Solar steam electricity system
An electricity generation system including an electricity generating plant with a turbine, a dynamo and a solar power plant having an absorber tube for a parabolic trough solar power plant that includes a glass pipe which extends from a first end to a second end of a parabolic trough, a helical pipe enclosed within the glass pipe. A sand filled pipe is surrounded by the helical pipe. An inner pipe extends from the first end to the second end of the parabolic trough along the central axis of the glass pipe. A solenoid valve is configured to block the water from entering the inner pipe when the solenoid valve is closed and release the water to the inner pipe when the solenoid valve is opened. The turbine is fluidly connected to the solar power plant to receive the steam and produce mechanical energy which rotates the dynamo.
1 . An electricity generation system, comprising:
an electricity generating plant including:
a turbine, and
a dynamo;
wherein the turbine and the dynamo are mechanically connected; and
a solar power plant having:
an absorber tube for a parabolic trough solar power plant, comprising:
a glass pipe which extends from a first end to a second end of a parabolic trough;
a helical pipe enclosed within the glass pipe, wherein the helical pipe extends from the first end to the second end of the parabolic trough along a central axis of the glass pipe, wherein the helical pipe is configured to hold water;
a sand filled pipe surrounded by the helical pipe, wherein the sand filled pipe extends from the first end to the second end of the parabolic trough along the central axis of the glass pipe;
an inner pipe centered within the sand filled pipe, wherein the inner pipe extends from the first end to the second end of the parabolic trough along the central axis of the glass pipe; and
a solenoid valve connected between the helical pipe and the inner pipe, wherein the solenoid valve is configured to block the water from entering the inner pipe when the solenoid valve is closed and release the water to the inner pipe when the solenoid valve is opened,
a water inlet pipe connected to the helical pipe at the first end of the parabolic trough, wherein the water inlet pipe is configured to receive water from a water supply tank,
wherein the parabolic trough is configured to focus solar radiation upon the absorber tube to heat the water in the helical pipe and convert the water in the helical pipe to steam when the solenoid valve is closed, and to heat the sand in the sand filled pipe,
wherein the sand filled pipe is configured to transfer the heat stored in the sand to the water in the inner pipe and convert the water in the inner pipe to steam when the solenoid valve is opened; and
wherein the turbine is fluidly connected to the solar power plant to receive the steam from the solar power plant and product mechanical energy which rotates the dynamo to generate electricity.
2 . The electricity generation system of claim 1 , wherein turbine and the dynamo are mechanically connected such that rotation of the turbine rotates the dynamo.
3 . The electricity generation system of claim 1 , wherein the solar power plant include a feed pump operatively connected to the water supply tank, wherein the feed pump is configured to pump the water from the water supply tank to the water inlet pipe.
4 . The electricity generation system of claim 1 , wherein the water supply tank is located above the absorber tube, wherein the water in the water supply tank is transferred to the water inlet pipe by a gravity feed.
5 . The electricity generation system of claim 1 , wherein the solar power plant further comprises:
a pressure relief valve located on a steam holding tank, wherein the pressure relief valve is configured to release steam when the pressure in the steam holding tank is greater than a pressure set point.
6 . The electricity generation system of claim 5 , wherein the solar power plant further comprises:
a bypass pipe connected between the steam holding tank and the water supply tank;
a steam release pipe connected between the pressure relief valve and the bypass pipe;
a bypass pump connected to the bypass pipe, wherein the bypass pump is configured to pump condensed water from the steam holding tank to the water supply tank when the temperature falls below 100° C.
7 . The electricity generation system of claim 6 , wherein the solar power plant further comprises:
a pressure sensor located on the steam outlet pipe, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to send pressure data signals; and
a controller operatively connected to the pressure sensor, the temperature sensor, the feed pump and the bypass pump, wherein the controller includes electrical circuitry, a memory including program instructions and at least one processor configured to execute the program instructions to receive the pressure data signals and the temperature data signals and generate control signals which actuate the feed pump and the bypass pump based on the pressure data signals and the temperature data signals.
8 . The electricity generation system of claim 1 , wherein the inner pipe of the solar power plant has a serpentine shape comprising a plurality of bends.