Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090217921 | METHOD AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A SOLAR POWER TOWER SYSTEM - A solar energy collection system includes a primary solar receiver and a secondary solar receiver. The secondary solar receiver generates steam using energy from solar radiation incident thereon. The primary solar receiver receives the generated steam from the secondary solar receiver and superheats the steam using energy from solar radiation incident thereon. A plurality of heliostat-mounted mirrors reflects incident solar radiation onto one of the primary and secondary solar receivers. A controller aims a portion of the heliostat-mounted mirrors at the primary solar receiver such that a predetermined thermal profile is provided on a surface of the primary solar receiver. | 09-03-2009 |
20090250052 | SOLAR RECEIVER WITH ENERGY FLUX MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL - A solar energy collection system has a solar receiver with an external surface configured for high absorption of light incident thereon. The solar receiver also has a plurality of light-reflecting elements arranged on the external surface. The light-reflecting elements produce at least partially diffuse reflection of light energy incident thereon. Heliostats concentrate solar radiation onto the external surface of the solar receiver. An imaging device provides a digital image of at least a portion of the external surface of the solar receiver. A controller can control the heliostats in response to apparent brightness of the light-reflecting elements as represented in the digital image. | 10-08-2009 |
20100006087 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROL OF A SOLAR POWER TOWER USING INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY - Systems and methods for directly monitoring energy flux of a solar receiver in a solar energy-based power generation system include measuring infrared radiation emanating from the solar receiver. Such measurement can be achieved using one or more infrared thermography detectors, such as an IR camera. Resulting thermal data obtained by the imaging can be used to determine energy flux distribution on the receiver. A user or a system controller can use the determined flux distribution to adjust heliostat aiming to achieve a desired operation condition. For example, heliostats can be adjusted to achieve a uniform energy flux distribution across the external surface of the receiver and/or to maximize heat transfer to a fluid flowing through the receiver within system operating limits. | 01-14-2010 |
20100175738 | HELIOSTAT AND SYSTEM - A solar heliostat and system are described with various characteristics particularly suitable for concentrating systems with a relatively large number of small heliostats. Other features contribute to high performance, low cost, high durability, and high temperature operation, such as desired for high efficiency thermal power generation. | 07-15-2010 |
20100191378 | DISTRIBUTED POWER TOWERS WITH DIFFERENTIATED FUNCTIONALITIES - A concentrating solar system has multiple receivers, in some embodiments mounted on multiple towers, on which solar energy is concentrating using heliostats. At least some heliostats are controlled such that they may direct energy onto different receivers to achieve any of various control goals, such as temperature or flux uniformity of the receiver. In preferred embodiments, the receivers or receiver portions are fluidly connected in stages such that there are high temperature targets, e.g., superheated receivers or portions, and low temperature targets, e.g. evaporating receivers or targets. By doing so, it is possible to selectively control heliostats to track for directing energy on the targets to, for example, achieve temperature uniformity of the high temperature target by selecting heliostats for that control goal under varying circumstances. | 07-29-2010 |
20100236239 | SOLAR RECEIVER - A method for generating steam for a turbine electric power plant uses solar radiation. Solar radiation is directed onto a solar receiver. The solar receiver includes a first section, which receives feedwater input and is arranged to heat the feedwater input to generate steam using the directed solar radiation. Feedwater flows through a feedwater vessel to serve as feedwater input to an inlet of the first section of the receiver. Water is separated from the steam in steam separation vessel, which is in fluid communication with an outlet of the first section of the receiver. The feedwater input may be selectively preheated by a source of preheat other than solar energy in response to system operating conditions, predicted insolation schedule, or an electrical energy tariff schedule. | 09-23-2010 |
20100282242 | SOLAR POWER TOWER SYSTEM OPERATION AND CONTROL - A solar energy collection system includes a primary solar receiver and a secondary solar receiver. The secondary solar receiver generates steam using energy from solar radiation incident thereon. The primary solar receiver receives the generated steam from the secondary solar receiver and superheats the steam using energy from solar radiation incident thereon. A plurality of heliostat-mounted mirrors reflects incident solar radiation onto one of the primary and secondary solar receivers. A controller aims a portion of the heliostat-mounted mirrors at the primary solar receiver such that a predetermined thermal profile is provided on a surface of the primary solar receiver. | 11-11-2010 |
20100300510 | SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS WITH REFLECTING AND PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION MEANS - A solar power system may include at least one reflector The reflector may have a surface configured to convert a first part of the sunlight incident thereon to electrical power The surface of the reflector may also be configured to reflect a second part of the sunlight incident thereon The at least one reflector may be configured to direct the second part of the sunlight incident thereon to a solar receiver A power management system may also be provided The power management system may receiver electrical power derived from the first part from the reflector. | 12-02-2010 |
20120024282 | METHOD AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A SOLAR POWER TOWER SYSTEM - A solar energy collection system includes a primary solar receiver and a secondary solar receiver. The secondary solar receiver generates steam using energy from solar radiation incident thereon. The primary solar receiver receives the generated steam from the secondary solar receiver and superheats the steam using energy from solar radiation incident thereon. A plurality of heliostat-mounted mirrors reflects incident solar radiation onto one of the primary and secondary solar receivers. A controller aims a portion of the heliostat-mounted mirrors at the primary solar receiver such that a predetermined thermal profile is provided on a surface of the primary solar receiver. | 02-02-2012 |
20130048752 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ARRANGING, MAINTAINING, OR OPERATING HELIOSTATS IN A SOLAR FIELD - A maintenance vehicle for heliostats as well as heliostats within a solar field of a solar tower system can be controlled to reduce the likelihood of damage to an indigenous animal or its habitat. At least some of the heliostats can be arranged and operated in such a manner that the maintenance vehicle can pass through the solar field along conditional pathways. The arrangement and control of the heliostats to allow access to heliostats by a maintenance vehicle can enable different heliostat patterns as compared with conventional arrangements. In particular, heliostats in one section of the solar field can be arranged in a more ordered and high density pattern while heliostats in another section of the solar field can be arranged in a more disordered pattern. The density and arrangement of heliostats in various sections of the field can be optimized to improve and/or maximize solar energy production and/or revenue generation. | 02-28-2013 |
20130087139 | SOLAR FIELD LAYOUT AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ARRANGING, MAINTAINING, AND OPERATING HELIOSTATS THEREIN - At least some of the heliostats can be arranged and operated in such a manner that the maintenance vehicle can pass through the solar field along conditional pathways. The arrangement and control of the heliostats to allow access to heliostats by a maintenance vehicle can enable different heliostat patterns as compared with conventional arrangements. In particular, heliostats in one section of the solar field, which may be less geometrically efficient, can be arranged at a higher density as compared to heliostat in another section of the solar field. In addition, the locations of heliostats in various sections of the field can be optimized based on ground coverage as viewed from a vantage point in the solar tower and/or revenue generation without constraining the locations to particular line or arc patterns. | 04-11-2013 |