IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0453065
(2003-06-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Litwin, Robert Z.
- Delgado, Jr., Adon
- Moriarty, Michael P.
- Jones, Charles M.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
44 인용 특허 :
14 |
초록
▼
Systems and methods capable of producing electrical power from solar energy through the use of air cycles without fossil fuel combustion. The system includes a solar receiver, a generator, a compressor, and an expander. The expander is coupled to the generator to drive the generator and coupled to t
Systems and methods capable of producing electrical power from solar energy through the use of air cycles without fossil fuel combustion. The system includes a solar receiver, a generator, a compressor, and an expander. The expander is coupled to the generator to drive the generator and coupled to the compressor to drive the compressor. The system uses solar generated heat from the solar receiver to heat compressed air from the compressor. The solar generated heat can be directly transferred from the solar receiver to the compressed air as the compressed air flows through receiver tubes of the solar receiver, or the solar receiver can transfer the solar generated heat to a liquid metal, with the liquid metal transferring thermal energy to the compressed air. The expander receives and expands the heated compressed air to drive the generator to produce electricity, and to drive the compressor to compress air.
대표청구항
▼
1. A system capable of producing electrical power from solar energy through the use of an air cycle without fossil fuel combustion, the system comprising:a liquid metal source; a solar receiver adapted to receive liquid metal from the liquid metal source and to transfer solar generated heat to the l
1. A system capable of producing electrical power from solar energy through the use of an air cycle without fossil fuel combustion, the system comprising:a liquid metal source; a solar receiver adapted to receive liquid metal from the liquid metal source and to transfer solar generated heat to the liquid metal; a heated liquid metal storage tank sized according to electrical power requirements and having a heating element capable of heating and maintaining the liquid metal stored in the tank in a molten liquid state when solar thermal energy is not available; a pump for pumping the heated liquid metal from the storage tank when needed to generate electrical power; a compressor adapted to receive and compress air; a heat exchanger adapted to receive the heated liquid metal and the compressed air, the heat exchanger allowing the heated liquid metal to transfer thermal energy to the compressed air; a generator for producing electrical power; an expander coupled to the generator and the compressor, the expander receiving and expanding the heated compressed air from the heat exchanger to drive the generator to produce electricity, and to drive the compressor to compress the air. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein:the solar receiver includes an inlet in fluid communication with the liquid metal source and an outlet, the inlet and outlet permitting the liquid metal to flow through the solar receiver; the compressor includes an inlet for receiving air and an outlet for discharging compressed air; the expander includes an inlet and an outlet; the heat exchanger includes: a first inlet in fluid communication with the solar receiver outlet; a first outlet in fluid communication with the liquid metal source; a second inlet in fluid communication with the compressor outlet; a second outlet in fluid communication with the expander inlet; the first inlet and outlet permitting the heated liquid metal to flow through the heat exchanger; and the second inlet and outlet permitting the compressed air to flow through the heat exchanger. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the heated liquid metal storage tank is adapted to receive the heated liquid metal from the solar receiver and to deliver the heated liquid metal to the heat exchanger.4. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid metal source comprises a cold thermal storage tank adapted to deliver liquid metal to the solar receiver inlet.5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recuperator adapted to receive the expanded air from the expander and the compressed air from the compressor, the recuperator allowing the expanded air to transfer thermal energy to the compressed air.6. The system of claim 1, wherein the solar receiver comprises a plurality of receiver tubes adapted to receive the liquid metal from the liquid metal source, the solar receiver transferring the solar generated heat to the liquid metal as the liquid metal flows through the receiver tubes.7. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid metal comprises sodium.8. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid metal comprises a mixture of sodium and at least one other liquid metal.9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one other liquid metal comprises potassium.10. The system of claim 1, wherein the air cycle is a Brayton air cycle.11. A method of producing electrical power from solar energy through the use of an air cycle without fossil fuel combustion, the method comprising:compressing air; receiving a liquid metal within a solar receiver having a plurality of solar receiver panels comprising a plurality of receiver tubes; transferring the solar generated heat from the solar receiver to the liquid metal to heat the liquid metal as it flows through the receiver tubes; storing the heated liquid metal; pumping the heated liquid metal to a heat exchanger when needed to generate electrical energy; transferring thermal energy from the heated liquid metal to the compressed air in the heat exchanger; and expanding the heated compressed air to drive a generator to produce electricity, and to drive a compressor to compress the air. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein storing the heated liquid metal further comprises operating a heater element capable of heating the liquid metal to a temperature effective for maintaining the liquid metal in a liquid molten state thermal energy is not available.13. The method of claim 11, further comprising delivering the liquid metal from a cold thermal storage tank to the solar receiver.14. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid metal comprises sodium.15. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid metal comprises a mixture of sodium and at least one other liquid metal.16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one other liquid metal comprises potassium.17. The method of claim 11, wherein transferring thermal energy from the heated liquid metal to the compressed air comprises receiving the heated liquid metal and the compressed air within the heat exchanger.18. The method of claim 11, further comprising transferring thermal energy from the expanded air to the compressed air.19.The method of claim 18, wherein transferring thermal energy from the expanded air to the compressed air comprises receiving the expanded air and the compressed air within a recuperator.20. The method of claim 11, wherein expanding the heated compressed air comprises receiving the heated compressed air within an expander coupled to the generator and coupled to the compressor.21. The method of claim 11, further comprising discharging the expanded air to a surrounding atmosphere.22. The method of claim 11, further comprising positioning the solar receiver, the compressor, and the generator on a tower.23. The method of claim 11, wherein the air cycle is a Brayton air cycle.24. A method of producing electrical power from solar energy through the use of an air cycle without fossil fuel combustion, the method comprising:heating a liquid metal by receiving a liquid metal within a solar receiver and transferring solar generated heat from the solar receiver to the liquid metal; storing the heated liquid metal; pumping the heated liquid metal to a heat exchanger when the liquid metal is needed to generate electrical energy; compressing air; heating the compressed air by transferring thermal energy from the heated liquid metal to the compressed air in the heat exchanger; and expanding the heated compressed air to drive a generator to produce electricity, and to drive a compressor to compress the air. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein heating a liquid metal comprises:receiving the liquid metal within a plurality of receiver tubes within the solar receiver; and transferring the solar generated heat from the solar receiver to the liquid metal as the liquid metal flows through the receiver tubes. 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving the heated liquid metal within a hot thermal storage tank.27. The method of claim 24, further comprising delivering the liquid metal from a cold thermal storage tank to the solar receiver.28. The method of claim 24, wherein the liquid metal comprises sodium.29. The method of claim 24, wherein the liquid metal comprises a mixture of sodium and at least other liquid metal.30. The method claim 29, wherein the at least one other liquid metal comprises potassium.31. The method of claim 24, further comprising transferring thermal energy from the expanded air to the compressed air.32. The method of claim 31, wherein transferring thermal energy from the expanded air to the compressed air comprises receiving the expanded air and the compressed air within a recuperator.33. The method of claim 24, wherein heating the compressed air comprises receiving the heated liquid metal and the compressed air within a heat exchanger.34. The method of claim 24, wherein expanding the heated compressed air comprises receiving the heated compressed air within an expander coupled to the generator and coupled to the compressor.35. The method of claim 24, further comprising discharging the expanded air to a surrounding atmosphere.36. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat changer only receives heated liquid metal from the heated liquid storage tank.37. The system of claim 1, wherein the expander only receives thermal energy from the heated liquid metal pumped from the heated liquid storage tank.38. The method of claim 11, wherein the heat exchanger only receives heated liquid metal from the heated liquid storage tank.39. The method of claim 20, wherein the expander only receives thermal energy from the heated liquid metal pumped from the heated liquid storage tank.40. The method of claim 24, wherein the heat exchanger only receives heated liquid metal from the heated liquid storage tank.41. The method of claim 34, wherein the expander only receives thermal energy from the heated liquid metal pumped from the heated liquid storage tank.
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