Solar concentrator/trough style steam generator

Eric L._2

I posted this over at the solar area but I figured I'd get a few more opinions from some steam guys.

I've got a steam heated brick house with a flat roof.I was planning on building some solar hot air boxes to supplement the heat in the winter. Then I started reading about parabolic /trough solar steam generators.Does anyone think its possible to to make enough steam on a sunny day with a big enough array to pipe it in to the steam system and actually fill the radiators?

Rod

Solar to Fill Steam Radiators?

Solar for steam? Nope - Not physically or economically practical even if you lived in Tucson, Arizona!  Look at the btu input on your boiler and then check the median output of the solar collector and just figure how many collectors you would need to match the btu input of your boiler. We haven't even got into getting the steam from the collector to the radiators yet or the volume of water needed  in the "boiler".  What do you do when it has been overcast and snowing for the last 10 days?  There are a lot more practical things you can do to improve your steam system. For example - improve the insulation on the piping and tighten up your house. Windows that let solar heat in but keep it from leaking out.

- Rod