Solar energy thermally powered electrical generating system
First Claim
1. A solar energy thermally powered electrical generating system having a thermal energy storage medium which stores a variable quantity of heat which should not exceed a maximum quantity of heat in which solar energy is absorbed by the thermal storage medium during periods of insolation and is released during periods of eclipse comprising:
- (a) a thermally powered electrical generating system, thermally coupled to the thermal energy storage medium, for generating electrical energy from thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium which is variable in magnitude in accordance with a first control signal;
(b) means for varying the rate of generation of electrical energy by the electrical generating system as a function of a scheduled demand of electrical power to be consumed by an electrical load coupled to the electrical generating system; and
(c) control means, coupled to the thermally powered electrical generating system and to the means for varying the rate of generation, for generating the first control signal to control the rate of electrical power generation from the thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium and to provide stored thermal energy to meet the scheduled demand of electrical power during periods of eclipse and to prevent the storage of an amount of thermal energy during periods of insolation exceeding the maximum quantity of heat.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermally powered electrical generating system for use in a space vehicle is disclosed. The rate of storage in a thermal energy storage medium is controlled by varying the rate of generation and dissipation of electrical energy in a thermally powered electrical generating system which is powered from heat stored in the thermal energy storage medium without exceeding a maximum quantity of heat. A control system (10) varies the rate at which electrical energy is generated by the electrical generating system and the rate at which electrical energy is consumed by a variable parasitic electrical load to cause storage of an amount of thermal energy in the thermal energy storage system at the end of a period of insolation which is sufficient to satisfy the scheduled demand for electrical power to be generated during the next period of eclipse. The control system is based upon Kalman filter theory.
35 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A solar energy thermally powered electrical generating system having a thermal energy storage medium which stores a variable quantity of heat which should not exceed a maximum quantity of heat in which solar energy is absorbed by the thermal storage medium during periods of insolation and is released during periods of eclipse comprising:
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(a) a thermally powered electrical generating system, thermally coupled to the thermal energy storage medium, for generating electrical energy from thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium which is variable in magnitude in accordance with a first control signal; (b) means for varying the rate of generation of electrical energy by the electrical generating system as a function of a scheduled demand of electrical power to be consumed by an electrical load coupled to the electrical generating system; and (c) control means, coupled to the thermally powered electrical generating system and to the means for varying the rate of generation, for generating the first control signal to control the rate of electrical power generation from the thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium and to provide stored thermal energy to meet the scheduled demand of electrical power during periods of eclipse and to prevent the storage of an amount of thermal energy during periods of insolation exceeding the maximum quantity of heat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification