Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for the storage of energy in power plants comprising the steps of: heating an excess of water during low-load operation in water preheaters; storing the heated water as hot water in a hot storage vessel; feeding the heated water from said storage vessel during peak-load operation into a feed water line and bypassing said feed water preheaters; alternately taking from and storing in a lower portion of said storage vessel cold water and said hot water; degassing thermally said cold water before storing in said storage vessel, said degassing step being applied with bleeder steam at a pressure substantially above atmospheric.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for the storage of energy in power plants comprising the steps of: heating an excess of water during low-load operation in water preheaters; storing the heated water as hot water in a hot storage vessel; feeding the heated water from said storage vessel during peak-load operation into a feed water line and bypassing said feed water preheaters; alternately taking from and storing in a lower portion of said storage vessel cold water and said hot water; degassing thermally said cold water before storing in said storage vessel, said degassing step being applied with bleeder steam at a pressure substantially above atmospheric.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure is substantially between 1.01 and 1.5 atmospheres absolute.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein during the step of storing hot water in said storage vessel a feed water tank connected to a degasser provides for volume compensation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined in claim 2 including the step of alternately filling and emptying a hot storage tank and a feed water tank; and storing temporarily condensate in a cold storage tank lying behind a condenser.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said hot water is stored at a temperature corresponding substantially to the feed water temperature at full load operation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as defined in claim 5 wherein said hot water is stored after peak-load operation and at substantially full load.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein temperature and pressure of reheated steam at peak load operation are balanced so that they lie on a line of constant lifetime utilization of pipe material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 2 including the step of transferring part of the heat from at least part of the hot water to a heat consumer prior to feeding the hot water into a steam generator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus for the storage of energy in power plants, comprising: water preheaters for heating an excess of water during low-load operation; a feed water line for receiving the heated water from said storage vessel during peak-load operation and bypassing said feed water preheaters; said storage vessel having a lower storage portion, cold water and hot water being alternately taken from and stored in said lower storage portion of said storage vessel; means for degassing thermally said cold water before storing in said storage vessel by applying bleeder steam at a pressure substantially above atmospheric; said degassing means comprising thermal degasser means having a mixer preheater connected ahead of said hot storage vessel, and a bleeder line connected to said thermal degasser means and having a withdrawal pressure substantially above atmospheric pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus for the storage of energy in power plants, comprising: water preheaters for heating an excess of water during low-load operation; a feed water line for receiving the heated water from said storage vessel during peak-load operation and bypassing said feed water preheaters; said storage vessel having a lower storage portion, cold water and hot water being alternately taken from and stored in said lower storage portion of said storage vessel; means for degassing thermally said cold water before storing in said storage vessel by applying bleeder steam at a pressure substantially above atmospheric; said degassing means comprising thermal degasser means having a mixer preheater connected ahead of said hot storage vessel, and a bleeder line connected to said thermal degasser means and having a withdrawal pressure substantially above atmospheric pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 including feed water tank means connected to said degasser means and having a volume of substantially 30% of the volume of said hot storage vessel, said hot storage vessel being substantially completely filled with water.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 including a condenser and low pressure preheaters; a cold storage tank located between said condenser and said low pressure preheaters; a warm storage tank connected to said degasser means; high-pressure preheaters located behind said degasser means; and medium pressure pump means, said hot storage vessel being connected in parallel with said high-pressure preheaters and said medium pressure pump means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 including heat consumer means; and pressure reduction valve means, said heat consumer means being connected to said hot storage vessel through said pressure reduction valve means.