Solar thermal energy generating plant and method for obtaining energy by means of a solar thermal energy generating plant

#This application is the U.S. National Phase of Application No. PCT/EP2011/074171 with the English title “SOLARTHERMAL ENERGY GENERATION PLANT AND METHOD FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION BY MEANS OF A SOLARTHERMAL ENERGY GENERATION PLANT”filed Dec. 28, 2011, published in German on Aug. 30, 2012, which designated the United States, and which claims the benefit of German Application No. 10 2011 000 946.9 filed Feb. 25, 2011.

#The invention relates to a solar thermal energy generating plant comprising a first solar array, using water as a heat transfer medium, a water separator, arranged downstream of the first solar array, and a high-pressure turbine.

#The invention also relates to a method for obtaining energy by means of a solar thermal energy generating plant, in which steam is generated in a first solar array, using water as a heat transfer medium, the steam generated in the solar array is fed to a water separator, in which a fraction of water is extracted from the steam, and the steam leaving the water separator is fed to a high-pressure turbine.

#The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a solar thermal energy generating plant according to the invention in a first embodiment,

#FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a solar thermal energy generating plant according to the invention in a second embodiment,

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a solar thermal energy generating plant according to the invention as provided by a first embodiment. Here, steam is generated in the form of saturated steam in a first solar array 10, using water as a heat transfer medium, and after leaving the first solar array 10 is fed to a first water separator 12, in which water still contained in the steam is separated and returned to the first solar array 10. The steam is subsequently fed to a first superheater 14, which in the case of the embodiment shown here is formed as a steam-steam heat exchanger. In the first superheater 14, the steam is overheated, so that the saturated steam entering the superheater 14 is transformed into what is known as live steam, with a higher temperature and a lower moisture content than the saturated steam. Subsequently, the steam is fed to a high-pressure turbine 16 and a medium-pressure turbine or low-pressure turbine 18, 20, which are connected to a generator 22. The first superheater 14, formed as a steam-steam heat exchanger, is operated with a steam (saturated steam) generated in an additional solar array 24, the steam generated in the additional solar array 24 having a higher temperature and a higher pressure than the steam generated in the first solar array 10. Preferably, the steam generated in the first solar array 10 has a pressure of 60 bar and the steam generated in the additional solar array 24 has a pressure of 80 bar. Arranged between the additional solar array 24 and the first superheater 14 is a second water separator 26, in which water is separated from the steam leaving the additional solar array and is returned to the additional solar array 24.

#The second embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, corresponds substantially to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a second superheater 28, which is formed as a steam-steam heat exchanger, being additionally provided here between the high-pressure turbine 16 and the medium-pressure turbine 18 or the low-pressure turbine 20. The second superheater 28 is likewise operated with steam (saturated steam) generated in the additional solar array 24, in order to overheat again the steam leaving the high-pressure turbine 16 before entering the medium-pressure turbine 18 or the low-pressure turbine 20.

#The third embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, corresponds substantially to the second embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, a medium-pressure turbine 18 and a low-pressure turbine 20 being provided here, and a third superheater 30 in the form of a steam-steam heat exchanger, which is likewise operated with the steam (saturated steam) generated in the additional solar array 24, being formed between the medium-pressure turbine 18 and the low-pressure turbine 20, in order to overheat again the steam leaving the medium-pressure turbine 18 before entering the low-pressure turbine 20.