Solar pond power plant and method of operating the same as a part of an electrical generating system
US4446700A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1981 |
| Grant date | May 8, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2001 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/46
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A solar pond power plant has a solar pond with a heat storage layer for storing heat absorbed from solar radiation incident on the pond, and a low-temperature, closed Rankine-cycle turbogenerator operating on heat extracted from the heat storage layer. The turbogenerator has a generating capacity of Q.sub.I watts/m.sup.2 of pond area, this capacity being in excess of Q.sub.e watts/m.sup.2 of pond area where Q.sub.e is the net electrical energy that can be generated by the turbogenerator when heat is extracted from the heat storage layer at substantially the same average rate at which heat is absorbed by the layer. According to the invention, the generating capacity Q.sub.I of the turbogenerator is in the range 2-10 times Q.sub.e, whereby the solar pond power plant can be utilized for peak power requirements of a regional electrical generating system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.