A solar thermal power generator includes an inclined elongated boiler tube
positioned in the focus of a solar concentrator for generating steam from
water. The boiler tube is connected at one end to receive water from a
pressure vessel as well as connected at an opposite end to return steam
back to the vessel in a fluidic circuit arrangement that stores energy in
the form of heated water in the pressure vessel. An expander, condenser,
and reservoir are also connected in series to respectively produce work
using the steam passed either directly (above a water line in the vessel)
or indirectly (below a water line in the vessel) through the pressure
vessel, condense the expanded steam, and collect the condensed water. The
reservoir also supplies the collected water back to the pressure vessel
at the end of a diurnal cycle when the vessel is sufficiently
depressurized, so that the system is reset to repeat the cycle the
following day. The circuital arrangement of the boiler tube and the
pressure vessel operates to dampen flow instabilities in the boiler tube,
damp out the effects of solar transients, and provide thermal energy
storage which enables time shifting of power generation to better align
with the higher demand for energy during peak energy usage periods.