Solar power generation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10024581-B2
Application number	US-201314777524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2013
Priority date	May 21, 2013
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A solar power generation system according to the present invention comprises a heat pipe arranged so as to come into close contact with an absorption module, for absorbing heat from the absorption module and directly transferring heat to a heat conversion electricity generator, and thereby has the advantages of rendering the system compact by simplifying a heat transfer structure and more effectively transferring heat by increasing contact surface area with the absorption module. Also, ample heat storage space is secured by forming the heat pipe to have a larger volume (heat capacity) than an absorption heat pipe in the absorption module so that an ample heat source can be provided by the heat conversion electricity generator, even during weather conditions when solar radiation can fluctuate suddenly, thereby allowing more stable and efficient operation of the system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solar power generation system comprising:
a concentrator that collects solar heat;
an absorption module comprising an absorber, a front side of which is open and has a cavity formed therein absorbing heat from solar heat from the concentrator, and an absorption heat pipe being disposed to surround the absorber and absorbing heat of the absorber;
an alkali metal thermal to electric converter (AMTEC) that generates electricity by receiving heat absorbed by the absorption module; and
a heat pipe that is arranged to directly contact with a rear side of the absorption heat pipe of the absorption module and the AMTEC, that absorbs heat of the absorption module and transfers heat to the AMTEC.

2. The solar power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe comprises:
a heating end that is disposed to come into close contact with a rear side of the absorption module and absorbs heat of the absorption heat pipe;
a cooling end that protrudes and extends from the heating end, is inserted into the AMTEC and is cooled in the AMTEC.

3. The solar power generation system of claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the heating end is formed to be larger than an area of the rear side of the absorption module and to be smaller than or equal to an area of a front side of the AMTEC.

4. The solar power generation system of claim 2 , wherein the heating end has a shape of a plate in which a front side of the heating end faces the rear side of the absorption module and a rear side of the heating end faces a front side of the AMTEC, and the cooling end has a shape of a pillar that protrudes from the rear side of the heating end backward.

5. The solar power generation system of claim 2 , wherein a volume of the heating end is formed to be larger than a volume of the absorption module.

6. The solar power generation system of claim 2 , wherein the absorption module further comprises a casing formed to surround the absorption heat pipe.

7. The solar power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe comprises:
a heating end having a cylindrical shape, a front side of which is open so that the heating end is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the absorption module, the heating end absorbing heat of the absorption module; and
a cooling end that extends from the heating end, is inserted into the AMTEC and is cooled in the AMTEC.

8. The solar power generation system of claim 7 ,
wherein the heating end is formed to have the cylindrical shape to surround sides and the rear side of the absorption module, and the cooling end has a shape of a pillar that protrudes from a rear side of the heating end backward.

9. The solar power generation system of claim 7 , wherein the rear side of the heating end is formed to be larger than the rear side of the absorption module and to be smaller than or equal to the front side of the AMTEC.

10. The solar power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the absorption heat pipe is radially arranged to surround an outer peripheral surface of the absorber in a longitudinal direction.

11. The solar power generation system of claim 1 ,
wherein the absorption heat pipe has a cylindrical shape, a front side of which is open so that the absorption heat pipe is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the absorber.

12. The solar power generation system of claim 11 , wherein the heat pipe is coupled to the rear side of the absorption heat pipe through a block-coupling technique.

13. The solar power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the concentrator is of a dish type.

14. A solar power generation system comprising:
a concentrator that collects solar heat;
an absorption module comprising an absorber having a cavity to which solar heat collected by the concentrator is transferred, a plurality of absorption heat pipes being radially arranged and absorbing heat of the absorber and having a bent pipe shape to surround an outer peripheral surface of the absorber in a longitudinal direction, and a casing formed to surround the absorption heat pipes;
an alkali metal thermal to electric converter (AMTEC) that generates electricity by receiving heat absorbed by the absorption module; and
a heat pipe comprising a heating end having a plate shape to come into directly contact with a rear side of the casing and the plurality of absorption heat pipes and absorbing heat of the absorption module, and a cooling end that protrudes and extends from the heating end, is inserted into the AMTEC and is cooled.

15. A solar power generation system comprising:
a concentrator that collects solar heat;
an absorption module comprising an absorber having a cavity to which solar heat collected by the concentrator is transferred, and an absorption heat pipe having a cylindrical shape, a front side of which is open so that the absorption heat pipe is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the absorber;
an alkali metal thermal to electric converter (AMTEC) that generates electricity by receiving heat absorbed by the absorption module; and
a heat pipe comprising a heating end having a plate shape to come into close contact with a rear side of the absorption heat pipe, coupled to the rear side of the absorption heat pipe through a block-coupling technique and absorbing heat of the absorption module, and a cooling end that protrudes and extends from the heating end, is inserted into the AMTEC and is cooled.

16. A solar power generation system comprising:
a concentrator that collects solar heat;
an absorption module comprising an absorber having a cavity to which solar heat collected by the concentrator is transferred, a plurality of absorption heat pipes being radially arranged and absorbing heat of the absorber and having a bent pipe shape to surround an outer peripheral surface of the absorber in a longitudinal direction, and a casing formed to surround the absorption heat pipes;
an alkali metal thermal to electric converter (AMTEC) that generates electricity by receiving heat absorbed by the absorption module; and
a heat pipe comprising a heating end having a cylindrical shape, a front side of which is open so that the heating end is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the casing, and a cooling end that protrudes and extends from the heating end, is inserted into the AMTEC and is cooled.

17. A solar power generation system comprising:
a concentrator that collects solar heat;
an absorption module comprising an absorber having a cavity to which solar heat collected by the concentrator is transferred, and an absorption heat pipe having a cylindrical shape, a front side of which is open so that the absorption heat pipe is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the absorber;
an alkali metal thermal to electric converter (AMTEC) that generates electricity by receiving heat absorbed by the absorption module; and
a heat pipe comprising a heating end having a cylindrical shape, a front side of which is open so that the heating end is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the absorption heat pipe and the heating end being coupled to a rear side of the absorption heat pipe through a block-coupling technique, and a cooling end that protrudes and extends from the heating end, is inserted into the AMTEC and is cooled.

Assignees

• Korea Inst Energy Res

Inventors

• Kang Yong Heack
• Lee Sang Nam
• Kim Jong Kyu
• Lee Hyun Jin
• Yu Chang Kyun
• Yoon Hwan Ki
• Chai Kwan Kyo

Classifications

• F28D15/0275

  Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores · CPC title

• F24S20/20

  Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants · CPC title

• F28D15/0233 Primary

  the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular (F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E10/44

  Heat exchange systems · CPC title

• F24S10/70

  the working fluids being conveyed through tubular absorbing conduits · CPC title