Patent US3886749A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3886749A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Steam power stations
Assignee: Babcock Atlantique SA
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Filing: 1973-07-10
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1993-07-10
Abstract
Abstract The steam power station includes an accumulator for storing heat drawn from the operating steam cycle during slack operating periods when the power network demand on the station is low, and restoring the heat to the steam cycle at peak or high-demand periods, to adapt the station to a variable demand network. The transfer of heat between the operating installation of the station, which includes a steam turbine, and the accumulator, is made by way of a heat-transfer fluid which is in heat-transfer relation with the steam of which at least a part has done mechanical work in the turbine. The heat-transfer fluid is reversibly circulated in heat-transfer relation with the steam in such a way that the heat-transfer from the steam to said fluid occurs at substantially the same temperature as the transfer from said fluid to the steam. The installation can also heat feed water returning to the steam generator by tapping off live steam for said heating at the outlet from the generator. The installation can have apparatus for separating into liquid and dry steam partially expanded steam issuing from the turbine, the liquid from that apparatus being vaporised by heat from a heat accumulator supplied with heat from the heat source of the installation; all the liquid is vaporised during high-demand periods while in slack periods all the liquid is restored to the feed water circuit to the steam generator.
Inventors
- 👤 Pierre Henri Pacault
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:18
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01K; F01K3/00; F01K3/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of operating a steam power station with a variabledemand network, the station comprising a generating installation including a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine, and an accumulator adapted to draw heat from the installation by transfer with a heat-transfer fluid; said method comprising the steps of storing said heat and subsequently restoring it to the installation for operation of same, characterized by the fact that the heat-transfer fluid for the transferring of heat between the installation and the accumulator is in heat-exchange relation with steam of which at least a part has performed mechanical work in said turbine.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of operating a steam power station with a variabledemand network, the station comprising a generating installation including a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine, and an accumulator adapted to draw heat from the installation by transfer with a heat-transfer fluid; said method comprising the steps of storing said heat and subsequently restoring it to the installation for operation of same, characterized by the fact that the heat-transfer fluid for the transferring of heat between the installation and the accumulator is in heat-exchange relation with steam of which at least a part has performed mechanical work in said turbine.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of operating a steam power station with a variable-demand network, the station comprising a generating installation including a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine, and an accumulator adapted to draw heat from the installation by transfer with a heat-transfer fluid; said method comprising the steps of storing said heat and subsequently restoring it to the installation for operation of same, characterized by the fact that the heat-transfer fluid for the transferring of heat between the installation and the accumulator is in heat-exchange relation with steam of which at least a part has performed mechanical work in said turbine.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of operating a steam power station with a variable-demand network, the station comprising a generating installation including a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine, and an accumulator adapted to draw heat from the installation by transfer with a heat-transfer fluid; said method comprising the steps of storing said heat and subsequently restoring it to the installation for operation of same, characterized by the fact that the heat-transfer fluid for the transferring of heat between the installation and the accumulator is in heat-exchange relation with steam of which at least a part has performed mechanical work in said turbine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
A steam power station comprising: a generating installation having a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine; an accumulator means adapted for heat exchange to or from a steam circuit of said installation by way of a flow of heat-transfer liquid; reversible circulation means for the circulation of said heat-transfer liquid in heat-exchange relation with steam; and means for controlling said circulation in such a way that the taking off and the restoration of heat from and to the installation occur at two temperature levels which are virtually equal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
A steam power station comprising: a generating installation having a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine; an accumulator means adapted for heat exchange to or from a steam circuit of said installation by way of a flow of heat-transfer liquid; reversible circulation means for the circulation of said heat-transfer liquid in heat-exchange relation with steam; and means for controlling said circulation in such a way that the taking off and the restoration of heat from and to the installation occur at two temperature levels which are virtually equal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
A station according to claim 2 including a plurality of heat-transfer liquid-steam exchangers for the transfer of heat to said accumulator means, said exchangers operating at a series of respective temperature levels which are stepped between the outlet temperature of the steam at the steam generator and the temperature at the outlet of a tapping to said exchanger from said steam circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A station according to claim 3 wherein said exchangers comprise a live steam exchanger and a cascade of reheaters fed by high-pressure tappings and at least one low-pressure tapping from said steam circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
A station according to claim 4 including a plurality of heat exchangers for restoring heat to the installation, wherein the turbine has a low-pressure stage and a condenser connected thereto, and wherein said restoration heat exchangers comprise a steam resuperheater upstream of the low-pressure stage and a reheater means for reheating the flow of feed water from the outlet of the condenser back into the steam generator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A station according to claim 5 including first and second pumps and a flow circuit connected to each pump, for circulating heat-transfer fluid through the exchangers, the reheater means and the accumulator Means, said circuits being operatively associated with each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
A station according to claim 6 wherein said first circuit comprises said first pump for pumping the heat-transfer fluid in an invariable direction through said steam resuperheater, the feed water reheater means, reheater means tapped from the steam circuit and the live steam exchanger, and wherein the second said circuit comprises said second pump, said accumulator means and means for reversing the direction of flow through the accumulator means, one circuit being connected in shunt relative to the other circuit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A station according to claim 7 including means for regulating the output of said first pump in dependence on the temperature of the feed water at the inlet of the reheater means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
A station according to claim 7 including means for determining the demand for power made on the station, and regulating means controllable by said determining means for controlling the output of said second pump in dependence on the demand for power of said network.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A station according to claim 9 wherein said determining means comprises a turbine speed regulator means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A station according to claim 10 including means for controlling said second pump to displace fluid in the same direction as said first pump during a period of restoration of heat.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
78 words
A station according to claim 11 including valve means in the circuit of the regulating means, and valve means in the tappings feeding the reheater means, the valve means being actuated if the power demand on the installation exceeds that of the heat source to cause the direction of circulation in said second pump to be reversed and the output to be regulated between a zero value and a maximum equal to the output of said first pump.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A station according to claim 2 wherein said accumulator means has a filling comprising heat-carrier liquid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A station according to claim 2 wherein the flow of the heat-transfer fluid can be regulated whereby the output of the installation is modulated continuously between values ranging from 50 to 100% of nominal power.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A station according to claim 2 wherein the accumulator means and the heat-transfer fluid circuits are positioned outside the generating installation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A station according to claim 15 including an intermediate exchanger outside the installation, said taking off and restoration of heat occurring by way of said intermediate exchanger.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
A station according to claim 16 wherein the heat-transfer fluid circuit includes two exchangers which are connected in shunt to the accumulator means, one of said exchangers providing for the heat storage and restoration transfers with the heat source and the other feeding a heat-utilisation circuit such as an industrial heating system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A station according to claim 2 wherein at least half of the steam which is brought into heat-exchange relation with the heat-transfer liquid has performed mechanical work in a said turbine.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
A station according to claim 2 further including a reheater for heating the feed water flow to the steam generator, and a conduit means for supplying live steam to the reheater from the steam generator for heat transfer to the feed water.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
A station according to claim 19 comprising a heat accumulation means capable of storing as required heat from said heat source and restoring as required the stored heat to the steam cycle of the installation.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of producing power for a variable-demand network by means of a steam power station comprising, a generating installation having a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine, an accumulator means adapted for heat exchange to or from a steam circuit of said installation by way of a flow of heat-transfer liquid, reversible circulation means for the circulation of said heat-transfer liquid in heat-exchange relation with steam, a line for returning condensed water from the turbine back to the steam generator, a reheater for heating the feed water flow to the steam generator, and conduit means for supplying steam from the steam generator to the reheater for heat exchange with the feed water; wherein said method conprises operating the feed water reheater at low-demand periods only.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of producing power for a variable-demand network by means of a steam power station comprising, a generating installation having a heat source, a steam generator, at least one steam turbine, an accumulator means adapted for heat exchange to or from a steam circuit of said installation by way of a flow of heat-transfer liquid, reversible circulation means for the circulation of said heat-transfer liquid in heat-exchange relation with steam, a line for returning condensed water from the turbine back to the steam generator, a reheater for heating the feed water flow to the steam generator, and conduit means for supplying steam from the steam generator to the reheater for heat exchange with the feed water; wherein said method conprises operating the feed water reheater at low-demand periods only.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein, in high-demand periods when the feed water reheater is not operating, accumulated heat is restored to the steam cycle in the measure required to produce a water intake temperature to the steam generator which is higher than the water intake temperature to said reheater when said reheater is operating.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
A mehtod according to claim 22 wherein said water intake temperature to the steam generator is substantially equal to its outlet temperature from said reheater when the reheater is operating.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
51 words
A steam cycle power station according to claim 2, further including a water station tapped from the steam circuit, a reheater downstream of the water station for the feed water to the steam generator, and means for feeding live steam from the steam generator to the reheater as the heating fluid.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of producing power for a variable-demand network by means of a steam cycle power generating installation comprising a steam generator, a machine driven by a steam expansion cycle, a water station tapped from the steam circuit, a reheater downstream of the water station for the feed water to the steam generator, and means for feeding live steam from the steam generator to the reheater as the heating fluid; said method comprising the steps of operating the water station and the feed water reheater during low-demand periods, while accumulating heat from the basic heat source of the installation, heat thus accumulated being restored to the steam cycle during high-demand periods, in the measure required to produce a feed water inlet temperature to the steam generator, which is higher than the outlet temperature from the water station when the water station is operating.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of producing power for a variable-demand network by means of a steam cycle power generating installation comprising a steam generator, a machine driven by a steam expansion cycle, a water station tapped from the steam circuit, a reheater downstream of the water station for the feed water to the steam generator, and means for feeding live steam from the steam generator to the reheater as the heating fluid; said method comprising the steps of operating the water station and the feed water reheater during low-demand periods, while accumulating heat from the basic heat source of the installation, heat thus accumulated being restored to the steam cycle during high-demand periods, in the measure required to produce a feed water inlet temperature to the steam generator, which is higher than the outlet temperature from the water station when the water station is operating.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
72 words
A steam cycle power generating installation having a heat source, a steam generator, a dryer-resuperheater apparatus for separating partially expanded damp steam into liquid and dry steam and resuperheating thereof, a heat accumulator fed with heat by the heat source of the installation, a heat exchanger supplied with heat from the heat accumulator for vaporising purge liquid from said dryer-resuperheater apparatus, and means for recirculating to said installation the steam thereby produced.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
72 words
A steam cycle power generating installation having a heat source, a steam generator, a dryer-resuperheater apparatus for separating partially expanded damp steam into liquid and dry steam and resuperheating thereof, a heat accumulator fed with heat by the heat source of the installation, a heat exchanger supplied with heat from the heat accumulator for vaporising purge liquid from said dryer-resuperheater apparatus, and means for recirculating to said installation the steam thereby produced.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
An installation according to claim 26, comprising means for passing the purge liquid selectively to said heat exchanger or to the water return circuit to the steam generator.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
An installation according to claim 26 including means for recycling steam produced in said heat exchanger to the dryer-resuperheater apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3108938A
Cited
US3451220A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-02 | 1978-12-02 | 1979-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-02 | 1982-12-02 | 1983-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-02 | 1986-12-02 | 1987-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |