Modular Units III for Solar Electricity Large Scale using Natural Convection
Summary
A new configuration is described to harness solar energy using natural convection. It has some similarities to the solar chimney but uses the entire solar absorber area for a modest height warm air store. This generates buoyancy which draws ambient air through the solar collector at low velocity. All incoming air is required to flow through a central convergent nozzle where it is accelerated to high velocity. A turbine placed in the throat of the nozzle intercepts this kinetic energy and exports up to 80% of the solar energy absorbed.
Modular units are described of area 100 x 100 m and height 10 m which could be built adjacent to each other in repeat patterns on desert or scrub land generating electricity large scale from solar energy with an overall efficiency of 80% and in a tropical climate an average output of 160 MW/square kilometre.