Method and apparatus for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10267295-B2
Application number	US-201715617608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 8, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

The present application discloses a method and an apparatus for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum. A radiation energy conversion device absorbs concentrated solar radiation and converts radiation energy into thermal energy; the thermal energy is transferred to the other side of the radiation energy conversion device and then is converted into radiation energy; and the energy is transferred in a receiver cavity. The working gas from the outlet of a recuperator flows into the receiver cavity and absorbs the radiation energy. The heated working gas with high temperature flows into a turbine, doing shaft work through expansion. The expanded working gas flows through the recuperator to exchange heat. The working gas flows into a cooler, a compressor and the recuperator in sequence, and then flows into a receiver cavity to be heated volumetrically, completing a thermal power cycle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum, wherein the method comprises:
absorbing concentrated solar radiation on one side of a radiation energy conversion device and converting solar energy into thermal energy;
transferring the thermal energy to the other side of the radiation energy conversion device and then converting the thermal energy into radiation energy, which is distributed in a vicinity of a characteristic absorption peak of a working gas; wherein the radiation energy is radiated into a receiver cavity for heat exchange; and
flowing the working gas through a recuperator for heat exchange to increase the temperature of the working gas; then flowing the working gas into a solar receiver, absorbing the radiation energy which is emitted from the radiation energy conversion device in the receiver cavity, to further increase the temperature of the working gas; the heated working gas outputting work through expansion in a power generation cycle,
wherein the radiation energy conversion device is made of metal or semiconductor and comprises a radiation receiver, an intermediate layer and a radiation emitter,
the radiation receiver absorbs the concentrated solar radiation and converts the concentrated solar radiation into thermal energy, and
the intermediate layer transfers the thermal energy to the radiation emitter, which emits the radiation energy that is distributed in the vicinity of the characteristic absorption peak of the working gas.

2. The method for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation energy which is distributed in the vicinity of the characteristic absorption peak of the working gas has a same center wavelength as the characteristic absorption peak of the working gas, and has a narrower spectral line width than that of the characteristic absorption peak of the working gas.

3. The method for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum according to claim 1 , wherein the working gas of the solar receiver is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, water vapor, hexafluoropropane, butane and butene.

4. The method for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum according to claim 1 , wherein a process of the power generation cycle comprises:
absorbing the radiation energy volumetrically by the working gas in the solar receiver; then flowing the heated working gas into a turbine, outputting work through expansion; driving a generator with the turbine to generate power through a shaft; and then flowing the expanded working gas through the recuperator for heat exchange; after the temperature of the working gas is decreased, flowing the working gas into a cooler, a compressor and the recuperator in sequence; and flowing the working gas that is discharged from the recuperator into the solar receiver, absorbing the radiation energy volumetrically in the solar receiver, thereby completing the power generation cycle.

5. The method for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum according to claim 1 , wherein the power generation cycle comprises a Brayton cycle or a Rankine cycle.

6. The method for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum according to claim 1 , wherein the concentrated solar radiation of the solar receiver is provided by one or more of a trough concentrating system, a tower concentrating system, a dish concentrating system or a linear Fresnel concentrating system.

7. The method for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption based on characteristic absorption spectrum according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the working gas that flows from the solar receiver enters a molten salt heat storage system which can store heat and release heat.

8. An apparatus for solar power generation through gas volumetric heat absorption comprising:
a cooler,
a compressor,
a recuperator,
a solar receiver comprising a receiver cavity, a glass window and a radiation energy conversion device, wherein:
the glass window is embedded in the receiver cavity and the radiation energy conversion device is plated on a surface of the glass window,
the radiation energy conversion device is made of metal or semiconductor and comprises a radiation receiver, an intermediate layer and a radiation emitter,
the radiation receiver is configured to absorb concentrated solar radiation on one side of the radiation energy conversion device and convert the concentrated solar radiation into thermal energy,
the intermediate layer is coupled to transfer the thermal energy to the radiation emitter on another side of the radiation energy conversion device, and
the radiation emitter is positioned to emit radiation energy distributed into the receiver cavity in a vicinity of a characteristic absorption peak of a working gas,

a turbine,
wherein the cooler, the compressor, the recuperator, the solar receiver and the turbine are connected by pipes in sequence for passing the working gas, and wherein an outlet of the turbine is connected with a hot side inlet of the recuperator and a hot side outlet of the recuperator is connected with an inlet of the cooler, so that a closed cycle is formed, a generator; and
a shaft, which connects the compressor, the turbine and the generator.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a molten salt heat storage system, which couples with the power generation cycle and is arranged so that a part of the working gas that flows from the solar receiver enters the molten salt heat storage system.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the radiation energy conversion device is plated on the surface of the glass window with a film plating method, and the glass window is embedded in the receiver cavity.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the glass window can transmit a radiation wave that is emitted from the radiation emitter and the material of the glass comprises aluminium oxide.

Assignees

• Univ Zhejiang

Inventors

• Xiao Gang
• Qiu Min
• Ni Mingjiang
• Li Qiang
• Yang Wen
• Luo Zhongyang
• Cen Kefa

Classifications

• F03G6/04 Primary

  gaseous {(F03G6/064, F03G6/068 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F24S80/20

  Working fluids specially adapted for solar heat collectors · CPC title

• F03G6/064

  having a gas turbine cycle, i.e. compressor and gas turbine combination · CPC title

• F02C1/05

  characterised by the type or source of heat, e.g. using nuclear or solar energy · CPC title

• Y02E10/46

  Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines · CPC title