Renewable power generation system and method

A renewable power generation system comprising a steam powered electrical generation system having a steam turbine configured to drive an electrical generator, a first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system configured to generate low/moderate temperature steam, and a second or high temperature renewable energy system configured to superheat the low/moderate temperature steam generated by the first renewable energy system and to supply superheated steam to said steam turbine;

• wherein said first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system is configured to utilize solar energy to heat a first working fluid to a low/moderate temperature and to store a sufficient quantity of said first working fluid heated to said low/moderate temperature sufficient to generate said low/moderate temperature steam both when the first renewable energy system is receiving solar energy and when during extended periods of time energy is not directly available from the sun;
• and
• wherein said second or high temperature renewable energy system is configured to utilize a second renewable energy source to be capable of heating a high temperature heat storage medium to a high temperature and to utilize said high temperature heat storage medium to heat a gaseous high temperature heat transfer working medium to a sufficiently high temperature so that the said heated gas can superheat said low/moderate temperature steam generated by said first renewable system so that superheated steam is supplied to said steam turbine;
• wherein said second renewable energy system is configured to generate electricity, where at least a portion of the electricity generated by said second renewable energy system is configured to electrically heat a high temperature heat storage medium to a sufficiently high temperature to heat said heat transfer gas when the latter is brought into heat transfer relation with said heat storage medium such that the heat transfer gas is capable of superheating said low/moderate temperature steam, a tank for holding a supply of said heat storage medium heated to said high temperature, and a superheater adapted to be heated by said heat transfer gas to superheat the low/moderate temperature steam generated by said first renewable energy system and to supply superheated steam to said steam turbine.

A renewable power generation system comprising a steam powered electrical generation system having a steam turbine configured to drive an electrical generator, a first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system configured to generate low/moderate temperature steam, and a second or high temperature renewable energy system configured to superheat the low/moderate temperature steam generated by the first renewable energy system and to supply superheated steam to said steam turbine, said first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system being configured to utilize solar energy to heat a first working fluid to a low/moderate temperature and to store a sufficient quantity of said first working fluid heated to said low/moderate temperature sufficient to generate said low/moderate temperature steam both when the first renewable energy system is receiving solar energy and when during extended periods of time energy is not available from the sun, said low/moderate temperature renewable energy system being configured to supply heat to an evaporator to generate said low/moderate temperature steam, a second or high temperature renewable energy system configured to utilize a renewable energy source to heat a high temperature heat transfer working fluid to a sufficiently high temperature so as to superheat said low/moderate temperature steam generated by said first renewable system so that superheated steam is supplied to said steam turbine, said second or high temperature renewable energy system having a superheater configured to be heated by said high temperature working fluid for generating superheated steam, said second renewable energy system being configured to generate electricity, where at least a portion of the electricity generated by said second renewable energy system is configured to electrically heat a high temperature heat storage medium to a sufficiently high temperature to heat said high temperature working fluid to a desired high temperature when the latter is brought into heat transfer relation with said heat storage medium such that the high temperature working fluid when brought into operational relation with said superheater superheats said low/moderate temperature steam and supplies superheated steam to said steam turbine, a tank for holding a supply of said heat storage medium heated to said high temperature, said power generation system further comprising a HRSG-like assembly comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet where the inlet is configured to receive said high temperature working fluid heated by said high temperature heat storage medium with said high temperature working fluid flowing through and exiting from said housing, a recirculation system configured to receive said high temperature working fluid from said exit and to return said high temperature working fluid to be reheated by said high temperature heat storage medium, said housing having a plurality of coils therein arranged within said housing to be sequentially heated by said high temperature working fluid flowing through said housing from said inlet to said outlet, said plurality of coils including a first coil positioned within said housing so as to be the first of said coils heated by the high temperature working fluid as the latter enters the housing, a second coil arranged in said housing downstream of said first coil, a third coil arranged in said housing downstream of said second coil, and a fourth coil arranged in said housing downstream from said third coil, said coils being configured so that the temperature of said working fluid can decrease as it passes around each of said coils, said fourth coil being configured to receive steam from said turbine at a relatively low temperature, to reheat said steam, and to supply said reheated steam to the inlet of said second coil, said second coil being configured to reheat said reheated steam and to supply the reheated steam to an appropriate stage of said steam turbine, said third coil having an inlet configured to receive steam from said evaporator that is heated by said first renewable energy system, said third coil being configured to be a superheater to superheat said steam therein to a temperature somewhat higher than the temperature of the steam exiting said evaporator and to supply said superheated steam to the inlet of said first coil which constitutes a second superheater configured to further superheat said steam, said first coil supplying said superheated steam to said turbine.

A renewable power generation system comprising a steam powered electrical generation system having a steam turbine (5) configured to drive an electrical generator (7), a first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system (9) configured to generate low/moderate temperature steam, and a second or high temperature renewable energy (11) system configured to superheat the low/moderate temperature steam generated by the first renewable energy system and to supply superheated steam to said steam turbine (5), said first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system (9) being configured to utilize solar energy to heat a first working fluid to a low/moderate temperature and to store a sufficient quantity of said first working fluid heated to said low/moderate temperature sufficient to generate said low/moderate temperature steam both when the first renewable energy system (9) is receiving solar energy and when during extended periods of time energy is not available from the sun, said low/moderate temperature renewable energy system (9) being configured to supply heat to an evaporator (15) to generate said low/moderate temperature steam, said second or high temperature renewable energy system (11) being configured to utilize a renewable energy source to heat a high temperature heat transfer working fluid to a sufficiently high temperature so as to superheat said low/moderate temperature steam generated by said first renewable system so that superheated steam is supplied to said steam turbine, said second or high temperature renewable energy system (11) having a superheater (19) configured to be heated by said high temperature working fluid for generating superheated steam, said second renewable energy system (11) being configured to generate electricity, where at least a portion of the electricity generated by said second renewable energy system is configured to electrically heat a sufficient quantity of a high temperature heat storage medium (30) to a sufficiently high temperature to heat said high temperature working fluid to a desired high temperature when the latter is brought into heat transfer relation with said heat storage medium such that the high temperature working fluid when brought into operational relation with said superheater (19) can superheat said low/moderate temperature steam and supplies superheated steam to said steam turbine, a tank (29) for holding a sufficient quantity of said heat storage medium (30) heated to said high temperature to generate said superheated steam supplied to said turbine both when the second renewable energy system (11) is available when it is not available for an extended period of time, said power generation system (1) having a first and a second HRSG-like assembly (301, 303) each comprising a housing (307, 321) having an inlet (309, 325) and an outlet (311, 327) where the inlet (325) for said first HRSG-like assembly (303) is configured to receive said high temperature working fluid heated by said high temperature heat storage medium (30) with said high temperature working fluid flowing through and exiting from said second housing (321) via said outlet (327), a recirculation system (329) configured to receive said high temperature working fluid from the exit (327) of said second housing (321) and to return said high temperature working fluid to be reheated by said high temperature heat storage medium (30), said second housing (321) having a plurality of coils (323d, 323c, 323b, 323a) arranged within said housing (321) adapted to be sequentially heated by said high temperature working fluid flowing through said housing (321) from said inlet (325) to said outlet (327), said plurality of coils including a first coil positioned (323a) within said housing (321) so as to be the first of said coils heated by the high temperature working fluid as the latter enters the housing (321), a second coil (323b) arranged in said housing downstream of said first coil (323a), a third coil (323c) arranged in said housing downstream of said second coil (323b), and a fourth coil (323d) arranged in said housing (321) downstream from said third coil (323c), the temperature of said working fluid decreasing as it passes around each of said coils, said fourth coil (323d) being configured to receive steam from said turbine at a relatively low temperature, to reheat said steam, and to supply said reheated steam to the inlet of second coil (323b), said second coil (323b) being configured to reheat said reheated steam and to supply the reheated steam to an appropriate stage of said steam turbine (5), said third coil (323c) having an inlet configured to receive steam heated by said first renewable energy system (9), said third coil (323c) being configured to superheat said steam therein to a temperature somewhat higher than the temperature of the steam exiting said evaporator (15) and to supply said superheated steam to the inlet of said first coil (323a) which constitutes a second superheater configured to further superheat said steam, said first coil supplying said superheated steam to said turbine, said housing (307) of said first HRSG-like assembly (301) having a plurality of coils (305a, 305b, 305c, 305d) located therein, a recirculation system (313) configured to circulate a flow of a heat transfer gas (e.g., air) through said housing (307) from said inlet (309) past said coils and out outlet (311), said first and last coils (305a, 305d) in said housing (307) receiving molten salt from hot tank (23) for heating said heat transfer gas flowing through said housing (307), said third coil (305c) being configured to receive feedwater from said feed pump (17), to heat said feed water to an elevated temperature, and to supply said heated feedwater to an inlet of said second coil (305b), said third coil being configured to form steam at a low/moderate temperature and to supply said low/moderate temperature steam to the inlet of the second coil (323b) in said second HRSG-like assembly for the purpose described above.

A renewable power generation system comprising a steam powered electrical generation system having a steam turbine (5) configured to drive an electrical generator (7), a first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system (9) configured to generate low/moderate temperature steam, and a second or high temperature renewable energy (11) system configured to superheat the low/moderate temperature steam generated by the first renewable energy system and to supply superheated steam to said steam turbine (5), said first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system (9) being configured to utilize solar energy to heat a first working fluid to a low/moderate temperature and to store a sufficient quantity of said first working fluid heated to said low/moderate temperature sufficient to generate said low/moderate temperature steam both when the first renewable energy system (9) is receiving solar energy and when during extended periods of time energy is not available from the sun, said low/moderate temperature renewable energy system (9) being configured to supply heat to an evaporator (15) to generate said low/moderate temperature steam, said second or high temperature renewable energy system (11) being configured to utilize a renewable energy source to heat a high temperature heat transfer working fluid to a sufficiently high temperature so as to superheat said low/moderate temperature steam generated by said first renewable system so that superheated steam is supplied to said steam turbine, said second or high temperature renewable energy system (11) having a superheater (19) configured to be heated by said high temperature working fluid for generating superheated steam, said second renewable energy system (11) being configured to generate electricity, where at least a portion of the electricity generated by said second renewable energy system is configured to electrically heat a sufficient quantity of a high temperature heat storage medium (30) to a sufficiently high temperature to heat said high temperature working fluid to a desired high temperature when the latter is brought into heat transfer relation with said heat storage medium such that the high temperature working fluid when brought into operational relation with said superheater (19) superheats said low/moderate temperature steam and supplies superheated steam to said steam turbine, a tank (29) for holding a sufficient quantity of said heat storage medium (30) heated to said high temperature to generate said superheated steam supplied to said turbine both when the second renewable energy system (11) is available and when it is not available for an extended period of time, said power generation system (1) having a first and a second HRSG-like assembly (401, 403) each comprising a respective housing (411, 405) each having a respective inlet (413, 407) and an outlet (415, 409) where the inlet (407) for said second HRSG-like assembly (403) is configured to receive said high temperature working fluid heated by said high temperature heat storage medium (30) with said high temperature working fluid flowing through and exiting from said second housing (405) via said outlet (409), a recirculation system (416) configured to receive said high temperature working fluid from the exit (415) of said housing (411) of said first HRSG-like assembly (401) and to return said high temperature working fluid to be reheated by said high temperature heat storage medium (30), said housing (411) of said first HRSG-like assembly (401) having a plurality of coils (417a, 417b, 417c, 417d) arranged to be sequentially heated by said high temperature working fluid flowing through said first HRSG-like assembly 401, said plurality of coils (417a, 417b, 417c,417d) including a first coil (417a) positioned within said housing (411) so as to be the first of said coils in said second housing (411) heated by the high temperature working fluid as the latter enters the housing (411) via inlet (413), a second coil (417b) arranged in said housing (411) downstream of said first coil (417a), a third coil (417c) arranged in said housing (411) downstream of said second coil (417b), and a fourth coil (417d) arranged in said housing (411) downstream from said third coil (417c), the temperature of said working fluid decreasing as it passes around each of said coils, said third coil (417c) being configured to receive condensate from said condenser (13) at a relatively low temperature to reheat said condensate and to supply said reheated condensate to the inlet of second coil (417b), said second coil (417b) being configured to evaporate said reheated condensate and to supply the steam to said second HRSG-like assembly (403), said first and fourth coils (417a, 417d) being configured to receive said first working fluid from said hot tank 23 which is heated by said first renewable energy system (9) so as to heat the high temperature working fluid flowing through the first HRSG-like assembly (401), said housing (405) of said second HRSG-like assembly (403) having a plurality of coils (411a, 411b, 411c, 411d) located therein, said recirculation system (416) configured to circulate a flow of said high temperature heat transfer gas through said housing (407) being from said inlet (407) past said coils (411a, 411b, 411c, 411d) and out outlet (409) and into inlet (413) of the first HRSG-like assembly (401), said first and last coils (411a and 411d) in said housing (411) being adapted to receive molten salt from hot tank (23) for heating said heat transfer gas flowing through said housing (411) and to return said molten salt to cold tank (25) after the molten salt is discharged from the first and last coils (411a, 411d), said third coil (417c) being configured to receive feedwater from said feed pump (17), to heat said feed water to an elevated temperature, and to supply said heated feedwater to an inlet of said third coil (417c), said third coil (417c) being configured evaporate said heated feedwater to form low/moderate temperature steam and to supply said low/moderate temperature steam to the inlet of the third coil (411c) in said second HRSG-like assembly (403) for superheating said low/moderate temperature steam and for supplying high pressure superheated steam to said steam turbine (5).

A method of renewable energy power generation utilizing a steam powered electrical generation system having a steam turbine that drives an electrical generator, a first or low/moderate temperature renewable energy system that generates low/moderate temperature steam, and a second high temperature renewable energy system that superheats the low/moderate temperature steam and supplies superheated steam to the steam turbine, said high temperature renewable energy system being a renewable energy system that generates electricity, said method comprises the following steps:

• a. Utilizing solar energy in said low/moderate temperature renewable energy system to heat a first working fluid to a desired low/moderate temperature;
• b. Storing a quantity of said first working fluid heated to said low/moderate temperature sufficient to generate said low/moderate temperature steam both while solar energy is available and for extended periods when solar energization is not available;
• c. Utilizing renewable energy to generate electricity in a second renewable energy system;
• d. Utilizing at least a portion of the electricity generated by said second renewable energy system to heat a heat transfer gas to a high temperature;
• and
• e. Supplying said high temperature heat transfer gas to a superheater in sufficient quantity to superheat said low/moderate temperature steam and to supply superheated steam to said steam turbine.