Solar furnace

Abstract

A solar furnace includes an outer insulation chamber and an inner reaction chamber disposed inside the outer insulation chamber. The outer insulation chamber has an outer solar window which is in alignment with an inner solar window of the inner reaction chamber. The outer insulation chamber includes a multi-layered air-circulating tunnel. Each layer of the air-circulating tunnel has a solar window to form a multi-solar window opening. Within each solar window opening, there is a hot air curtain or hot flame curtain to cover the opening. When the concentrated solar beams pass through each solar window opening, photon beam reacts with the hot air curtain or hot flame curtain, and will further increase the temperature of hot air particles in the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel. An oil boiler is thermally connected to the inner reaction chamber. The oil boiler includes incoming and outgoing pipes disposed in a middle air-circulating tunnel to absorb the heat energy from the hot air curtain. Oil flowing through the oil boiler can be heated by heat energy produced in the inner reaction chamber when concentrated solar beams reflected from a solar dish enter the inner reaction chamber through the outer and inner solar windows. The solar furnace further includes a plurality of channels mounted within the inner reaction chamber for reflecting solar beams and heat absorption, and a plurality of tanks thermally connecting to the plurality of channels, whereby fluid flowing through the plurality of tanks is heated by heat energy absorbed by the plurality of channels.

1 . A solar furnace comprising:
 an outer insulation chamber comprising a first solar window;   an inner reaction chamber being disposed inside the outer insulation chamber and comprising a second solar window in alignment with the first solar window; and   a boiler disposed in the outer insulation chamber and thermally connected to the inner reaction chamber, wherein fluid flowing through the boiler is heated by heat energy produced in the inner reaction chamber when concentrated solar beams reflected from a solar dish enter the inner reaction chamber through the first and second solar windows.   
     
     
         2 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the boiler comprises incoming and outgoing pipes for delivering fluid in and out of the boiler, and the incoming and outgoing pipes are disposed in a middle air-circulating tunnel defined by the outer and inner chambers and the boiler. 
     
     
         3 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer insulation chamber comprises an outer shell, an inner shell, and a vacuum enclosure between the outer and inner shells. 
     
     
         4 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising at least one centrifugal fan in the middle air-circulating tunnel for circulating hot air therein. 
     
     
         5 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one centrifugal fan is driven by a motor located outside the outer insulation chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a solar panel for supplying solar energy to activate the motor. 
     
     
         7 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the middle air-circulating tunnel is provided with an air-converging nozzle connecting with a spread water supply and disposing near the first and second solar windows for driving hot air or hot flame in the middle air-circulating tunnel and forming a hot air curtain or hot flame curtain between the first and second solar windows. 
     
     
         8 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an air pipe for directing a portion of hot air from the middle air-circulating tunnel, out of the outer insulation chamber, and through openings of an annular trunking where it is drawn back into the middle air-circulating tunnel by a centrifugal fan through the first solar window. 
     
     
         9 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a wind damper fixed at a side of the outer insulation chamber where the first and second solar windows are located. 
     
     
         10 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the incoming pipe to measure temperature, and a temperature controller to adjust and maintain the temperature at a pre-set temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a valve coupled to the temperature controller to control the flow rate of the fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the incoming pipe is disposed outside the outer insulation chamber around the first solar window to directly absorb heat from solar beams not passing through the first solar window, and a portion of hot air particles generated from the incoming pipe after absorption of heat from photon beams is drawn back into the middle air-circulating tunnel by a centrifugal fan. 
     
     
         13 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises oil. 
     
     
         14 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer insulation chamber is made of ceramic. 
     
     
         15 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer insulation chamber is provided with a metal wall on an outer surface thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inner reaction chamber has an outer wall made of ceramic and an inner wall made of steel or iron. 
     
     
         17 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the boiler is made of a conductive material. 
     
     
         18 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the incoming and outgoing pipes are made of copper. 
     
     
         19 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer and inner chambers are generally box-shaped, and the first and second solar windows are circular in shape. 
     
     
         20 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of channels mounted within the inner reaction chamber for continuously reflecting solar beams between side walls of each channel and absorbing solar energy, and a plurality of tanks thermally connecting to the plurality of channels, wherein fluid flowing through the plurality of tanks is heated by heat energy absorbed by the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         21 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , comprising a first plurality of channels with first opening ends covered by a first glass for capturing vertical solar beams directly reflecting from the solar dish, the first glass being made of crystal glass. 
     
     
         22 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 21 , comprising a second plurality of channels with second opening ends covered by a second glass adjacent and at an angle to the first glass for capturing solar beams reflecting therefrom as well as angled solar beams directly reflecting from the solar dish, the second glass being made of crystal glass. 
     
     
         23 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 22 , comprising a third plurality of channels with third opening ends covered by a third glass adjacent and at an angle to the second glass for capturing solar beams reflecting therefrom, the third glass being made of crystal glass. 
     
     
         24 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising a fourth plurality of channels with fourth opening ends covered by a fourth glass adjacent and at an angle to the third glass for receiving solar beams reflecting therefrom, the fourth glass being made of crystal glass. 
     
     
         25 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of channels is divided into two symmetrical portions, each portion comprising a plurality of opening ends opening at the second solar window for capturing solar beams. 
     
     
         26 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of tanks define a compartment in which the plurality of channels is mounted, the plurality of tanks is arranged from left to right and is in fluid communication with each other by copper pipes, and oil flows from oil tank at the left to oil tank at the right in one direction by an oil pump. 
     
     
         27 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising a plurality of compartments with an outer compartment encompassing an inner compartment. 
     
     
         28 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the channels are parallel and internal side walls are spaced apart from each other at a distance in the form of stacked-up multi-layered channels. 
     
     
         29 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of channels is rolled up into a generally polygonal shape. 
     
     
         30 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising an incoming pipe and an outgoing pipe for delivering fluid in and out of the plurality of tanks in each compartment, and insulation chambers being fixed at two opposite ends of the inner chamber, wherein the incoming pipes passing through a side wall of the insulation chamber are joined by an incoming pipe of the boiler, and the outgoing pipes passing through a side wall of the insulation chamber are joined by an outgoing pipe of the boiler. 
     
     
         31 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the incoming and outgoing pipes of the boiler and the plurality of tanks are made of copper. 
     
     
         32 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of channels is made of metal alloy. 
     
     
         33 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein inner surfaces of the plurality of channels are coated with a coating material having high absorptivity and low emissivity of solar energy. 
     
     
         34 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the coating material comprises black nickel oxide or black chrome. 
     
     
         35 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the fluid comprises oil. 
     
     
         36 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the incoming pipes are in the form of coiled pipes fastened together by stainless steel wires. 
     
     
         37 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the incoming pipes comprise a plurality of flow diverging members formed along and within the incoming pipes, each flow diverging member including a disc and a flared nozzle, the disc being disposed perpendicular to the direction of flow and comprising a central opening and a plurality of peripheral openings, the flared nozzle being connected to the disc at a central downstream side thereof such that the nozzle opening is in registration with the central opening, and wherein air flows partially straight through the central opening and the nozzle opening and partially through the plurality of peripheral openings and diverges radially and substantially perpendicular towards inner surfaces of the coiled pipes, thereby increasing heat energy absorption. 
     
     
         38 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 7 , comprising layers of middle air-circulating tunnels. 
     
     
         39 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the middle air-circulating tunnel coils up to form a multi-layered air-circulating tunnel with an inner opening connected to an outer opening by a pipe to form a continuous flow path. 
     
     
         40 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein each layer of the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel has a window, and the windows of the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel are in registration with the first and second solar windows. 
     
     
         41 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein each layer of the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel is provided with an air-converging nozzle connecting with a spread water supply and disposing near the first and second solar windows for driving hot air or hot flame in the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel and forming a multi-layered hot air curtain or hot flame curtain between the first and second solar windows. 
     
     
         42 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein hot air in the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel contains atmospheric air particles of different densities, and the multi-layered hot air curtain or hot flame curtain form a non-reflective medium adapted to react with concentrated photon beams reflected from the solar dish. 
     
     
         43 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the hot atmospheric air particles circulate from the inner reaction chamber through the copper pipe and to a center of the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel where it starts a first loop of circulation, wherein the multi-layered hot air curtain or hot flame curtain absorbs heat energy generated from the reaction of photon beams at each window and the hot air particles until an outermost layer of air-circulating tunnel near the second solar window where circulation restarts. 
     
     
         44 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 43 , further comprising at least one centrifugal fan provided at each layer of the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel. 
     
     
         45 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein an outermost layer of the multi-layered air-circulating tunnel near the first solar window has an enlarged opening to receive a thicker air curtain. 
     
     
         46 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein hot air particles drawn back into the middle air-circulating tunnel through the openings of the annular trunking and through the first solar window react with the concentrated photon beams to increase the temperature of the hot air particles. 
     
     
         47 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a motor electrically connecting to the temperature controller to control the speed of centrifugal fans provided in the middle air-circulating tunnel. 
     
     
         48 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a portion of the hot air particle reacts with photon beams to increase the temperature of the hot air particles. 
     
     
         49 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 32 , further comprising brackets fixed to inner surfaces of the plurality of channels, a crystal glass being fixed to outer layers of a pair of the brackets between a space between the metal alloy channel and the crystal glass, and a layer of silver with transparent coating being provided in the space to protect the channel from oxidation. 
     
     
         50 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 32 , further comprising reinforcing I-beam fixed to an internal surface of each channel to prevent the metal alloy channel from bending and to support the weight of the channel. 
     
     
         51 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 50 , further comprising reinforcing I-beam made of metal alloy and provided with a layer of silver with transparent coating to protect it from oxidation, the reinforcing I-beam being provided with an opening to allow solar beams to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         52 . A solar furnace comprising:
 an insulation chamber comprising a center and an off-centered window;   a plurality of boilers disposed substantially on the entire inner surface of the insulation chamber, and defining a middle reaction cavity; and   a fan system in the middle reaction cavity for producing a hot air curtain or hot flame curtain therein; wherein fluid flowing through the plurality of boilers is heated by heat energy produced in the middle reaction cavity when concentrated solar beams reflected from a solar dish enter the middle reaction cavity through the off-centered window, and strike the hot air curtain or hot flame curtain in a direction generally tangent to bending solar beams formed as solar beams refract due to change in refraction index, such that hot air particles in the hot air curtain or hot flame curtain continuously react with photons of the bending solar beams.   
     
     
         53 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the fan system comprises a central fan located at the center for the formation of a generally circular hot air curtain or hot flame curtain in the middle reaction cavity, and the bending solar beams bend into circles in the middle reaction cavity. 
     
     
         54 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 53 , further comprising a plurality of peripheral centrifugal fans oriented around the central fan in the middle reaction cavity to facilitate the formation of the generally circular hot air curtain or hot flame curtain. 
     
     
         55 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 54 , wherein each of the plurality of peripheral centrifugal fans is provided with an air nozzle connecting with a spread water supply for the formation of a hot air curtain or hot flame curtain flowing in a direction generally tangent to the generally circular hot air curtain or hot flame curtain. 
     
     
         56 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 53 , wherein the central fan is a centrifugal fan. 
     
     
         57 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the fan system comprises a plurality of radial centrifugal fans extending radially at one side of the middle reaction cavity, and the plurality of radial centrifugal fans with an air nozzle connecting with a spread water supply is adapted to blow hot air or hot flame from the one side to an opposite side across the middle reaction cavity thereby forming a plurality of radial hot air curtains or hot flame curtains, and wherein the concentrated solar beams strike one of the plurality of radial hot air curtains or hot flame curtains, refract and bend, and strike an adjacent one of the plurality of radial hot air curtains or hot flame curtains until bending into circles in the middle reaction chamber. 
     
     
         58 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the insulation chamber has a generally rectangular cross section, and the plurality of boilers is arranged side-by-side in a rectangular configuration except for an opening which is in alignment with the off-centered window. 
     
     
         59 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the insulation chamber is generally cylindrical in shape, and the plurality of boilers is arranged side by-side in a circle except for an opening which is in alignment with the off-centered window. 
     
     
         60 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the fan system is driven by a motor located outside the insulation chamber. 
     
     
         61 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 60 , further comprising a solar panel for supplying solar energy to activate the motor. 
     
     
         62 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the plurality of boilers comprises incoming and outgoing pipes for delivering fluid in and out of the plurality of boilers. 
     
     
         63 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 62 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the incoming pipe to measure temperature, and a temperature controller to adjust and maintain the temperature at a pre-set temperature. 
     
     
         64 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 63 , further comprising a valve coupled to the temperature controller to control the flow rate of the fluid. 
     
     
         65 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the fluid comprises oil. 
     
     
         66 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the insulation chamber is made of ceramic. 
     
     
         67 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the plurality of boilers is made of a conductive material. 
     
     
         68 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 62 , wherein the incoming and outgoing pipes are made of copper. 
     
     
         69 . A solar furnace comprising:
 an outer chamber comprising a window;   an inner chamber formed inside the outer chamber; and   a boiler system in thermal communication with the inner chamber; wherein fluid flowing through the boiler system is heated by heat energy produced in the inner chamber when concentrated solar beams reflected from a solar dish enter the inner chamber through the window.   
     
     
         70 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 69 , wherein the boiler system is connected to an inner surface of the outer chamber. 
     
     
         71 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 69 , wherein the boiler system is connected to an outer surface of the inner chamber. 
     
     
         72 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 69 , further comprising a fan system for producing a hot air curtain or hot flame curtain for reaction with photons of the solar beams. 
     
     
         73 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 72 , wherein the fan system is located between the outer and inner chambers, and the hot air curtain or hot flame curtain is formed across the window. 
     
     
         74 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 72 , wherein the fan system is located inside the inner chamber, and the hot air curtain or hot flame curtain is formed inside the inner chamber. 
     
     
         75 . The solar furnace as claimed in  claim 69 , further comprising a plurality of channels mounted within the inner chamber for continuously reflecting the concentrated solar beams between side walls of each channel and absorbing solar energy, and a plurality of tanks thermally connecting to the plurality of channels, wherein fluid flowing through the plurality of tanks is heated by heat energy absorbed by the plurality of channels.