Solar reactor steam generator method and apparatus

Abstract

A solar reactor steam generator is disclosed which includes a concrete housing with reactor chamber, tubular heat exchanger, solar sight glass, and solar intensifier. In one embodiment, the reactor chamber is cylindrical. Inside the chamber is a heat exchanger which consists of a single pass helical tube stack which absorbs and conducts convective, conductive, and radiated heats of reactions to liquids or vapors inside the tube. A solar intensifier, such as a parabolic reflector, is mounted on top of the reactor housing. It collects and intensifies solar rays, then guides them down through a solar sight glass, mounted in top of the housing, into the reactor chamber, onto a reflector cone which disperses solar rays throughout the chamber. Hydrogen, chlorine, and atmospheric oxygen are piped into the reactor chamber via tubing. The hydrogen and chlorine react with controlled explosive violence when exposed to the solar rays. It should be understood that high intensity lamps can be used in the absence of solar rays. In another embodiment of this invention, carbonaceous blocks with single pass tube configurations are used in a rectangular reactor chamber.