Solar/Rankine steam cycle hybrid concentrating solar power (CSP) systems and methods for designing or retrofitting existent natural circulation boilers using saturated or superheated steam produced by direct steam generation (DSG) or Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) steam generators and CSP solar field technology systems are described. Additionally, methods and processes of retrofitting the existent Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG) or biomass, gas, oil or coal fired boilers to operate integrated to a molten salt/water-steam heat exchangers are disclosed. The hybrid CSP systems are highly efficient due to the increase of steam generated by a heating section comprising either the DSG receiver or the molten salt-water-steam sequential heat exchangers, heaters, boiler/saturated steam generators, super-heaters and re-heaters. The additional saturated, superheated and reheated steam produced is directed to a Rankine cycle according to its pressure, temperature and steam quality significantly reducing the fuel consumption within a cogeneration or Combine Cycle Power Plant.

The present invention relates to the utilization of solar energy for generation of electricity and/or production of clean fuels or other chemicals, as a means for long term, transportable storage of inherently intermittent solar energy.

A solar concentrator comprising: a base; a framework, the framework being hingedly joined to the base such that the framework can be rotated relative to the base; and a plurality of mirrors arranged relative to a first axis of the framework, such that all of the mirrors are located on one side of a plane which contains the first axis, each mirror being fixed to the framework and each mirror being arranged to reflect light travelling parallel to the first axis towards a common focus which lies on the first axis.

A single-phase fluid (SPF) storage is introduced for desalination of high-salt water using thermal energy from a concentrated solar power (CSP) unit. The SPF having a specific volumetric enthalpy higher than that of water at critical point in the operating ranges from 20 to 300 bar in pressure and 190 to 400 C in temperature is used as a new type of thermal energy storage (TES) medium and heat transfer fluid (HTF). It produces wet steam of a quality required by the desalination unit generating both steam for utilization of latent heat and condensate for sensible heat when its pressure is reduced to lower operating pressures. With a MED-TVC unit by using the steam as motive steam, the capacity of the CSP unit and SPF storage can be reduced as much as the energy recycled in the desalination unit.

Inventive concentrated solar power systems using solar receivers, and related devices and methods, are generally described.

Systems and methods for cooling solar panels and recovering energy therefrom are disclosed. In one aspect, the system includes at least one solar panel configured to convert at least a portion of incident light into electrical energy. The system also includes a first loop including a heat exchanger configured to receive a first working fluid and circulate the working fluid in proximity to the solar panel so as to extract heat from the solar panel into the working fluid. The system further includes a second loop including an electricity generator configured to receive a second working fluid and generate electricity based on enthalpy of the second working fluid. The first loop and the second loop are configured to transfer heat from the first working fluid to the second working fluid.

A single-phase fluid (SPF) storage is introduced for desalination of high-salt water using thermal energy from a concentrated solar power (CSP) unit. The SPF having a specific volumetric enthalpy higher than that of water at critical point in the operating ranges from 20 to 300 bar in pressure and 190 to 400 C in temperature is used as a new type of thermal energy storage (TES) medium and heat transfer fluid (HTF). It produces wet steam of a quality required by the desalination unit generating both steam for utilization of latent heat and condensate for sensible heat when its pressure is reduced to lower operating pressures. With a MED-TVC unit by using the steam as motive steam, the capacity of the CSP unit and SPF storage can be reduced as much as the energy recycled in the desalination unit.

Disclosed is a combined energy supply system of wind, photovoltaic, solar thermal power and medium-based heat storage, capable of storing the energy which would have been “abandoned wind” and “abandoned light” temporarily in the form of heat by medium-based energy storage. Heat is released during peaks in the power grid to generate power, which serves the function of adjusting the peaks in the power grid. With the medium-based energy storage, unstable photovoltaic electric energy can be converted into stable heat energy output when a relatively large fluctuation occurs in wind and photovoltaic power generation, and therefore the stable supply of energy sources can be guaranteed efficiently. Furthermore, a second heater can also be used for heating the low-temperature media outputted by a first medium tank (100), or a third heater is used for heating water in a heat exchanger (500), and therefore the energy storage of the medium or the heating efficiency of the heat exchanger is improved.

A solar concentrator (100) comprising: a base (190); a framework (170), the framework (170) being hingedly joined to the base (190) such that the framework (170) can be rotated relative to the base (190); and a plurality of mirrors (110) arranged relative to a first axis (200) of the framework (170), such that all of the mirrors (110) are located on one side of a plane which contains the first axis (200), each mirror being fixed to the framework (170) and each mirror being arranged to reflect light travelling parallel to the first axis (200) towards a common focus which lies on the first axis (200).

A process for treating waste water, including the steps of extracting by forward osmosis treated water from a wastewater feed stream and transferring it to a saline draw stream, and extracting from the saline draw stream treated water by a reverse osmosis process.