NO. 5 



UTILIZING HEAT FROM THE SUN ABBOT 



THE SOLAR FLASH BOILER FOR POWER 



Since cumulus clouds are apt to obscure the sun occasionally in 

 regions suited to solar power production, the flash boiler, rather than 

 the boiler of large heat capacity, is indicated. For if it takes an hour 

 or more to raise the desired steam pressure, many days will be wasted 

 when the sky about the sun is clear one half of the time. Accordingly 

 my efforts in recent months have been directed toward the develop- 



Fig. i. — Diagram of solar flash boiler showing water injection governed 

 directly by steam pressure. In a later model the water injection is governed by 

 the temperature expansion of the boiler tube. 



ment of the automatic flash-boiler solar engine. That is, an engine of 

 a single tube boiler protected from heat losses by an elongated glass 

 vacuum jacket, and fed by a current of water automatically graduated 

 in flow by. the temperature of the boiler. The device is intended to 

 raise full steam pressure within 5 minutes after solar exposure. 

 Should the sun enter a cloud, the water supply is immediately cut off. 

 Should the steam pressure rise above the desired maximum, the water 

 supply is increased. Thus the boiler is fully automatic, and it takes 

 advantage of all the clear sky which comes between clouds. 



