SolarTEAM
A NEW TECHNOLOGY
RSA Patent Application No 2017/00xxx Dragan Ignjatovic and Gavin Lloyd
The CSP Collector
Introducing SolarTEAM
Thermally Enclosed Arrayed and Modular – T.E.A.M.
A WHOLE NEW APPROCH
The CSP Collector
- ➢A self-contained concentrator
- ➢Very high temperatures up to 900 °C
- ➢Very low environmental impact – essentially waterless
- ➢No heat or light exposure to birds, insects or pilots
- ➢No levelling of ground or removal of natural vegetation necessary
- ➢Heat transfer to storage using piped air
- ➢Heat storage in rock aggregates for 3-5 days of use
- ➢Conversion to electricity using Brayton Cycle through heat exchanger
- ➢Renewable Electricity generated on demand
- ➢Universal application for heat and power generation
Main DIS-ADVANTAGES of existing CSP technologies besides their cost
Six existing Technologies
PARABOLIC TROUGH & LINEAR FRESNEL
- Low temperature
- Long plumbing runs
- Freeze control needed if salt HTF used
- Exposure to hail damage
- Expensive earthworks
Main DIS-ADVANTAGES of existing CSP technologies besides their cost
Six existing Technologies
CENTRAL TOWER (HIGH)
- Very high engineering cost of tower
- Large helio-stat array less efficient
- High bird fatalities
Main DIS-ADVANTAGES of existing CSP technologies besides their cost
Six existing Technologies
CENTRAL TOWER (SHORT)
- Large precisely-made support structure
- Relatively small motor-generator- no storage
Main DIS-ADVANTAGES of existing CSP technologies besides their cost
Six existing Technologies
RING ARRAY COLLECTOR
- Large mirror to collector area ratio
- Relatively massive support structure
- Complicated to clean
Main ADVANTAGES of existing technologies
1. ALL EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS WHEN SCALED TO THE GW LEVEL
- SolarTEAMcollectors can be built on non-arable land without significant removal of natural vegetation. Therefore normal grazing practices can co-exist with power generation. Compatible with bushveld, grassland, semi-desert and desert conditions.
2. MOST CSP TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRE EITHER A VERY FLAT OR FLATTENED TERRAIN
- SolarTEAM collectors can be built on terrain with up to a 10% gradient without performance loss. Low value land with rocky out-crops acceptable.
3. ALL EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES PRESENT HIGH RISK EXPOSURE TO STRONG WINDS AND HAIL
- SolarTEAM collectors can be turned sideways to the wind and tilted near vertically to virtually eliminate exposure to hail and wind damage
4. MOST EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES HAVE CHALLENGING MIRROR CLEANING PROBLEMS TO REMOVE DUST, ETC.
- SolarTEAM collectors are self-cleaning with a set of simple rotary wipers. Cleaning can take place automatically at night using a recoverable amount of water and local RE power. Very low operational maintenance.
Main ADVANTAGES of SolarTEAM COLLECTOR technologies
1. Parabolic dishes can be massproduced at a low cost and transported to site stacked together
2. Low iron pre-cut glass can be fitted with secondary reflector then transported stacked together
3. Structural steel can be made at a standard engineering works without sophisticated jigs
4. All items for a 40 reflector collector can be delivered to site in a single 6 metre container
5. Collimation alignment of dishes takes place on site after assembly in a simple quick procedure
6. Central receiver temperature can be easily adjusted within a broad range to suit various applications
7. Single pile or foundation support structure is quickly built with a minimal amount of concrete.
8. Multiple collectors feed a central thermal storage unit with optional Power Unit. Customised Module
Main ADVANTAGES of SolarTEAM STORAGE technologies
1. Storage medium is a graded rock aggregate source locally and packed in a simple cylindrical tank
2. Insulation uses a special preparation of inexpensive minerals
3. Structural components can be made at a standard engineering works without sophisticated jigs
4. All manufactured items can be delivered to site in a single 6 metre container
5. Tank storage medium is long lasting and disposed of or recycled easily
6. Centralised storage tank is placed alongside turbine and generator with minimal heat losses
7. Single pile or foundation support structure is quickly built with a minimal amount of concrete. Industrial Collectors are light and can be erected on nearby columns or roofs with the storage below in a factory. This can produce reliable high quality process heat up to 900° C, 24/7 at a very low cost
Main ADVANTAGES of SolarTEAM Over Future CSP & Other RE Sources
1. Solar thermal is more reliable than nuclear as it has a far greater capacity factor (no planned or unplanned outages plus exceptional redundancy)
2. Solar thermal is dispatchable unlike wind or solar PV – complements well
3. No battery or capacitor storage required
4. Hydro-electricity, whilst low cost, is an environmental concern and is often unreliable in periods of drought
Most significant advantage is that it comes at the right cost to displace all forms of fossilfuelled generation, baseload or intermittent duty, bringing well placed GWhr storage capacity to a national grid in regions with good solar resources
“Fossil-fuelled energy use is contraindicated by the endangerment to our Planet – it’s continued use threatens the very currency of life on Earth and is actually not needed.
Fortunately we are given an overabundance of sunlight energy every day to provide for our sustainable needs through crops and direct use. Bio-fuels can meet essential liquid fuel needs and wind energy will assist too.
SolarTEAM harvests the sun’s thermal energy in a way that does not harm our environment and stores this heat for reliable use and conversion to electrical energy when required. We believe it is entirely possible for modern humankind to return to our original sustaining purpose.”
Gavin Lloyd – co-founder of SolarTEAM
Contact link: http://thoughtality.com/contact-us/
Interested parties and investors will be required to sign a Non-disclosure
Confidentiality Agreement before further documentation is made available
The following documents are available:
- Full patent
- Technical drawings
- Cost estimate for a development programme
- A prospectus
We are seeking investors to support prototype development over two years
Created and patented by
Dragan Ignjatovic & Gavin Lloyd
Cape Town,
South Africa