SOLAR POWER PLANT AND METHOD AND/OR SYSTEM OF STORING ENERGY IN A CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER PLANT

摘要

A method for storing heat from a solar collector CSTC in Concentrating Solar Power plants and delivering the heat to the power plant PP when needed. The method uses a compressed gas such as carbon dioxide or air as a heat transfer medium in the collectors CSTC and transferring the heat by depositing it on a bed of heat-resistant solids and later, recovering the heat by a second circuit of the same compressed gas. The storage system HSS is designed to allow the heat to be recovered at a high efficiency with practically no reduction in temperature. Unlike liquid heat transfer media, our storage method itself can operate at very high temperatures, up to 3000° F., a capability which can lead to greater efficiency. Due to material constraints and cost considerations in the rest of the system the maximum temperature is presently limited to between 1700° F. and 2000° F. The method can be applied to all current solar collector designs. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.