Power plants – Motive fluid energized by externally applied heat – Power system involving change of state
Patent
1987-01-05
1989-05-16
Husar, Stephen F.
Power plants
Motive fluid energized by externally applied heat
Power system involving change of state
6064115, 60649, F01K 2506
Patent
active
048297682
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improvements in methods and means for collecting solar radiation. In particular the invention is concerned with a system which uses a fluid which dissociates endothermically and recombines exothermically.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Prior art methods of collecting and gathering solar energy over large areas of land include the following:
(1) Solar energy is collected by hot plate absorbers in which solar energy is converted to heat. The heat either boils a liquid or raises the temperature of a fluids, and by corradiating in either case this hot fluid, energy is brought to a common heat recovery plant.
(2) Solar energy is collected by means of parabolic or paraboloidal mirrors and is converted to heat in a focal absorber in which either the temperature of a fluid is raised or a liquid is boiled. In either case the hot fluid is corradiated as in 1.
(3) Solar energy is collected by flat mirrors or near flat mirrors by means of which the radiant energy is redirected to a common focal absorber usually elevated. The heat energy is recovered from the absorber by means of a heat exchanging fluid.
In Australian Patent Specification No. 495395, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,993 which corresponds thereto, there is disclosed a solar energy collection system in which a fluid dissociates endothermically and subsequently recombines exothermically into an undissociated fluid, comprising: into an absorber-reaction vessel, the means for focussing solar radiation, through a first counterflow heat exchanger to effect cooling, recombining of the dissociated products occurs with release of heat energy, as to heat it prior to entry into the absorber-reaction vessel,
In the above context, a fluid which dissociates is a fluid a component of which undergoes dissociation into simpler constituents, the whole, however, remaining fluid. The simpler constituents subsequently recombine to form the undissociated fluid having the same composition as the original fluid.
More recently research workers at The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, have published several articles relating to developments in thermochemical energy transfer-- of Engineering Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. 389-406.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A disadvantage of the system described in our earlier patent is that the fluid lines external to the synthesis terminal line operate at uneconomically high pressures--that is, pressures which are so high that pipe lines have to meet design standards which cause engineering and economic problems--suitable materials are costly, walls have to be thick and joint problems are encountered. As a result of the thickness of the walls of the absorbers necessitated by the high pressures, heat transfer problems occurred.
Furthermore, the reaction kinetics of dissociation are not favoured by high pressures (although synthesis is).
In the existing system inefficiencies arose due to the need for conducting the heat from the synthesiser into the working fluid of a conventional heat engine i.e. a steam engine.
The objects of the present invention are to overcome the aforesaid disadvantages.
It has been discovered that we improve our existing system by taking work directly from the product stream by expansion turbines instead of extracting sensible heat by conduction. Of course, other expanders could perform the same function as expansion turbines.
The present invention involves a new concept whereby the work output is obtained directly from the thermochemical fluid stream by the use of turbines and conversion of the entire exothermic terminal is effected into a heat engine, the rejected waste heat of which is the heat dissipated by the isothermal compressor. Compared to turbines used conventionally for gas and steam, the turnbines for direct work recovery operate with quite dense fluids because they do not exhaust to atmospheric or sub atmospheric pressure. Consequently they are unusually compact and can operate at higher speed if this is desirab
REFERENCES:
patent: 4304993 (1981-12-01), Carden
"Work Recovery Efficiency of Ideal Gas Thermochemical Energy Transfer Systems and SO.sub.3 Synthesis", May 1980, P. O. Carden.
"The Efficiencies of Thermochemical Energy Transfer", Energy Research vol. 2, 389-406 (1978).
"Thermochemical Energy Transport Costs For A Distributed Solar Power Plant", Solar Energy, vol. 20, pp. 333-342 (1978).
"Ammonia Thermochemical Energy Transport in a Distributed Collector Solar Thermal Power Plant", Solar Energy, vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 205-214 (1981).
"Energy Storage Efficiency For The Ammonia/Hydrogen-Nitrogen Thermochemical Energy Transfer System", Energy Research vol. 3, pp. 29-40 (1979).
Anutech Pty Ltd.
Husar Stephen F.
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