Patent ID: 8573196

Claim:
A method of starting up a solar boiler comprising: a) circulating fluids heated by an auxiliary boiler through an auxiliary fluid circuit that includes a plurality of superheater panels to elevate temperatures within the superheater panels; b) circulating fluids through a plurality of steam generator panels exposed to solar radiation to elevate temperatures within the steam generator panels; and c) supplying steam from the steam generator panels to the superheater panels to bring a drum and superheater panels up to an operational temperature for producing solar power by: i) connecting the drum to the steam generator panels; ii) connecting the drum to the superheater panels by opening a drum isolation valve connected between the drum and the superheater panels; and iii) disconnecting the auxiliary boiler from the superheater panels by closing an auxiliary boiler bypass valve connected between the superheater panels and the auxiliary boiler; and d) timing the step of connecting the drum to the steam generator panels to occur after local sunrise, wherein the step of connecting the drum to the superheater panels includes heating the superheater panels with solar heat flux.