Ok, nerd question, How do you get the energy out of the Particles? A point was made as to the losses in the transfer pipes, but what are the losses to the lower hopper? How would the heat be utilized from the Particles? Are they being used to flash water to steam for turbines? Sorry to interrogate, I am just really intrigued!!! Thanks Sandia National Labs!
That process is gonna generate a whole lot of dust which will be not only a wear problem for the equipment transporting the dust and the personnel maintaining the facility, but also not good news for any neighboring people, wildlife, or agriculture. To avoid these unintended consequences, perhaps the system engineers might consider a segmented belt made from similar ceramic material with the belt then extending into a pool or stream of the system's primary heat-transfer fluid? While a belt offers less surface area to absorb the incident solar beam and thus lower transfer efficiency than particles, the surface of each segment could be deeply etched or carved or 3d-printed to at least somewhat mitigate the loss.
Do you have theses on this domain How the particles are stored Why use a screw conveyor Flow Air particle used a suppressor You can create a prototype project for working experiments What are the benchmarks for working as models Work experiments in a laboratory
I wonder how much loss of heat is when particles fall through the air to the collector, secondly the particles behind the exposed ones can they collect any sun light? I also notice the focal point of the sun is much bigger then the particles port. In my view, they should use a salt boiler to transit the heat to activate turbine. The principle of the idea is great but needs development.
So then have created very hot particles. And then? Or does it mean that the particles will be replaced by another substance/raw materials that needs to be heated in a procuction process?
Sandia I know how to produce electricity in the most efficient way, it involves mixing helium2 with hydrogen - two of the most available resources in the solar system
Too many steps! Direct Solar would be cheaper and better. Imagine building all that, then come to find out it would be cheaper just to use Solar Panels and call it the day. LOL
Photovoltaic cells have their own drawbacks though. They're capped at about 11% efficiency due to the chemical properties of silicon or something. They also use chemicals that are difficult to recycle.
