Patent Number: 063114763
Section: claims

1. A solar thermal engine for propelling and powering a craft, the solar thermal engine comprising: a housing having an optical cavity adapted for receiving a beam of concentrated sunlight and converting the beam into ambient thermal energy;  a propellant annulus coupled to the housing and selectively operable in a heating mode wherein the propellant annulus transmits at least a first portion of the ambient thermal energy to heat a flow of propellant;  a plurality of static power converters coupled to the housing, the static power converters receiving the first portion of the ambient thermal energy when the propellant annulus is not operated in the heating mode, the plurality of static power converters employing the first portion of the ambient thermal energy to generate electrical energy; and  an electrical energy storage device coupled to the plurality of static power converters, the electrical energy storage device receiving and storing the electrical energy generated by the plurality of static power converters.  a housing having an optical cavity for receiving a beam of concentrated sunlight and converting the beam into ambient thermal energy;  a propellant annulus coupled to the housing and operable for selectively heating a flow of propellant, the propellant annulus transmitting at least a first portion of the ambient thermal energy to the flow of propellant when the ambient thermal energy is employed to heat the flow of propellant;  a plurality of static power converters for receiving a second portion of the ambient thermal energy and generating electrical energy when a magnitude of the second portion of thermal energy exceeds a predetermined thermal energy threshold; and an electrical energy storage device coupled to the plurality of static power converters, the electrical energy storage device receiving and storing the electrical energy generated by the plurality of static power converters.  providing an engine having an optical cavity;  directing a beam of concentrated light into the optical cavity;  converting the beam of concentrated light into thermal energy;  determining if a propellant is to be heated;  transmitting at least a first portion of the ambient thermal energy to heat the propellant if the propellant is to be heated;  transmitting at least the first portion of the ambient thermal energy to a static power converter to generate electrical energy if the propellant is not to be heated; and  storing the electrical energy in an electrical energy storage device. 2. The solar thermal engine of claim 1, wherein a heat exchanger surrounds the optical cavity and is coupled to the propellant annulus, the heat exchanger operable for transferring the at least a first portion of the ambient thermal energy to the propellant annulus. 3. The solar thermal engine of claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger includes a first boundary wall and a second boundary wall that is spaced radially outwardly of the first boundary wall, wherein the propellant annulus is formed between the first and second boundary walls and wherein the propellant annulus is disposed between the first boundary wall and the plurality of static power converters. 4. The solar thermal engine of claim 3, wherein the plurality of static power converters are arranged in a single cylindrical array disposed radially outwardly of the propellant annulus. 5. The solar thermal engine of claim 4, wherein a surface of the single cylindrical array of static power converters shares a common boundary with a heat exchanger coolant passage. 6. The solar thermal engine of claim 3, wherein the plurality of static power converters are arranged in a plurality of cylindrical arrays, each of the plurality of cylindrical arrays being disposed radially outwardly of the propellant annulus. 7. The solar thermal engine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of static power converters are arranged in a plurality of cylindrical arrays disposed within the optical cavity. 8. The solar thermal engine of claim 7, wherein a heat exchanger surrounds the optical cavity and is coupled to the propellant annulus, the heat exchanger operable for transferring the at least a first portion of the ambient thermal energy to the propellant annulus. 9. The solar thermal engine of claim 8, wherein the heat exchanger includes a first boundary wall and a second boundary wall that is spaced radially outwardly of the first boundary wall, wherein the propellant annulus is formed between the first and second boundary walls and wherein the propellant annulus is disposed between the second boundary wall and the plurality of static power converters. 10. The solar thermal engine of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage device includes an electrochemical energy storage device. 11. The solar thermal engine of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage device includes an electromechanical energy storage device. 12. The solar thermal engine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of static power converters includes a converter selected from a group consisting of alkali metal thermoelectric converters, thermionic converters, thermoelectric power converters and thermophotovoltic converters. 13. The solar thermal engine of claim 1, further including at least one heat pipe condensers for rejecting a remainder portion of the ambient thermal energy from the engine. 14. A solar thermal engine for propelling and powering a craft, the solar thermal engine comprising: 15. The solar thermal engine of claim 14, wherein the electrical energy storage device includes a storage device selected from a group consisting of an electrochemical energy storage device and an electromechanical energy storage device. 16. The solar thermal engine of claim 14, wherein the plurality of static power converters includes a converter selected from a group consisting of alkali metal thermoelectric converters, thermionic converters, thermoelectric power converters and thermophotovoltic converters. 17. A method for propelling and powering a craft, the method comprising the steps of: 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of rejecting the ambient thermal energy not consumed during the steps of heating the propellant and converting the second portion of the ambient thermal energy into electrical energy. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein a storage device selected from a group consisting of an electrochemical energy storage device and an electromechanical energy storage device is employed in the step of storing the electrical energy. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein a converter selected from a group consisting of alkali metal thermoelectric converters, thermionic converters, thermoelectric power converters and thermophotovoltic converters is employed in the step of transmitting at least the first portion of the ambient thermal energy to the static power converter to generate electrical energy.