Method for generating electricity with solar heat pipe absorber

Abstract

A method for generating electricity with a system having a water tank, an electricity generating plant and a parabolic trough solar power plant including transferring water from the water tank to the solar power plant. The water is received in a helical pipe located within a glass pipe encasing an absorber tube of a parabolic trough solar power plant. The glass pipe and the helical pipe extend from a first end to a second end of a parabolic trough along a central axis of the glass pipe an. During periods of high irradiance the water is converted in the helical pipe to steam by focusing solar radiation on the absorber tube. A sand filled pipe extends from the first end to the second end of the parabolic trough along the central axis of the glass pipe Steam is expelled from the helical pipe. During periods of low irradiance the water is released the water within the helical pipe to the inner pipe located within the sand filled pipe, converting the water to steam with the heated sand in the sand filled pipe, expelling the steam, transferring the steam to a turbine to generate mechanical energy in the turbine, and transferring the mechanical energy to generate electricity.