Patent ID: 7325401

Claim:
A power plant, comprising: a source of compressed air; a heat source with an inlet connected to the source of compressed air and an outlet, the heat source for receiving air through said inlet and discharging heated air through said outlet; a series of two or more turbo-generators connected to said outlet; each of said two or more turbo-generators including a turbine coupled to a generator, said turbine for receiving the heated air and producing rotary motion and said generator for converting the rotary motion into electrical power; said turbines of the two or more turbo-generators being connected in series such that each turbine reduces the pressure of said gas received by it, thereby defining a multi-stage series of turbines; at least one of said one or more turbines including a variable area nozzle adjustable to control turbine power input in response to one or both of varying solar power input and a varying pressure of said compressed air; means for controlling the speed of at least one of said one or more turbines to effect an efficient conversion of said heated air to mechanical work.