A valve system for controlling a corrosive process liquid flow, while avoiding corrosion due to a liquid/vapor interface of the process liquid, causes the process liquid to flow from the valve through a purge port into a vertical segment of a purge line. During valve initialization, a non-reactive gas backpressure within the purge line is controlled to establish the liquid/vapor interface at a desired height within the vertical segment, as determined by an interface level sensor, which can be ultrasonic. The vertical segment is constructed from, or lined with, a material that can withstand contact with the liquid/vapor interface. During valve operation, the non-reactive gas pressure can continue to be regulated, or a purge valve can be shut, trapping a fixed quantity of the non-reactive gas within the purge line. The valve can include a heater configured to prevent a molten process liquid from solidifying within the valve.

A floating piston configured to be disposed in a vessel of a thermal energy storage system to separate a hot working fluid from a cold working fluid. The floating piston includes a piston body having a first end, a second end, and a central region. There is a compressible member which is disposed in the central region of the piston and which is configured to engage with an inner surface of the vessel when the piston is disposed in the vessel.

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods to control particle mass flow rate in solar receivers and associated heat exchangers based on feedback from one or more temperatures of particles in the system.

A hybrid geothermal electrical power generation system that utilizes the heat from a deep geothermal reservoir to vaporize a working fluid, such as steam, CO.sub.2 or an organic fluid. The vaporized working fluid is used to turn a turbine connected to an electrical power generator. A solar collector may be used to increase the temperature of the working fluid during sunlight hours and a thermal storage unit may be utilized to increase the temperature of the working fluid during the night. A supercritical CO.sub.2 power generation cycle may be used alone or in combination with a steam turbine power generation cycle to utilize all of the heat energy. A vapor compression cycle, a vapor absorption cycle may be utilized to provide heating and cooling. A low temperature shallow geothermal reservoir may be used as a heat exchanger to regulate or store excess heat.

In one embodiment, a concentrated solar power system includes a solar tower, multiple solar receivers mounted to the solar tower at different vertical elevations, and a plurality of heliostats provided on the ground within a heliostat field, wherein each heliostat is configured to concentrate solar radiation on any of the solar receivers mounted to the solar tower.

A convection-driven power generator comprising a flow intake configured to supply fluid to the generator, a flow duct having a duct inlet and a duct outlet wherein the duct outlet is spaced downstream from the duct inlet along the flow duct, the duct inlet being fluidly coupled to the flow intake. A heating chamber fluidly is coupled to the duct outlet so as to receive fluid from the duct outlet, the heating chamber comprising an external wall configured to transmit light radiation incident thereon such that fluid within the heating chamber is heated by the transmitted light radiation. A flow exhaust is fluidly coupled to the heating chamber and configured to exhaust fluid heated by the heating chamber from the heating chamber. A turbine is arranged within the flow duct, downstream of the flow intake, and exposed to fluid flow through the flow duct such that when fluid flows through the flow duct the turbine is caused to rotate by the fluid flow; and at least one lens element is configured to focus the light radiation transmitted by the external wall within the heating chamber.

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 system for generating electricity, heat, and desalinated water having a gas turbine system connected to a first electric generator, a waste heat recovery boiler (WHRB) system, a combined heat and power (CHP) generation system connected to a second electric generator, one or more solar powered energy systems, and a desalination system. The desalination system is connected to the CHP generation system and the WHRB system. The gas turbine system generates electricity and heat, the WHRB system is connected to and uses the exhaust of the gas turbine system to provide heat and steam power to the CHP generation system. The CHP generation system produces and provides electricity and heat to the desalination system, which produces product water, and at least one solar powered energy system provides thermal energy to one or more of the gas turbine system, the WHRB system, the CHP generation system, and the desalination system.

A solar tracker comprising: a bottom plate, a top plate, at least one assembly rotatably coupling the top and bottom plates, one or more bellows units disposed between the top plate and bottom plate and a locking mechanism.

A heat exchanger is provided capable of exchanging heat received from a concentrated solar power plant via heat exchanging pipes and conducting the heat via patterns of flexible heat conducting cables into heat storing solids. The heat exchanger is further capable of exchanging heat stored by heat storing solids via the patterns of flexible heat conducting cables to heat exchanging pipes for use by a heat consumer. The heat exchanger has a charging and a discharging speed of a heat exchanger is about 50 kW/m.sup.3 or at least 50 kW/m.sup.3.