A combined cycle power plant comprises a combustion turbine generator, another heat source in addition to the combustion turbine generator, a steam power system, and an energy storage system. Heat from the heat source, from the energy storage system, or from the heat source and the energy storage system is used to generate steam in the steam power system. Heat from the combustion turbine generator exhaust gas may be used primarily for single phase heating of water or steam in the steam power system. Alternatively, heat from the combustion turbine generator exhaust gas may be used in parallel with the energy storage system and/or the other heat source to generate steam, and additionally to super heat steam. Both the combustion turbine generator and the steam power system may generate electricity.

An external solar receiver, for a concentrating thermodynamic solar power plant of the type with a tower and heliostat field, has a wind tight modular inner structure, also called casing, and a plurality of heat exchanger tube receiver panels fastened to that inner structure. Each panel has a plurality of metal boxes supporting the heat exchanger tubes and assembled to one another by assembly means allowing the disassembly, each box being covered with thermal insulation via an anchor. The tubes are secured to the boxes by a removable and floating connector.

An apparatus for production of steam from an aqueous liquid includes (a) a solar panel with a pliable, essentially impermeable, polymer membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface is adapted to be directed towards the sun; a lattice structure adapted to support the inner surface of the polymer membrane; a backing, which together with the pliable polymer film, encases the lattice structure; an inlet for the aqueous liquid; an outlet for the steam produced, and (b) means for providing a vacuum connected to the outlet. The apparatus can be produced with few and relatively simple components thereby reducing the cost of the apparatus.

A solar powered boiler assembly for producing steam with solar energy includes a bowl that is positioned in the ground. A boiler is positioned in the bowl and the boiler has a fluid therein. A dome is removably positioned on the bowl. A plurality of lenses each extends through the dome such that each of the lenses is exposed to sunlight. Each of the lenses focuses the sunlight onto the boiler to heat the boiler. In this way the boiler produces steam by heating the fluid therein. A reflector is coupled to the dome and the reflector is comprised of a light reflecting material for reflecting sunlight onto the lenses.

The present invention is related to using a plasmonic energy conversion device comprised of a non-permeable substrate and of a plurality of nanorods, either free standing or embedded in aluminum matrix, that utilizes plasmons to generate vapor from a fluid as a result of being exposed to radiation. Methods of manufacturing the plasmonic energy converter device are described.

Systems and techniques are described herein for an insulation system that utilizes a treated gas, such as water vapor, to fill an at least partially transparent cavity that is part of a structure, to provide insulating properties and/or changes in exposure to the sun for a space, proximate to the structure. In some aspects, an insulation system may include a treated gas generation system, which includes at least one of a heating element, a cooling element, or a diffusing element for treating the gas. The system may also include a gas movement system in communication with the gas generation system. The system may further include a gas conduit system in communication with the gas movement system, where the gas movement system causes the treated to be injected into the gas conduit system to change insulation and/or sun exposure characteristics of a space in proximity to the gas conduit system.

The time for steam generated in a low temperature heating device to reach a saturated steam temperature is reduced a low temperature heating device configured to heat supplied water by using heat of sunlight to generate steam; a steam separation device configured to separate two-phase water-steam fluid generated in the low temperature heating device into water and steam; and a high temperature heating device configured to heat the steam separated in the steam separation device by using heat of sunlight reflected by a plurality of heliostats to generate superheated steam.

The present process invention in continuation to the U.S. Ser. No. 14/392,066 appertains to Advanced Combustion in post-combustion carbon capture, wherein the CO.sub.2-containing flue gas, said CO2-Stream, is cleaned from harmful constituents, recirculated, oxygenized and employed for combustion for the fossil fuels, referred to Flue Gas Oxy-Fueling in order to obtain a CO.sub.2-rich gas upstream to CO2-CC with significantly less gas flow rate subject to further processing. This continuation process patent also presents processing to prepare a CO.sub.2-rich CO2-Stream for the pre-combustion carbon capture downstream of gasification and gas cleaning process; or from the secondary CO2-Stream that stems from the cathodic syngas [CO/2H.sub.2] downstream of HPLTE-SG of patent parent, then downstream of the HP/IP-water shift converters in [CO.sub.2/3H.sub.2] composition, whereas the CO.sub.2-rich CO2-Stream from either pre-combustion process is routed to the CO2-CC for CO.sub.2 cooling and condensation section of the U.S. Ser. No. 14/392,066 to obtain liquid carbon dioxide for re-use as new fossil energy resource.

Disclosed is a nanowire bundle array. Particularly, the nanowire bundle array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of nanowire assemblies arranged therein. Each of the nanowire assemblies includes nanowires, a surface of at least a portion of which is coated with a thin metal film and the widths between the nanowires gradually decrease from one end to another end.

A molten salt central receiver arrangement for transferring heat from panels to a molten salt that flows through the panels. A control device allows to change the condition of at least one of the panel arrangements of the molten salt central receiver arrangement depending on at least an operating parameter of at least one panel and/or depending on an environment signal that characterizes the actual or forecast available heat for the heat transfer to the molten salt. In normal operation passes, each having one or more panels, are connected in series such that molten salt flows in a serpentine or alternating way upward and downward through subsequent passes. In a parallel flow condition, molten salt may flow upward through all of the panels in parallel. In a drain condition, the molten salt is forced out of one or more panels and replaced by compressed air.