Method of and apparatus for dynamically stabilizing the wind-mixed layer of a solar-water pond

Patent · Tue Mar 25 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5775329

Assaf, G

A method is described for dynamically stabilizing the convective wind-mixed layer of a salt-water solar pond, which covers a nonconvective halocline, the method comprising providing a source of brine whose salinity differs from the salinity of the water in the wind-mixed layer, and exchanging brine between the source and the wind-mixed layer for creating a two-layer flow regime in the wind-mixed layer due to differences in salinity whereby lighter less dense water flows adjacent the surface of the pond into the source, and heavier, more dense water, flows beneath the lighter water out of the source. A solar pond is described which consists of: (a) a convective wind-mixed layer of water on the surface of the pond; (b) a nonconvective halocline covered by the wind-mixed layer having a density that increases with depth; (c) a heat storage layer under the halocline for storing heat created in the pond by the absorption of solar radiation; and (d) a reservoir associated with the wind-mixed layer and containing water whose salinity is different from the average salinity of water in the wind-mixed layer, and means to exchange water between the reservoir and the wind-mixed layer for establishing a two-layer flow regime in the wind-mixed layer due to a difference in salinity between the layers whereby lighter less dense water flows adjacent the surface of the pond into the reservoir, and heavier, more dense water, flows beneath the lighter water out of the reservoir.

• Assignee: Solmat Sys., Ltd., Yaune
• Patent Number(s): US 4577618
• OSTI ID: 5775329
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
ABSORPTIVITY
BRINES
CONVECTION
DENSITY
DEPTH
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FLUID FLOW
HEAT STORAGE
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAYERS
MASS TRANSFER
MIXING
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PONDS
RADIATIONS
SALINITY
SALINITY GRADIENTS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR PONDS
SOLAR RADIATION
STABILIZATION
STELLAR RADIATION
STORAGE
SURFACE WATERS
WATER
WIND