Molten salt receiver cooling system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorRobert Z. Litwin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flow of molten salt is provided through a solar-thermal heat exchange receiver. The receiver converts solar energy, reflected from heliostats, to thermal energy that is stored in molten salt. A vessel holds a store of molten salt for cooling the receiver upon a loss of flow. At the outlet of the receiver, an air separator removes air entrained in the flow of molten salt. From the air separator, the flow of molten salt proceeds through a downcomer having flow obstacles to a hot storage tank.
Claims38
A system for cooling a receiver heat exchanger of a molten salt receiver system, comprising:
- a molten salt holding vessel;
- a receiver heat exchanger having an inlet downstream of the holding vessel and an outlet, the inlet and outlet permitting flow of molten salt through the heat exchanger;
- an air separator having an inlet downstream of the receiver heat exchanger and an outlet, the air separator permitting the release of air entrained in the molten salt flow from the receiver heat exchanger;
- a downcomer downstream of the air separator outlet and capable of delivering molten salt to a molten salt energy generation system;
- and
- at least one flow obstacle within the downcomer.
A molten salt receiver system, comprising:
- a molten salt source;
- a pump adapted to receive molten salt from the molten salt source and to urge flow of the molten salt;
- a receiver heat exchanger having an inlet downstream of the pump and an outlet, the inlet and outlet permitting flow of molten salt through the heat exchanger;
- a flow control valve downstream of the pump;
- a molten salt holding vessel having an outlet interconnected downstream of the pump and upstream of the heat exchanger;
- an air separator having an inlet downstream of the heat exchanger and an outlet, the air separator permitting the release of air entrained in the molten salt flow from the receiver heat exchanger;
- a downcomer downstream of the air separator outlet for receiving molten salt flow therefrom;
- at least one flow obstacle within the downcomer;
- and
- a hot molten salt storage tank downstream of the air separator outlet for receiving molten salt flow from the downcomer.
A method for cooling a receiver heat exchanger of a molten salt receiver system comprising:
- permitting flow of molten salt through the receiver heat exchanger;
- releasing air entrained in the flow of molten salt after the molten salt has passed through the receiver heat exchanger;
- delivering the molten salt to a molten salt energy generation system after releasing the entrained air therefrom;
- monitoring the flow of molten salt to detect an occurrence of a predetermined flow condition;
- and
- automatically supplementing the flow of molten salt to the receiver heat exchanger with molten salt from a molten salt holding vessel upon the detection of the occurrence of the predetermined flow condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.