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I've heard that with a big enough magnifying glass you could punch a hole through steel, what if you had a giant one controlled by tracking software that super heated some sort of metal rod partially submerged in water, could it create enough steam to turn turbines and generate electricity. What's more if you did this out in the desert and caught the water vapor on it's way out and purified that water, would you be able to grow crops?
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There are power plants that rely on solar created steam already. And yes they use mirrors to focus the energy. They do not use the water for crops though, they keep it closed loop, cooling the steam back into water to be reused in the system.
So, yes. It is a good idea!
Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's ~BW~ It's kind of fun to do the impossible ~WD~ From now on, I'll connect the dots my own way ~BW~ If I shall be like him, who shall be like me? ~LR~ Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people’s ~AN~ -
Does it beat solar panels for energy production?Comment
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I can't tell you for sure, but that would probably depend on the design of both the solar panel and the solar steam plant being compared.Originally posted by Duffskeeze View PostTrust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's ~BW~ It's kind of fun to do the impossible ~WD~ From now on, I'll connect the dots my own way ~BW~ If I shall be like him, who shall be like me? ~LR~ Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people’s ~AN~Comment
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Once I saw a documentary about India and they have electric power stations of this type mentioned. I think they found them efficient.Comment
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Yep, current solar cells/panels are still not as effective as Solar thermal conversion technology, especially when it comes to cost.Originally posted by Duffskeeze View Post...
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don't need steam
In the late 70's I was involved in a program 'unofficially' named "Turbine On a Stick". This concept was built and worked efficiently.
The technology was based on a non-recouperated axial flow turbine engine like you see in a turbine helicopter or stationary gas turbine generator or turbine powered natural gas compressor, back-up power generator, portable turbine generator, etc. The point is, this type of turbine has additional turbine expansion stages to convert the hot, expanding combustion gasses to rotational mechanical power rather than to produce thrust like with a jet engine.
This technology replaced the combustion chamber (sitting between compressor and expansion stages) with a high tech heat exchanger. This turbine was placed atop a pole or pylon. A field of heliostats on the ground (a hundred or so tracking mirrors) collectively focused the sun's energy onto the turbine's heat exchanger (formerly the combustion chamber).
The object was to concentrate the sun's energy to heat and expand the compressor discharge air into the expansion stage via a heat exchanger rather than to supply this heat by burning fuel in a combustion chamber.
You simply direct-couple a generator/alternator right to the turbine's shaft and synch to the power grid. This bypasses the working fluid and heat exchanger circuits required in steam systems.
ZIPPO pollution and cheaper to build. This technology needs to be revisited.Last edited by gmeast; 10-05-2011, 03:16 PM.Comment
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