby heating the ground water;
- f) connecting the heated ground water in the separation tank to the heat exchanger to supplement the thermal energy from the heat transfer liquid in the closed loop pipe in the heat exchanger;
- and
- g) injecting the heated ground water from the heat exchanger into the ground to assist in extraction of natural gas from the ground.
5 more elements
A pressurized solar power system comprising:
- a) at least one solar collector;
- b) a closed loop pipe containing a heat transfer liquid having a boiling temperature at one atmosphere of pressure, wherein the closed loop pipe is positioned such that concentrated solar energy from the solar collector is focused on a portion of the closed loop pipe thereby heating the transfer liquid to an operating temperature that is above the boiling temperature of the heat transfer liquid at the one atmosphere of pressure;
- c) a sealed bubble pressurizer attached to the pipe and comprising an internal chamber, where vapor of the heat transfer liquid can form in an upper section of the chamber but cannot be released, thereby self-regulating the vapor pressure of the heat transfer liquid contained in the closed loop pipe to maintain the heat transfer liquid in its liquid state in the closed loop pipe at the operating temperature;
- d) a heat exchanger with a portion of the closed loop pipe located in the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger including a vapor outlet pipe for releasing vapor formed in the heat exchanger;
- e) a ground source of geothermal energy;
- and
- f) a separation tank connected to the source of geothermal energy for receiving a combination of geothermal substances and ground water and,
- wherein the geothermal energy supplied to the separation tank heats the ground water and assists in the separation of the ground water from the geothermal substances and wherein the heated ground water in the separation tank is connected to the heat exchanger and supplements the thermal energy from the heat transfer liquid in the closed loop pipe in the heat exchanger.
5 more elements
A method for generating a vapor comprising:
- a) heating a closed loop pipe containing a heat transfer liquid having a boiling temperature at one atmosphere of pressure, wherein the pipe is positioned such that concentrated solar energy from a solar collector is focused on a portion of the closed loop pipe thereby heating the transfer liquid to an operating temperature that is above the boiling temperature of the heat transfer liquid at the one atmosphere of pressure;
- b) pressurizing the closed loop pipe by means of a closed internal chamber, where vapor of the heat transfer liquid can form in an upper section of the chamber but cannot be released, thereby self-regulating the vapor pressure of the heat transfer liquid contained in the closed loop pipe to maintain the heat transfer liquid in its liquid state in the closed loop pipe at the operating temperature;
- c) extracting thermal energy from the closed loop pipe by means of a heat exchanger with a portion of the closed loop pipe located in the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger including a vapor outlet pipe for vapor;
- d) connecting a ground source of thermal energy to a separation tank for receiving a combination of geothermal substances and ground water;
- e) separating of the ground water from the geothermal substances by heating the ground water by means of the geothermal energy supplied to the separation tank;
- f) connecting the heated ground water in the separation tank to the heat exchanger to supplement the thermal energy from the heat transfer liquid in the closed loop pipe in the heat exchanger.
3 more elements
A pressurized solar power system comprising:
- a) at least one solar collector;
- b) a closed loop pipe containing a heat transfer liquid, wherein the closed loop pipe is positioned such that concentrated solar energy from the solar collector is focused on a portion of the closed loop pipe thereby heating the transfer liquid to an operating temperature;
- c) a heat exchanger with a portion of the closed loop pipe located in the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger including a vapor outlet pipe for releasing vapor formed in the heat exchanger;
- d) a ground source of geothermal energy;
- e) ground source of natural gas;
- and
- f) a gas/water separation tank connected to the source of natural gas for receiving a combination of natural gas and ground water and connected to the source of geothermal energy,
- wherein the geothermal energy supplied to the gas/water separation tank heats the ground water and assists in the separation of the ground water from the natural gas, wherein the heated ground water in the separation tank is connected to the heat exchanger and supplements the thermal energy from the heat transfer liquid in the closed loop pipe in the heat exchanger, and wherein the heated ground water after circulating through the heat exchanger is injected into the ground to assist in extraction of natural gas from the ground.
5 more elements
A method for generating a vapor comprising:
- a) heating a closed loop pipe containing a heat transfer liquid, wherein the pipe is positioned such that concentrated solar energy from a solar collector is focused on a portion of the closed loop pipe thereby heating the transfer liquid;
- b) extracting thermal energy from the closed loop pipe by means of a heat exchanger with a portion of the closed loop pipe located in the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger including a vapor outlet pipe;
- c) connecting a ground source of natural gas and a ground source of thermal energy to a gas/water separation tank;
- d) separating of the ground water from the natural gas by means of the geothermal energy supplied to the gas/water separation tank thereby heating the ground water;
- e) connecting the heated ground water in the separation tank to the heat exchanger to supplement the thermal energy from the heat transfer liquid in the closed loop pipe in the heat exchanger;
- and
- f) injecting heated ground water into the ground to assist in extraction of natural gas from the ground after circulating through the heat exchanger.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.