US 2013/0255254 A1Published application

Solar thermal power system

AssigneeALSTOM Technology Ltd

InventorsAndreas EHRSAM, Maurus Herzog, Suman Ray

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Abstract

A solar thermal power system can include a solar receiver steam generator, a thermal energy storage arrangement utilising a thermal energy storage fluid, and a multistage steam turbine for driving an electrical generator to produce electrical power. The solar thermal power system has a first operating mode in which steam is generated by the solar receiver steam generator and is supplied both to the thermal energy storage arrangement and to a high pressure turbine inlet of the multistage steam turbine. In a second operating mode, steam is generated by recovering stored thermal energy from the thermal energy storage fluid of the thermal energy storage arrangement for injection into the multistage steam turbine at a location or turbine stage downstream of the high pressure turbine inlet.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A solar thermal power system, comprising:

a solar receiver steam generator;
a thermal energy storage arrangement including a thermal energy storage fluid;
a multistage steam turbine for driving an electrical generator (G) to produce electrical power;
and
a flow control having:
a first operating mode in which steam, generated by the solar receiver steam generator will be supplied to the thermal energy storage arrangement to heat the thermal energy storage fluid and to a high pressure turbine inlet of the multistage steam turbine to drive the steam turbine;
and
a second operating mode in which steam, generated by recovering stored thermal energy from the thermal energy storage fluid and having a storage discharge pressure and storage discharge temperature lower than the pressure and temperature of the steam generated during the first operating mode, will be injected into the multistage steam turbine to drive the steam turbine at a turbine stage downstream of the high pressure turbine inlet where the storage discharge pressure exceeds the pressure present in the turbine stage during the first operational mode, to thereby increase mass flow through the turbine relative to mass flow during the first operational mode.

5 more elements

A method for operating a solar thermal power system having a solar receiver steam generator, a thermal energy storage arrangement with a thermal energy storage fluid, and a multistage steam turbine for driving an electrical generator to produce electrical power, the method comprising:

a first operating mode for generating steam by the solar receiver steam generator;
a second operating mode for generating steam by recovering stored thermal energy from the thermal energy storage fluid, storage steam generated during the second operating mode having a lower pressure and lower temperature than the steam generated during the first operating mode;
supplying the steam generated during the first operating mode to the thermal energy storage arrangement to heat the thermal energy storage fluid, and to a high pressure turbine inlet of the multistage steam turbine to drive the steam turbine;
and
injecting the storage steam generated during the second operating mode into the multistage steam turbine at a turbine stage downstream of the high pressure turbine inlet where the storage discharge steam pressure exceeds the pressure present in the turbine stage during the first operational mode to thereby increase mass flow through the turbine relative to mass flow during the first operational mode.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/855,297Filed 2 Apr 2013
Priority: EP 12162906.72 Apr 2012
Published: 3 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

F03G 6/065
With solar energy concentrating means: having a Rankine cycle
F03G 6/071
Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy: with energy storage devices
F03G 6/114
Heat transfer fluids: molten salts
Y02E 10/46
Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers: conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines