Solar energy collection system

• US 4,158,354 A
• Filed: 05/23/1977
• Issued: 06/19/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Energy Research & Generation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Energy Research & Generation Incorporated
• Inventors: Carden, Peter O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/799,234
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 126/270, 126/271, 126/263, 237/1 A, 62/4, 204/129, 204/DIG. 4, 165/DIG. 17, 165/107
• US Class Current: 126/574
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/043 the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2254/30 using solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/06 with solar energy concentrating means
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/062 Parabolic point or dish concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/20 Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/00 Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/71 with parabolic reflective surfaces with cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces F24S23/74
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 50/20 for tracking
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 90/00 Solar heat systems not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7861 Solar tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• 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: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking

Abstract

A solar energy collection system utilizing a fluid which dissociates endothermically and recombines exothermically is described. The preferred fluid is ammonia. Solar radiation is focussed onto absorber-reaction vessels from many paraboloidal mirrors. Means for electronically controlling the orientation of the mirrors is described. The mirrors may close together to reduce the effects of adverse climatic conditions.

Claims

1. A solar energy collection system in which a fluid dissociates endothermically and subsequently recombines exothermically into an undissociated fluid, comprising

(a) means for introducing said undissociated fluid at elevated temperature, into an absorber-reaction vessel,

(b) means for focussing solar radiation onto the absorber-reaction vessel,

(c) means operable from a master control for controlling the orientation of the means for focussing solar radiation,

(d) means for conducting the fluid from the absorber-reaction vessel through a first counterflow heat exchanger to effect cooling,

(e) means for conducting the fluid to a reaction chamber wherein partial recombining of the dissociated products occurs with release of heat energy,

(f) a separator for separating undissociated fluid and dissociated fluid,

(g) means for returning dissociated fluid to the reaction chamber,

(h) means for returning undissociated fluid to the first heat exchanger so as to heat it prior to entry into the absorber-reaction vessel,

(i) means for maintaining the fluid at superatmospheric pressure,

(j) means for recovering heat energy from the reaction chamber.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second heat exchanger located adjacent to the reaction chamber, the said counterflow heat exchanger heating the fluid entering the reaction chamber and cooling the fluid leaving the reaction chamber.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the separator is so located in the system that it only receives cooled fluid from the second counterflow heat exchanger.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the separator is so located in the system that it receives cooled fluid from the first heat exchanger and also from the second counterflow heat exchanger.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for focussing solar radiation incldes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through the action of friction at their zones of contact.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid is ammonia and wherein the pressure is maintained at above 100 atmospheres.

7. A system as claimed in claim 2 in which the means for focussing solar radiation includes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through the action of friction at their zones of contact.

8. A system as claimed in claim 3 in which the means for focussing solar radiation includes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through the action of friction at their zones of contact.

9. A system as claimed in claim 4 in which the means for focussing solar radiation includes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through the action of friction at their zones of contact.

15. A system as claimed in claim 7 in which the means for focussing solar radiation includes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through action of friction at their zones of contact.

10. A solar energy collection system comprising

(a) means for introducing a stream of ammonia rich fluid comprising ammonia, nitrogen and hydrogen into an absorber-reaction vessel,

(b) means for focussing solar radiation onto the said absorber-reaction vessel so as to cause some of the ammonia to dissociate into nitrogen and hydrogen,

(c) means electronically controlled from a master control for controlling the orientation of the means for focussing solar radiation,

(d) means for conducting the resulting mixture of ammonia, hydrogen and nitrogen from the absorber-reaction vessel through a first counterflow heat exchanger so as to cool the said resulting mixture,

(e) means for conducting the said resulting mixture to a separator for separating the said resulting mixture into an ammonia rich fluid component and a nitrogen and hydrogen rich fluid component,

(f) means for conducting the nitrogen and hydrogen rich fluid component through a second counterflow heat exchanger so as to heat the said component, into a reaction chamber so as to cause some of the nitrogen and hydrogen to react and form ammonia,

(g) means for recovering some of the heat of reaction,

(h) means for conducting the resulting fluid from the reaction chamber through the second counterflow heat exchanger to cool the said fluid,

(i) means for returning the cooled fluid from the second counterflow heat exchanger to the separator,

(j) means for conducting the ammonia rich fluid from the separator to the first counterflow heat exchanger so as to heat the stream of fluid prior to introducing the said stream into the absorber-reaction vessel,

(k) means for ensuring that the fluid is maintained at superatmospheric pressure.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the means for focussing solar radiation onto the absorber-reaction vessel comprise a plurality of paraboloidal mirrors.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the means for electronically controlling the orientation of the means for focussing solar radiation comprise

(i) pointing error sensing means mounted upon each optical focussing means, which generates signals upon command, which signals are processed to relate the orientation of the optical focussing means to the optimum orientation for concentrating solar energy to the absorber-reaction vessel,

(ii) means for transmitting said signals to a master control common to a plurality of optical focussing means,

(iii) said master control comprising means for processing the signals of (i) above;

means of computing commands based on data such data including data derived from the said signal processing and/or from a high resolution clock, and means for transmitting said commands to the appropriate focussing means,

(iv) associated with each focussing means, means for receiving and distinguishing commands transmitted from said master control such commands comprising actuator commands, read sensor commands receipt of which causes the generation and transmission of the signals described in (i) and (ii) above,

(v) associated with each focussing means, means for generating metering pulses at the rate determined by the numerical component of actuator command such rate being relative to timing signals generated within or relayed from elsewhere,

(vi) associated with each focussing means, actuators for controlling the orientation of said focussing means each said actuator being associated with the means for generating metering pulses described in (v) above and being either integral with that means or appended to it.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the sensing means comprises means for casting a shadow and solar radiation detecting means located entirely within the penumbra of the said shadow, the definition of said penumbra including penumbras indirectly formed by reflection and/or refraction.

14. A system as claimed in claim 10 in which the means for focussing solar radiation includes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through the action of friction at their zones of contact.

16. A system as claimed in claim 12 in which the means for focussing solar radiation includes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through the action of friction at their zones of contact.

17. A system as claimed in claim 13 in which the means for focussing solar radiation includes means for reducing speed such means comprising a set of rings, wheels, rollers and/or balls, and means for pressing components of said set together so as to enable the transfer of motion between components of the set through the action of friction at their zones of contact.