Solar power generation and energy storage system

• US 20010010222A1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Published: 08/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Melvin L. Prueitt
• Original Assignee: Melvin L. Prueitt
• Inventors: Prueitt, Melvin L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,374,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/620
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/00 Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy solar boilers F24
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/06 with solar energy concentrating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 10/501 having conduits of plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/55 made of flexible materials
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 60/30 storing heat in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/525 made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/44 Heat exchange systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/50 Energy storage in industry with an added climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A solar energy power system is provided that is effective to use an underlying supporting medium as a heat storage medium. A plurality of lengths of solar energy collector panels are arranged in abutting relationship on the ground and in thermal transfer contact with the supporting medium. Each one of the solar energy collector panels includes a length of flexible uninsulated base layer for unrolling along the supporting medium to form the plurality of abutting solar collectors. Heat within a flowing liquid in the panels is transmitted through the uninsulated base layer to and from the supporting medium. A power plant is connected to receive the heated liquid and convert the energy in the heated liquid to output electrical energy.

Claims

1. A solar energy power system effective to use an underlying supporting medium as a heat storage medium comprising:

a plurality of lengths of solar energy collector panels arranged in abutting relationship on the ground and in thermal transfer contact with the supporting medium where each one of the solar energy collector panels comprises;

a length of flexible uninsulated base layer for unrolling along the supporting medium to form the plurality of abutting solar collectors;

a plurality of parallel channels sealed along the length of the flexible base layer and having a coefficient of light absorption for heating by solar energy a flowing liquid contained within the parallel channels and an infrared light emission coefficient effective to retain heat within the flowing liquid where heat is transmitted through the uninsulated base layer to and from the supporting medium; and

entrance and exit manifolds connected to the plurality of solar collector panels for supplying flowing liquid and insulating fluids to the solar collector panels and collecting heated liquid; and

a power plant connected to receive the heated liquid and convert the energy in the heated liquid to output electrical energy.

2. A solar energy power system according to

claim 1

, wherein the power plant includes a closed loop system using a low-boiling point liquid to be vaporized by the heated liquid to form a vapor flow, a turbine for converting energy in the vapor flow to mechanical energy, and a condenser for condensing the vapor to liquid.

3. A solar energy power system according to

claim 2

, where the condenser includes a fan for directing air through the condenser and a water spray for cooling the air before the air passes through the condenser to remove sufficient heat from the liquid vapor to condense the vapor.

4. A solar energy power system according to

claim 1

wherein each solar collector panel further comprises:

an outer layer between the parallel channels and the sun and sealed to the base layer for transmitting light to the parallel channels and containing a fluid to reduce heat loss from the flowing liquid and to inflate the structure formed by the base layer.

5. A solar energy power system according to

claim 1

further including side surfaces along outer ones of the plurality of the parallel channels for sealing between abutting side surfaces of adjacent solar collectors.

6. A solar energy power system according to

claim 1

further including anchoring flaps extending from edge portions of the base layer to anchor the plurality of solar collectors.

7. A solar energy power system according to

claim 1

, further including a plurality of cover layers, each cover layer covering one parallel channel and defining a space between the parallel channel and the cover layer for flowing additional liquid for heating or an insulating fluid for retarding transmission of heat from the liquid in the parallel channel.

8. A solar energy power system according to

claim 1

, further including an intermediate layer between the parallel channels and the outer layer and connected to the outer layer and the side surfaces to form an intermediate insulating volume between the plurality of parallel channels and the outer layer.

9. A method for generating power from solar energy comprising:

providing a plurality of lengths of solar energy collector panels, each panel having an uninsulated base layer;

providing a supporting medium suitable for heat storage for supporting the solar energy collector panels;

arranging each one of the lengths of solar energy collector panels in an abutting relationship with adjacent ones of the solar energy collector panels on the supporting medium with the uninsulated base layer arranged in thermal transfer contact with the supporting medium;

circulating a flowing liquid through the solar energy collector panels when solar energy is available to heat the flowing liquid for transfer to a power plant and to transfer heat to the supporting medium for storage;

circulating the flowing liquid through the solar energy collector panels when solar energy is not available to collect heat stored in the supporting medium for transfer to the power plant.

10. A method according to

claim 9

, further including:

circulating the flowing liquid to a boiler containing a liquid having a boiling point suitable for boiling with the heat of the flowing liquid to produce a vapor flow;

inputting the vapor flow to a turbine for converting energy in the vapor flow to mechanical energy; and

condensing the vapor flow to liquid for return to the boiler.

11. A method according to

claim 10

, wherein condensing the vapor flow includes:

directing an air flow through a condenser containing the vapor flow;

spraying water into the air flow before the air flow enters the condenser to cool the air flow for condensing the vapor flow.