US20040011355A1

US20040011355A1 - Multi-lens hydrogen, electric and steam power plant

Info

Publication number: US20040011355A1
Application number: US10/328,218
Authority: US
Inventors: Mauno Reiala
Original assignee: Sunin Ltd
Current assignee: Sunin Ltd
Priority date: 2002-07-16
Filing date: 2002-11-27
Publication date: 2004-01-22
Also published as: FI20021388A; FI20021388A0

Abstract

In a multi-lens hydrogen and/or electric/steam power plant there are mirrors 2, or equivalent, such as prisms, placed underneath lenses 1 directing ray bundles from several lenses 1 onto one focal point.

There are for instance nine lenses 1 in a frame 4, and underneath the outermost lenses 1 there are diagonally placed flat mirrors 2 directing ray bundles to a water splitter or a vaporizer placed in an apparatus 3 in the focal point.

There may be for instance ten frames 4 side by side, and in the middle there may be a supporting column 8 provided with bearings 7; and between the frames 4 there may be bases 6 with wheels 10 underneath. Directing the frame in vertical direction and so as to follow the Sun's rotation there may be motors 11 and 12 controlled by a sensor.

Description

RELATED PATENT

The present invention relates to a multi-lens hydrogen, electric and steam power plant consisting of a solar lens and a support as in European patent No. 0756690.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Directing ray bundles from nine lenses on one focal point multiplies the temperature and the efficiency by about ten; and the smaller the lenses are and the shorter the focal length is enabling the production of the temperature of 4000° K in the water splitter and that of about 500° C. as well as a large quantity of heat in the vaporiser, the lower and lighter and sturdier and less expensive the structure of the power plant will be.

To produce large quantities of hydrogen and electricity, a multi-lens solar power plant is necessary where ray bundles from several lenses heat one focal point apparatus and the frames of the lens groups and the base of the structure automatically direct themselves towards the Sun and the whole structure is strong enough to stand up to the strains of stormy weather.

The solar lens corresponding to patent specifications 0756690 and its support and the apparatus producing hydrogen and electricity are provided with a thin lens supported by a gas balloon, the lens being made of a hardening polyester or epoxy resin and the hydrogen being produced in the focal point of the said lens.

In the temperature of 4000° K, water is converted into plasma and water molecules are decomposed into gaseous hydrogen and oxygen. The water splitters are made of a ceramic material. In a type of previously known solar power plant the radiation is directed onto a solar collector, situated at the height of about 100 meters, by means of hundreds of flat mirrors. This type of power plant is capable of collecting a relatively large quantity of heat but cannot raise the temperature enough, and the structure is rather high and expensive.

Also previously known are steam turbines rotating a generator to produce electricity. Likewise previously known is electrolysis where electric current is used to decompose water molecules into gaseous hydrogen and oxygen. Furthermore, previously known power plant and car fuel cells produce electric current by means of gaseous hydrogen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to create a multi-lens hydrogen, electric and steam power plant coming up to requirements and without any of the drawbacks mentioned above that can be used to produce large quantities of hydrogen and electricity, with ray bundles from several lenses heating up one apparatus placed in the focal point and the structure of the plant, which directs itself towards the Sun, being relatively low and solid, and suited for serial production.

These objectives will be reached on the basis of the invention and its characteristics defined in patent claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following chapters, the invention is described in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, [0009]
FIG. 1. showing the multi-lens hydrogen and electric/steam power plant from the side and [0010]
FIG. 2. showing it from the front. The arrows show the route of ray bundles. The hydrogen, electric and steam power plants are similar in structure but different in measures.[0011]
In a multi-lens hydrogen, electric and steam power plant there are thin lenses, such as plastic lenses, directing themselves towards the Sun; and in the focal point of the lenses there is an apparatus provided with a water splitter and/or vaporiser or equivalent; and underneath the [0012] lenses 1 there are mirrors 2 or equivalent, such as prisms, directing ray bundles from several lenses 1 on one focal point.
The [0013] lenses 1 may have a pillow form or equivalent, for instance a segment form.
In the [0014] frame 4 there may be about nine lenses 1 side by side; and underneath the outermost lenses 1 there may be flat mirrors 2 or equivalent, placed diagonally, so as to direct ray bundles from the lenses 1 onto the focal point apparatus 3 situated in the focal point of the middle lens 1.
The [0015] focal point apparatus 3 and the frame 4 may be secured to each other by means of supports 5 or equivalent, and the frame 4 may be mounted on a base 6 and/or a column 8 by means of bearings 7. There may be several, say ten, frames 4 side by side with, for instance, 90 lenses 1 in all, and in the middle there may be a supporting column 8 provided with a pressure bearing or equivalent; and between the frames 4 and at each end there may be bases 6; and the bases 6 and the column 8 may be secured to each other by means of beams 9 or equivalent, placed in their lower parts; and the bases 6 may be provided with wheels 10, or equivalent.
Directing the [0016] frame 4 towards the Sun in the vertical direction may be arranged by means of a motor 11, or equivalent, secured onto the base 6 or the supporting column 8; and the rotation of the base 6 in the direction of the Sun may be arranged by means of a motor (12), or equivalent; and the control of the motors 11 and/or 12 may by arranged by means of a computer and/or a sensor activated by solar radiation, known in itself
The steam produced in the vaporiser of the [0017] focal point apparatus 3 may be fed to a steam turbine, or equivalent, running an electric generator, and the electricity produced by the generator may be fed into the network and/or used to produce hydrogen by means of electrolysis, or equivalent.
The hydrogen produced in the water splitter of the [0018] focal point apparatus 3 may be fed to a fuel cell producing electricity and/or a hydrogen bottling machine to be bottled for fuel cell cars, and/or a hydrogen tank, or equivalent.

EXAMPLE

In a hydrogen power plant there are [0019] pillow lenses 1, diameter 1.8 meters. In a frame 4 there is a group of nine lenses. In the focal point there is an apparatus 3 where a ceramic water splitter is placed. In an electric/steam power plant there are, accordingly, 0.6-meter lenses, and the focal point apparatus 3 is provided with a vaporiser. Flat mirrors 2 reflect ray bundles from eight lenses into the apparatus 3 placed in the focal point of the ninth lens, which is in the middle of the group.
In a hydrogen power plant there are 2×12 frames and in an electric/[0020] steam power plant 6×36 frames side by side. The lens surfaces have a height of 10.8 meters, a length of 64.8 meters and an area of about 700 square. The effective output is about 400 kW.
In the middle of each [0021] frame 4 there is a column 8 provided with a bearing housing. The frames are mounted onto the columns and bases 6 by means of bearings 7. In vertical direction, the frames 4 are turned towards the Sun by a motor 11. In both types of power plant there are 12 bases 6 provided with wheels 10 and rotated clockwise by motors 12.
Thanks to flat mirrors the temperature and efficiency at the focal point are about tenfold. [0022]

Claims

We claim:

1. A multi-lens hydrogen, electric and steam power plant is:

thin lenses, such as plastic lenses;

the lenses directing themselves towards the Sun;

an apparatus placed in the focal point of the lenses, provided with a water splitter and/or a vaporizer,

underneath the said lenses there are mirrors,

such mirrors directing ray bundles from several lenses onto one focal point.

2. The power plant of claim 1, where there are nine lenses 1 side by side in a frame 4, and underneath the outermost lenses 1 there are diagonally placed flat mirrors 2 so as to direct ray bundles from the lenses 1 to an apparatus 3 situated in the focal point of the middle lens 1.