144 results about "Concentrated solar power" patented technology

A system architecture for large concentrated solar power applications that increases heliostat utilization efficiency and land utilization efficiency is described. Embodiments of the invention include a large heliostat field in which are distributed a number of receiving locations, and wherein there is the assignment of heliostats to receiving locations is dynamic. Embodiments of the invention include dynamically targeting heliostats to receiving locations wherein the target determination process is performed frequently during operation and wherein such dynamic targeting can be utilized to various ends. Embodiments of the invention include configurations wherein cosine losses associated with heliostat pointing are significantly reduced, wherein heliostats may be closely packed without incurring substantial shadowing and blocking losses thereby significantly increasing land utilization, and wherein other benefits are realized.

A solar-fossil-fuel hybrid power plant is controlled using thermal energy processing component thermal inertia characteristic data and atmospheric condition prediction information to adjust plant operations at a point in time that enables the plant to operate within a predetermined requirement when the plant experiences the predicted atmospheric condition.

A solar power generation system includes a fluid housing, a solar collector, and a heating system. The fluid housing contains a heat transfer medium. The solar collector concentrates solar energy onto the heat transfer medium. The heating system includes at least one gas tank containing a gas and fluidically connected to a first catalyst. The first catalyst is configured to catalyze gas from the gas tank to create hot gas. The heating system also includes a first hot gas pipe fluidically connected to the first catalyst and positioned with respect to the fluid housing such that hot gas flowing through the first hot gas pipe comes into thermal contact with the heat transfer medium within the fluid housing.

A small scale, concentrated solar power generation system includes a solar field of parabolic reflectors that may be located in proximity to load centers such that waste heat from the generation system may be employed in distributed, auxiliary applications.

Certain example embodiments relate to an improved secondary reflector panel with a heat-treatable coating. Certain example embodiments related to method of making a secondary reflector panel where a reflective coating is disposed onto a glass substrate. A portion of the reflective coating is removed and a frit material is disposed over the reflective coating. An elevated temperature is applied to the glass substrate, the coating, and the frit material where the frit is cured and the glass substrate is formed as desired.

Certain example embodiments relate to heat treatable coated articles, e.g., suitable for concentrating solar power (CSP) and/or other applications. For instance, the heat treatable coated article may be a secondary reflector panel, primary reflector, etc., where a reflective coating is disposed on a glass substrate. A portion of the reflective coating may be removed and a frit material is disposed over the reflective coating. An elevated temperature may be applied to the glass substrate, the coating, and the frit material where the frit is cured. The coated article may be left flat, or optionally cold- or hot-bent into a desired shape suitable for a desired application.

A protective transparent enclosure (such as a glasshouse or a greenhouse) encloses a concentrated solar power system (e.g. a thermal and/or a photovoltaic system). The concentrated solar power system includes one or more solar concentrators and one or more solar receivers. Thermal power is provided to an industrial process, electrical power is provided to an electrical distribution grid, or both. In some embodiments, the solar concentrators are dish-shaped mirrors that are mechanically coupled to a joint that enables rotation at a fixed distance about respective solar collectors that are fixed in position with respect to the protective transparent enclosure. In some embodiments, the solar collectors are suspended from structure of the protective transparent enclosure and the solar concentrators are suspended from the solar collectors. In some embodiments, the greenhouse is a Dutch Venlo style greenhouse.

Heat from a concentrated solar power source is applied to the conversion of carbonaceous materials such as heavy petroleum crude oils, coals and biomass to liquid hydrocarbons. The solar heat is applied to provide at least a portion of the process heat used in the high temperature, short contact time hydropyrolysis of the carbonaceous material which is supplied with hydrogen generated by a high temperature process such as high temperature steam electrolysis, the sulfur-iodine cycle, the hybrid sulfur cycle, the zinc-zinc oxide cycle or by methane steam cracking. The heat from the solar source may be used to generate electricity to operate high temperature steam electrolysis used in generation of the hydrogen. By the use of solar thermal energy sources, hydrocarbon resource utilization for process heat is eliminated along with carbon dioxide evolution associated with burning of the hydrocarbon resource to generate process heat. The substitution of zero carbon emission sources therefore offers the potential for significant carbon emission reductions in refinery operations where external process heat can be applied and effectively utilized.

Extremely fast dynamic control is allowed for hybrid PV/T (photovoltaic/thermal) distributed power production using concentrated solar power by manipulating the transmissive or reflective state of a capture element or mirror or lens that can pass highly concentrated solar light from one energy conversion device to another, such as a thermal collector and a photovoltaic receiver, such as a vertical multijunction cell array. This allows superior quality electrical backfeed into an electric utility, enhanced plant electrical production revenue, and responsiveness to a multitude of conditions to meet new stringent engineering requirements for distributed power plants. The mirror or lens can be physically articulated using fast changing of a spatial variable, or can be a fixed smart material that changes state. A mechanical jitter or variable state jitter can be applied to the capture element, including at utility electric grid line frequency.

The invention discloses a trough type solar middle-high temperature integrated concentrating solar power (CSP) device, and belongs to the technical field of concentrated solar power. The trough type solar middle-high temperature integrated CSP device is composed of parabolic trough condensation arrays, a heat exchanger, a heat accumulation evaporating tank, heat accumulation working medium, an evaporator, steam power machines, a condenser, a complementary boiler and the like. The trough type solar middle-high temperature integrated CSP device adopts a direct steam generation (DSG) heat transfer mode, achieves integral operation of heat transfer, heat accumulation, evaporation, heat supplement through the heat accumulation evaporating tank of the complementary boiler and fused salt and other heat accumulation medium, greatly simplifies integral construction, is favorable for lowering trough trough type concentrating solar power equipment cost, and is favorable for improving temperature of working conditions and power generating efficiency.

Systems and methods for the desalination of water are disclosed. A system includes a concentrated solar power (CSP) system, the CSP system operable to concentrate solar energy to increase temperature and pressure of a heat transfer fluid and operable to produce steam utilizing heat from the heat transfer fluid; a photovoltaic (PV) system, the PV system operable to collect solar energy to produce electricity; a desalination system in fluid communication with the CSP system and in electrical communication with the PV system, the desalination system operable to produce desalinated water from a salt water source utilizing the steam from the CSP system and electricity from the PV system; and a pump station in fluid communication with the CSP system and the desalination system, and in electrical communication with the PV system, the pump station operable to transmit the desalinated water to consumers for use.

Broadband reflectors include a UV-reflective multilayer optical film and a VIS/IR-reflective layer. In various embodiments, the VIS/IR reflective layer may be a reflective metal layer or a multilayer optical film. Concentrated solar power systems and methods of harnessing solar energy using the broadband reflectors and optionally comprising a celestial tracking mechanism are also disclosed.

A protective transparent enclosure (such as a glasshouse or a greenhouse) encloses a concentrated solar power system. The concentrated solar power system includes one or more solar concentrators and one or more solar receivers. Thermal power is provided to an industrial process, electrical power is provided to an electrical distribution grid, or both. In some embodiments, the solar concentrators are parabolic trough concentrators with one or more lateral extensions. In some embodiments, the lateral extension is a unilateral extension of the primary parabolic trough shape. In some embodiments, the lateral extensions are movably connected to the primary portion. In some embodiments, the lateral extensions have a focal line separate from the focal line of the base portion. In some embodiments, the greenhouse is a Dutch Venlo style greenhouse.

A solar absorber for a concentrated solar power (CSP) dish system includes a cylindrically shaped blackbody cavity receiver fused to a cylindrically shaped heat exchanger shell covering the receiver to form a monolithic cavity receiver and heat exchanger. An exterior surface of the cavity receiver has grooves embedded to create a duct spiraling about the exterior of the cavity receiver so that the duct forms tubes of a tube-style heat exchanger when covered by the heat exchanger shell. An interior diameter of the cavity receiver is greater than or equal to a diameter of an aperture of the cavity receiver, and a longitudinal interior depth of the cavity is greater than or equal to twice the interior diameter of the cavity receiver. The monolithic solar absorber is preferably composed of a ceramic material such as silicon carbide having emissivity greater than 0.9.

A cable (1) in particular for use in a concentrated solar power installation is provided, is provided with a core (2) for transmitting signals and/or power, an inner jacket (3) enclosing the core, an outer jacket (4) enclosing the inner jacket, and a shield (5) disposed between the inner and outer jackets. The shield is configured as a flexible conduit. A concentrated solar power installation comprising the cable is also provided.

The concentrated solar power (CSP) plant comprises a solar field and a vapor turbine system. The vapor turbine system includes a vapor turbine arrangement. The vapor turbine arrangement receives super-heated vapor generated by heating a working fluid circulating in the vapor turbine system. The plant further comprises a thermal transfer system configured for transferring solar thermal energy from the solar field to the vapor turbine system. Moreover, a supplemental-energy delivery device is provided, which is configured for superheating the vapor, when the solar thermal energy from the solar field is insufficient to generate superheated vapor.

The present invention comprises: a heat collecting device for generating high-temperature superheated steam by concentrating solar light in at least one assembled concentrator while tracking the sun and by heating a heating medium supplied to a heat collector so as to heat the heat collector which is positioned at a predetermined distance from the concentrator; a heat accumulating device for storing heat by heating a heat storage tank for a floor heating method using the superheated steam generated by the heat collecting device; a heat exchange device for carrying out heat exchange with the high-temperature and high-pressure saturated steam which is capable of driving a power generator by operating a steam turbine using the heat stored in the heat accumulating device; and a heating medium water tank for supplying a low-temperature heating medium to the heat collecting device and the heat accumulating device, and storing the heating medium flowing through the heat exchange device. Thus, the present invention has high light concentrating efficiency by minimizing heat loss, can use latent heat even at night or in the event of rain by storing heat in the heat storage tank for a floor heating method, provides continuous power generation by operating a steam turbine using saturated steam generated from the heat exchange with the latent heat of the heat storage tank, and can be used in various fields, such as air conditioning and heating, culinary, and the like.

An embodiment of the present invention may take the form of a system and method that may use at least one solar heating system to heat the fuel consumed by a turbomachine. An embodiment of the present invention may incorporate concentrated solar power (CSP). Generally, CSP systems incorporate a plurality of lenses, mirrors, or combinations thereof and a tracking system to focus a large area of sunlight forming a small concentrated beam of light. The concentrated light may then be used as a heat source. In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat source may be used to partially or completely heat the fuel consumed by a turbomachine. CSP systems may take the form of a solar trough system, a parabolic dish system, a solar power tower system, or the like.