Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03G6/00—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy
  • F03G6/06—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy with solar energy concentrating means
  • F03G6/062—Parabolic point or dish concentrators
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03G6/00—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy
  • F03G6/06—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy with solar energy concentrating means
  • F03G6/065—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy with solar energy concentrating means having a Rankine cycle
  • F03G6/067—Binary cycle plants where the fluid from the solar collector heats the working fluid via a heat exchanger
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03G6/00—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy
  • F03G6/071—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy with energy storage devices
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
  • F24S20/00—Solar heat collectors specially adapted for particular uses or environments
  • F24S20/20—Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
  • F24S80/00—Details, accessories or component parts of solar heat collectors not provided for in groups F24S10/00-F24S70/00
  • F24S80/30—Arrangements for connecting the fluid circuits of solar collectors with each other or with other components, e.g. pipe connections; Fluid distributing means, e.g. headers
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
  • Y02E10/46—Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines

Definitions

• This invention relates to the coupling of a solar dish concentrator to a power generator.
• Solar disc concentrators need to be raised from the ground and to be mounted to track the sun.
• the solar energy captured by a concentrator is continuously directed to a reception point, there to be used for instance for driving a Rankine cycle engine (for electrical power generation).
• One of the current problems with solar dish concentrators is to find a suitable means of converting the concentrated solar rays into useful electrical power, including the further problem of transporting and storing the medium heated by the concentrated solar rays in a manner to minimising losses.
• the invention has particular application to the generation of power by a Rankine binary cycle turbine. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
• a solar powered Rankine Cycle Pumping Engine is disclosed in US Patent 4,103,493.
• the solar heat is received by collector, which however does not track the sun. There is no storage of surplus heat, nor therefore attempted equalisation between periods of surplus and shortfall.
• a solar powered Rankine Cycle Pumping Engine is disclosed in US Patent 4,765,144.
• the solar energy is however received by a planar collector of limited dimensions; though the collector is mounted on a solar tracker, it has flexible fluid lines to and from the collector, which may not withstand the higher medium temperatures required for effective engine operation.
• an energy conversion assembly which includes a solar dish concentrator having a focal point, means to move the concentrator whereby to track the sun, absorbtion means to absorb solar energy, said absorbtion means being at said focal point characterised by a power generator, by fluid conduit means connecting the absorbtion means and the generator, and by at least one flexible joint in said fluid conduit means.
• conduit means can be rigid (except for the joint or joints) and so better able to withstand the higher fluid temperatures to be used in the invention.
• conduit means can be co-axial, with an inner conduit for the hotter fluid passing towards the engine and an outer encircling conduit for the cooler returning fluid.
• the fluid is retained in a closed cycle.
• a storage reservoir comprising an inner hot chamber and a cooler outer chamber can also be provided.
• Each rotating or flexible joint can be surrounded by a flexible cover, filled with cool operating fluid, under pressure.
• the power generator is a Rankine binary cycle turbine.
• Fig.l shows a solar dish concentrator coupled to a Rankine binary cycle turbine power generator according to the invention.
• Fig.2 is a sectional view of a heat recovery pipe and rotating joint.
• the solar dish 1 is known energy concentrator, which collects and concentrates solar rays to a receiver 2 fixedly mounted at the focal point of the concentrator 1.
• a Rankine binary cycle power generator or engine 14 is positioned adjacent to the solar dish 1.
• An insulated cross-flow heat recovery system is connected between the receiver 2 and the engine 14.
• a heat recovery pipe 3 is fixed at its one end to the receiver 2, and at its other (exit) end is fixed to a part of a rotating joint 4.
• the entire rotating joint 4 is enclosed in a flexible cover 5.
• the rotating joint 4 is connected to one end of a second section of heat recovery pipe 6.
• the other end of the heat recovery pipe 6 is connected to a second rotating joint 7.
• Rotating joint 7 is enclosed in a flexible cover 8.
• Rotating joint 7 is connected to one end of a third heat recovery pipe 9.
• the other (exit) end of the pipe 9 is connected to a third rotating joint 10.
• Rotating joint 10 is enclosed in a flexible cover 11.
• the third rotating joint 10 is connected to a heat recovery storage tank 12.
• a fourth heat recovery pipe 13 connects the heat recovery storage tank 12 to the inlet of the Rankine binary cycle turbine 14.
• the receiver 2 contains a fluid which becomes heated by the solar rays concentrated to focal point on the receiver.
• the heated fluid flows through the inner core or conduit 20 of the heat recovery pipes 3,6,9 and 13 (which are insulated) and so (by way of inner chamber 16 of intermediate or storage unit 12) to the heat exchange unit of the Rankine binary cycle turbine 14, where the heated fluid (or energy transporting medium) imparts its heat.
• Storage tank 12 includes not only of the inner chamber or core 16 which is well insulated, and holds “on call” for the turbine 14 the hot fluid arriving from the receiver 2, but also has an outer chamber 17 which holds “on call” cooled fluid flowing back from the Rankine binary cycle turbine 14 through the outer conduit of heat recovery pipe 13. Chambers 16, 17 are insulated from each other and from the surrounding atmosphere.
• the cooled fluid in the outer chamber(s) 17 of the heat recovery storage tank 12 is pumped back to the receiver 2 as required, through the outer cores or conduits of co ⁇ axial heat recovery pipes 9,6 and 3, to be reheated by the concentrator 1, completing a cycle.
• the flow arrangement for the cooled fluid ensures that any heat loss from the hot fluid located therewithin is recovered largely by the returning cooled fluid; furthermore as the pipes are insulated to the outside the heat loss from the system to the atmosphere is minimised.
• the flexible covers 5,8 and 11 also transmit cooled fluid to the outside and the hot fluid to the inside, also to utilise heat losses from the hotter fluid.
• the rotating joints 4,7 and 10 permit flexible movement of the pipes as the receiver 2 and the concentrator 1 move in tracking the sun.
• the heat recovery storage tank 12 permits the collection and storage of hot fluids from e.g. three solar dish concentrators, so that the power production of the system can perhaps operate effectively for 24 hours with a sunshine period of perhaps only 8 hours per day.
• the coupling of the solar dish concentrator 1 to the Rankine binary cycle turbine permits the use of a range of temperatures for the working fluid in the range 80° to 400°» and enables the use of one or more heat sources to maintain power output.
• ⁇ d ⁇ modular units each of approximately 1 megawatt can be set up, and expanded in modules to create 100 megawatt installations, or more.
• flexible cover 5 provides an extra seal for the rotating joint; the flexible cover is insulated and pressurised with the same fluid and clamped/sealed in place.
• the pressure of the fluid in the flexible cover 5 is maintained at a slightly higher pressure than the pressure of the fluid in the outer core of heat recovery pipe 3,6,9 and 13 (to prevent any leaks from the pipes).
• other types of turbines rather than Rankine binary cycle turbines, may be used.
• rotating and flexible joints including labyrinth joints and graphite discs and bearings.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Sustainable Energy (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)
• Sorption Type Refrigeration Machines (AREA)
• Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=19720965

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 1994
  • 1994-01-01 ZA ZA943198A patent/ZA943198B/xx unknown
  • 1994-05-05 IS IS4160A patent/IS4160A/is unknown
  • 1994-05-09 CN CN94192725A patent/CN1127035A/zh active Pending
  • 1994-05-09 WO PCT/IB1994/000099 patent/WO1994027096A2/en active Application Filing
  • 1994-05-09 DE DE4493139T patent/DE4493139T1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1994-05-09 AU AU65802/94A patent/AU6580294A/en not_active Abandoned

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