Solar gravity engine

Abstract

A solar or thermal gravity engine including a conduit extending substantially vertically from ground level upward into the atmosphere including a plurality of valves in the walls of the conduit at various heights from the bottom thereof, each valve being capable of opening to allow fluid flow communication between the vertical conduit and a liquid return conduit which extends downward therefrom and may include therein precipitation enhancement means such as grids or fins to allow water vapor or other liquid vapor which has evaporated in the evaporating area to condense in the condensing area when the associated valve is opened and such that the liquid will pass downwardly through the associated liquid return conduit to be gathered as a vertical column of liquid in an accumulating chamber positioned immediately above a liquid driven power generating means such as a turbine or the like, after driving the turbine the downwardly moving liquid may be collected in a return chamber for passage to the evaporation area for repetition of the cycle, a by-pass line may be included to allow passage of fluid directly from the accumulation chamber to the return chamber without passage adjacent the fluid driven turbine, a controller may be included which is responsive to the pressure and temperature of ambient or internal system pressure values or temperature values to control a valve positioned within the by-pass line or to control each valve associated with each liquid return conduit to thereby provide a system for generating energy which does not utilize consumable fuels and does not contaminate the environment.