Solar residential electrification with high performance heat engines

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:7344031

Salter, R M

Application of high-performance closed-cycle heat engines to solar energy conversion for residences and other buildings is considered. Stirling and recuperated Brayton cycles are investigated with the former favored due to commonality in construction with conventional small Otto cycle engines. Typical top temperatures of these cycles are near best compromise between thermodynamic efficiency vs solar collection efficiency. The overall system includes an array of sun-following paraboloidal collectors connected by sodium heat pipes. Both heat and electrical buffering, control problems, accoutrements (such as heat pumps), other heat sources, and other electrical sources are examined. Analogous conversion of furnace fuel energy into electricity is considered.

• OSTI ID: 7344031
• Resource Relation: Conference: 11. propulsion conference, Anaheim, CA, USA, 29 Sep 1975; Related Information: AIAA Paper No. 75-1239
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
HOUSES
SOLAR HEAT ENGINES
EFFICIENCY
BRAYTON CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS
HEAT PIPES
PARABOLIC REFLECTORS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
STIRLING ENGINES
BUILDINGS
CONVERSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENGINES
HEAT ENGINES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR REFLECTORS
140909* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Miscellaneous Solar Applications- (1980-)