Steam Cycle Integration

A solar powered turbine is a type of heat engine, and is based upon the thermodynamics of a gas cycling through higher pressures and temperatures to lower pressures and temperatures, doing work in the process. In reality, a physical apparatus is necessary for providing the pathway for our working gas (steam) to increase in temperature and pressure and then do work and return to a less energetic state and back up again.

Although it is possible to exhaust steam directly to the atmosphere, and let the boundless energy absorbing capacities of a vast atmosphere and planet dictate part of the cycle, this leads to large losses of energy, as the water returns as room temperature rather than at its temperature of condensation, and all the energy lost by the steam in reaching room temperature is absorbed by air currents rather than harnessed.

Thus, to harness as much of the solar energy originally absorbed, we look to a Closed loop system. Such a design handles the fluid from exhaust to a reservoir at Tc (the lowest temperature of the thermodynamic cycle) and up through preheating and regeneration to before the absorber, where Th (the highest temperature in the cycle) and working pressure are reached.

Also, in order to preserve energy for reuse in the system, pipe insulation should be used on all pipes outside the absorber.

It has been suggested that the text on [[::Pipe insulation|Pipe insulation]] be merged into (added to) this page or section. (Discuss)

The step between preheated water ( greater than 100 degrees C but much less than Th) is accomplished by a Valve delivery system.