Combined day and night solar energy system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for combined day and night usage for generating electricity or other forms of energy from solar energy.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved heat storage unit especially suited for use with a solar energy system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved solar collector for use with a solar energy system, wherein the collector is movable so as to continuously focus rays from the sun as the sun moves in the sky.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a radiation energy collector system having at least two large collectors that are movable in a sequential manner.
These and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by providing a combined day and night energy system which receives energy from the sun and converts this energy into electrical or other useful energy in such a manner that the energy is available in both the daytime and the nighttime.
More specifically, the system comprises a solar collector arranged for receiving the rays of the sun and concentrating such rays in order to heat a pipe arrangement containing a suitable heat transfer fluid.
The system also comprises a boiler coupled to the solar collector by the pipe arrangement for converting the heat transferred to the fluid contained in the pipe arrangement into steam, and still further includes a steam actuated turbogenerator for generating electricity from energy imparted to the generator by the steam.
While the heat absorbed by the fluid contained in the pipe arrangement can advantageously be used directly to generate electricity, or other useful power, during periods of sunshine, the system also includes a heat storage unit according to the invention for permitting the system to generate power during the nighttime and other periods when the sun's rays are blocked from the solar collector.
Preferably, the heat storage unit forms part of one assembly of the invention, which assembly also includes a generating unit and possibly a separate boiler, if such is required for generation of the requisite steam