Concentrated solar thermal system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12540758-B2
Application number	US-202318151965-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2023
Priority date	Jan 11, 2022
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

The present invention discloses a receiver for a concentrated thermal system. The thermal system includes a first heat exchange element helically coiled to receive a solar radiation from a first reflector and the second heat exchange element. Further, the first heat exchange element includes a first end and a second end to enable circulation of a heat exchange fluid in the first heat exchange element. The second heat exchange element being a helically coiled element is extending from and fluidically connected to the first end of the first heat exchange element. Further, the second heat exchange element is configured to receive absorb a part of solar radiation to preheat the heat exchange fluid flowing therein.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A receiver for a concentrated thermal system, the receiver comprising:
a first heat exchange element helically coiled to receive solar radiation from a first reflector, wherein the first heat exchange element comprises a first end and a second end to enable circulation of a heat exchange fluid in the first heat exchange element and wherein first heat exchange element is coiled to define a hemispherical shape having a cavity therein; a second heat exchange element helically coiled and extend from and fluidically connected to the first end of the first heat exchange element, wherein the second heat exchange element is configured to absorb a part of the solar radiation to preheat the heat exchange fluid circulating therein; and a hyperboloid reflector to receive a part of the solar radiation and redirect the part of the solar radiation to the first heat exchange element, wherein the second heat exchange element is helically coiled on the hyperboloid reflector wherein the hyperboloid reflector is configured to increase optical efficiency of the receiver by 1.24 times than a receiver without a hyperboloid reflector.

2 . The receiver as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first end of the second heat exchange element is connected to the first end of the first heat exchange element and a second end of the second heat exchange element is connected to a fluid inlet to introduce the heat exchange fluid into the first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element.

3 . The receiver as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second end of the first heat exchange element is connected to a fluid outlet to receive the heat exchange fluid from the first heat exchange element and second heat exchange element.

4 . The receiver as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a heat absorbing coating applied on a surface of the first heat exchange element facing the cavity.

5 . The receiver as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the heat absorbing coating is a spinel oxide, perovskite, metal-dielectric tandems, or ceramic-metal composites.

6 . The receiver as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element are heat exchange tubes formed of stainless steel, Copper, Hastelloy or metal-alloys.

7 . The receiver as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange fluid is a synthetic heat transfer liquid/ionic liquid with additives, a phase change material, or a gaseous heat transfer fluid.

8 . The receiver as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element are heat exchange tubes configured to enable exchange of heat between the heat exchange fluid flowing therein and the solar radiation received from the first reflector.

9 . The receiver as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hyperboloid reflector has 90% reflectivity and is configured to re-focus escaping solar radiation towards the first heat exchange element, thereby preventing the radiative losses.

10 . The receiver as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receiver is provided with an insulation cover having a thermal conductivity less than 0.05.

11 . The receiver as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the insulation cover is made of glass wool, rockwool, or Aerogel.

12 . A concentrated solar thermal system comprising:
a first reflector configured to collect solar radiation; and a receiver placed at a distance from the first reflector, wherein the first reflector is configured to redirect the collected solar radiation to the receiver wherein the receiver comprises of a first heat exchange element helically coiled to receive solar radiation from a first reflector, wherein the first heat exchange element comprises a first end and a second end to enable circulation of a heat exchange fluid in the first heat exchange element and wherein first heat exchange element helically coiled is configured to define a substantially hemispherical shape forming a cavity; and a second heat exchange element helically coiled and extend from and fluidically connected to the first end of the first heat exchange element, wherein the second heat exchange element is configured to absorb a part of the solar radiation to preheat the heat exchange fluid circulating therein; and a hyperboloid reflector to receive a part of the solar radiation and redirect the part of the solar radiation to the first heat exchange element, wherein the second heat exchange element is helically coiled on the hyperboloid reflector wherein the hyperboloid reflector is configured to increase optical efficiency of the receiver by 1.24 times than a receiver without a hyperboloid reflector.

13 . The concentrated solar thermal system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first reflector is of a shape carved out from a curvature of a paraboloid.

14 . The concentrated solar thermal system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a first end of the second heat exchange element is connected to the first end of the first heat exchange element and a second end of the second heat exchange element is connected to a fluid inlet to introduce the heat exchange fluid into the first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange elements.

Assignees

• Indian Oil Corp Ltd

Inventors

• Sahu Satyam
• Tiwari Vinay
• Srivastva Umish
• Saxena Deepak
• RAMAKUMAR Sankara Sri Venkata

Classifications

• F24S23/72

  with hemispherical reflective surfaces · CPC title

• F24S10/25

  having two or more passages for the same working fluid layered in direction of solar-rays, e.g. having upper circulation channels connected with lower circulation channels · CPC title

• F24S23/79 Primary

  with spaced and opposed interacting reflective surfaces · CPC title

• F24S23/71

  with parabolic reflective surfaces (with cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces F24S23/74) · CPC title

• F24S2023/833

  dish-shaped · CPC title