Solar system for reproducing the effect of a combustion flame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9784473-B2
Application number	US-201214009868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2012
Priority date	Apr 4, 2011
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solar system for providing volumetric energy reproducing the effect of a combustion flame for a high-temperature industrial process, characterized in that it comprises:
a solar receiver exposed to concentrated solar radiation, in which heat transfer fluid (liquid or gas) is brought to high temperature; at least one high-temperature chamber in which said high-temperature industrial process is performed; injection means of the heat transfer fluid in the form of a gas jet reproducing a combustion flame in the at least one high-temperature chamber.

The present invention also relates to a process for providing volumetric energy reproducing the effect of a combustion flame for this purpose.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solar system for providing volumetric energy reproducing the effect of a combustion flame for a high-temperature industrial process, characterised in that it comprises:
a solar receiver exposed to concentrated solar radiation, in which a liquid or gaseous heat transfer fluid is brought to high temperature;
at least one high-temperature chamber distinct from the solar receiver in which said high-temperature industrial process is performed;
injection means separating the solar receiver from the at least one high-temperature chamber, such that the heat transfer fluid is configured to pass from the solar receiver into the injection means and from the injection means into the at least one high-temperature chamber in the form of a gas jet reproducing a combustion flame.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , in which the solar receiver comprises a cavity, the cavity being provided with an opening transparent to concentrated solar radiation, and at least one solar absorption element irradiated by the concentrated solar radiation through the opening.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , in which the solar absorption element or the solar absorption elements are tubes and/or ducts lining at least one wall of the cavity.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 , in which the heat transfer fluid circulates in the solar absorption element or the solar absorption elements, the heat transfer fluid being brought to high temperature by heat transfer in contact with the internal surface of the solar absorption elements.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2 , in which the heat transfer fluid circulates in the cavity, the opening being covered with a porthole transparent to concentrated solar radiation and sealed, and the heat transfer fluid being brought to high temperature by heat transfer in contact with the external surface of the solar absorption element or solar absorption elements.

6. The system as claimed in claim 2 , in which the cavity and the solar absorption element or the solar absorption elements are made of ceramic or graphite.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , in which the solar receiver is traversed by a duct in which the heat transfer fluid is in motion, the heat transfer fluid being brought to high temperature by heat transfer in contact with the internal surface of a wall of the duct whereof the external surface is irradiated by the concentrated solar radiation.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 , in which the heat transfer fluid is injected under pressure into the solar receiver.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 , in which the injection means of the heat transfer fluid in the high-temperature chamber consist of a conduit via which the high-temperature heat transfer fluid escapes from the solar receiver to the high-temperature chamber under the effect of the internal pressure in the solar receiver.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 , in which the pressure in the high-temperature chamber is less than the pressure in the solar receiver, the form of gas jet being caused by the detente of the heat transfer fluid as it leaves the injection means.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 , in which the temperature of the high-temperature heat transfer fluid is between 1000° C. and 2500° C.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 , in which the high-temperature chamber is a furnace, and the high-temperature industrial process is a process for obtaining metallic or ceramic material.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 , in which the high-temperature chamber is a chemical reactor, and the high-temperature industrial process is an endothermal chemical reaction.

14. The system as claimed in the claim 13 , in which the heat transfer fluid comprises chemically inert gas and/or a reagent of said endothermal chemical reaction and/or a product of said endothermal chemical reaction.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13 , in which at least one reagent of said endothermal chemical reaction is injected into the high-temperature reactor at the level of an injection zone of the high-temperature heat transfer fluid.

16. The system as claimed in claim 13 , in which the endothermal chemical reaction is the cracking of methane.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 , in which the heat transfer fluid is dihydrogen, methane being injected into the high-temperature reactor.

18. The system as claimed in claim 13 , comprising a plurality of high-temperature chambers each being a chemical reactor, the products of the nth reactor being injected into the n+1st reactor.

19. A process for providing volumetric energy reproducing the effect of a combustion flame for a high-temperature industrial process, characterised in that it comprises steps of:
irradiation of a solar receiver in which a liquid or gaseous heat transfer fluid circulates by concentrated solar radiation to bring the heat transfer fluid to high temperature;
injection of the heat transfer fluid from the solar receiver into a conduit and from the conduit into a high-temperature chamber distinct from the solar receiver in the form of a gas jet reproducing a combustion flame; and
performing said high-temperature industrial process in the high-temperature chamber under the effect of the combustion flame produced.

20. A solar system for providing volumetric energy reproducing the effect of a combustion flame for a high-temperature industrial process, characterised in that it comprises:
a solar receiver exposed to concentrated solar radiation, in which a liquid or gaseous heat transfer fluid is brought to high temperature;
at least one high-temperature chamber distinct from the solar receiver in which said high-temperature industrial process is performed;
a conduit separating the solar receiver from the at least one high-temperature chamber, such that the heat transfer fluid is configured to pass from the solar receiver into the conduit and from the conduit into the at least one high-temperature chamber in the form of a gas jet reproducing a combustion flame.

Assignees

• Rodat Sylvain
• Abanades Stéphane
• Flamant Gilles
• Centre Nat De La Rech Scient (Cnrs)

Inventors

• Rodat Sylvain
• Abanades Stéphane
• Flamant Gilles

Classifications

• F24S20/20 Primary

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

• F24S10/70

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

• F24S23/70

  with reflectors · CPC title

• Y02E10/44

  Heat exchange systems · CPC title

• F24J2/24

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic