Overview

Introduction

This technology harnesses solar energy using a field of over 10,000 mirrors, known as heliostats, spread across a 4-square-mile area. These mirrors reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a large heat exchanger called a receiver.

Heat Capture

The system employs molten salt as the heat transfer fluid, which is heated from 500°F to over 1,000°F. Molten salt is an effective medium for capturing heat due to its ability to remain in a liquid state over a broad temperature range, enabling the system to operate at lower pressures. The heated salt flows through the system, moving down the tower and into a thermal storage tank.

Steam Generation

The stored energy is maintained in the molten salt until electricity is required. During the day, the molten salt flows into a steam generator where it heats water from a storage tank to produce steam. Once the molten salt has been used to generate steam, it is cooled and returned to the cold salt storage tank. The steam, after driving a turbine to produce electricity, is condensed back into water and returned to the water storage tank for reuse.

Conclusion

This process results in high-quality, superheated steam that drives a standard steam turbine at peak efficiency, providing reliable and renewable electricity, especially during high-demand periods. The steam generation process is similar to that used in conventional gas or nuclear plants, but with the key advantage of being 100% renewable and free of harmful emissions or waste. These plants offer dependable electricity sourced from the sun, even when it is not shining.