Flexible connecting device suitable for molten salt tank heat collector
Through the design of full hose connection and limiting device, the flexible connection problem of molten salt tank heat collector in high temperature environments is solved, the stability and sealing of the system are ensured, and the service life of the hose is extended.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422412197.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-08
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-12
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-10-08
AI Technical Summary
The prior art is difficult to provide flexible connections for molten salt tank heat collectors in high temperature environments, and common sealing materials are easily oxidized by molten salt, causing leakage, affecting system stability and life.
The full hose connection design is adopted, combined with steel pipes and limiting devices, allowing the hose to move in one-dimensional direction, reducing friction through the rolling parts, ensuring sealing and stability.
The stability and sealing of flexible connections in high temperature environments are achieved, avoiding hose damage caused by fatigue and extending service life.
Smart Images
Figure CN223216509U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model belongs to the application field of trough collectors in the concentrated solar thermal industry, and particularly relates to a flexible connection device suitable for molten salt trough collectors. Background Art
[0002] With the development of technology and the need to reduce costs, the operating temperature of solar thermal power plants is getting higher and higher. Taking trough solar thermal power generation technology as an example, the trough power plants developed in the past few decades basically use thermal oil as the heat transfer fluid. Due to the performance of thermal oil, the maximum operating temperature is about 400℃, which leads to low steam parameters of the back-end steam turbine generator set and relatively low efficiency. In addition, the unit price of thermal oil is high, the power station consumption is huge, and the investment is high. In order to solve these problems, people began to consider using molten salt as the heat transfer fluid, which has a maximum operating temperature of 550℃ and a low unit price. While this boost in steam at the front end significantly improves the efficiency of the turbine generator set and significantly reduces power plant investment, it also presents certain challenges for the front-end concentrating and collecting heat. On the one hand, the increased temperature causes greater thermal expansion along the axis of the collector tube, necessitating a flexible connection design that accounts for this increased expansion. Furthermore, the use of molten salt as the heat transfer fluid—commonly a mixture of 60% NaNO₃ and 40% KNO₃—is highly oxidizing, damaging the sealing materials used in common flexible connection designs (such as ball joints), potentially damaging the seals and causing leaks. Given the high temperature and freezing point of molten salt (approximately 240°C), this significantly impacts the safe and stable operation of the collector. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a flexible connection suitable for molten salt heat transfer fluids that can both provide a flexible connection between the collector tube and fixed piping and ensure the service life and stability of the flexible connection piping. Utility Model Content
[0003] In order to solve the above technical problems, the utility model provides a flexible connection device suitable for a molten salt tank collector, which adopts a full hose connection, which is used to absorb the thermal expansion and rotation in the axial direction of the collector tube, and at the same time limits the hose so that it moves only within the allowed one-dimensional direction, so as to avoid damage to the hose due to additional fatigue and ensure sealing and stability.
[0004] The main technical solutions adopted in this utility model are:
[0005] A flexible connection device suitable for a molten salt tank collector, comprising a first hose, a second hose, a steel pipe, and a one-dimensional limiting device, wherein one end of the first hose is connected to one end of a heat collecting pipe, and the other end is connected to one end of the steel pipe, the other end of the steel pipe is connected to one end of the second hose, and the other end of the second hose is fixedly connected to one end of a fixed pipe, the steel pipe is supported by the steel pipe and connected to the rotating shaft of the heat collecting pipe via a coupling, the rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the top of a support frame, the one-dimensional limiting device is mounted on the support frame, and the second hose is limitedly mounted in the one-dimensional limiting device, so that the second hose moves only in a one-dimensional plane perpendicular to the rotating shaft.
[0006] Preferably, it also includes a U-shaped limiter, which is vertically mounted on the end plate on one side of the collector frame and cooperates with the end plate to form a limit hole parallel to the rotation axis, and the first hose is passed through the limit hole.
[0007] Preferably, the one-dimensional limiting device includes two limiting plates arranged parallel to each other, and a hose accommodating space is formed between the two limiting plates for accommodating the second hose to ensure that the second hose moves within the allowed one-dimensional direction.
[0008] Preferably, a plurality of groups of rolling elements are provided on the second hose along the axial direction, and the rolling elements are in rolling contact with the limiting plate to reduce friction between the second hose and the limiting plate.
[0009] Preferably, each group of rolling elements includes a clamp and a plurality of universal wheels, the plurality of universal wheels are circumferentially distributed on the clamp, and the clamp is tightly mounted on the second hose, and the universal wheels are in rolling contact with the limiting plate.
[0010] Preferably, the outer circumferences of the first hose and the second hose are both provided with a thermal insulation layer.
[0011] Beneficial effects: The utility model provides a flexible connection device suitable for molten salt tank collectors, which has the following advantages:
[0012] (1) In the present invention, a segmented hose and a steel pipe are used to realize a flexible connection between the heat collecting pipe and the fixed pipeline, wherein the two sections of the hose absorb the axial thermal expansion and rotation of the heat collecting pipe respectively, and the steel pipe is used to connect the rotating shaft to drive the two sections of the hose to follow the movement.
[0013] (2) In the present invention, a limiting assembly (U-shaped limiting member, one-dimensional limiting device) is used to limit the movement of the first hose and the second hose so that they move in the allowed one-dimensional direction, thereby avoiding additional movement causing the flexible connection to fail due to fatigue.
[0014] (3) In the present invention, a rolling assembly is used to reduce the motion friction between the second hose and the limit plate, which is beneficial to extending the service life of the second hose and its heat-insulating shell and improving the stability of the system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of Example 1;
[0016] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the specific structure of the rolling element of this embodiment 1;
[0017] In the figure: first hose 1, second hose 2, steel pipe 3, one-dimensional limit device 4, limit plate 4-1, heat collecting pipe 5, fixed pipe 6, steel pipe support 7, compensation pipe 8, rotating shaft 9, support frame 10, collector frame 11, end plate 11-1, U-shaped limit member 12, limit hole 12-1, rolling member 13, universal wheel 13-1, clamp 13-2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] In order to help those skilled in the art better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application are clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of this application. Example
[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, a flexible connection device suitable for a molten salt tank collector is shown, comprising a first hose 1, a second hose 2, a steel pipe 3, a one-dimensional limit device 4 and a U-shaped limit member 12, wherein one end of the first hose 1 is connected to one end of the heat collecting pipe 5, and the other end is connected to one end of the steel pipe 3, the other end of the steel pipe 3 is connected to one end of the second hose 2, and the other end of the second hose 2 is fixedly connected to one end of the fixed pipe 6, the steel pipe 3 is connected to the rotating shaft 9 of the heat collecting pipe 5 through the steel pipe support 7 via a coupling, the rotating shaft 9 is rotatably mounted on the top of the support frame 10, the one-dimensional limit device 4 is mounted on the support frame 10, the second hose 2 is limit-mounted in the one-dimensional limit device 4, so that the second hose 2 only moves in a one-dimensional plane perpendicular to the rotating shaft, the U-shaped limit member 12 is vertically mounted on the end plate 11-1 on one side of the collector frame 11, and cooperates with the end plate 11-1 to form a limit hole 12-1 parallel to the rotating shaft 9, and the first hose 1 is passed through the limit hole 12-1.
[0020] In this embodiment 1, the one-dimensional limiting device 4 includes two limiting plates 4-1 arranged parallel to each other, and a hose accommodating space is formed between the two limiting plates 4-1 for accommodating the second hose 2 to ensure that the second hose 2 moves within the allowed one-dimensional direction.
[0021] In this embodiment 1, five groups of rolling elements 13 are arranged on the second hose 2 along the axial direction. Each group of rolling elements 13 is in rolling contact with the limit plate 4-1 to reduce the friction loss between the second hose 2 and the limit plate 4-1 and extend the service life. Figure 2 As shown, each group of rolling elements 13 includes a clamp 13-2 and a plurality of universal wheels 13-1. The plurality of universal wheels 13-1 are circumferentially distributed on the clamp 13-2, and the clamp 13-2 is tightly mounted on the second hose 2. The universal wheels 13-1 are in rolling contact with the limiting plate 4-1.
[0022] In order to ensure the sealing reliability of the connection, in this embodiment 1, flanges or welding can be used to connect the first hose 1 and the heat collecting pipe 5, the first hose 1 and the steel pipe 3, the steel pipe 3 and the second hose 2, and the second hose 2 and the fixed pipe 6.
[0023] In this embodiment 1, the rotation center line of the rotating shaft 9 coincides with the rotation center line of the heat collecting tube 5 .
[0024] Based on space or size considerations, a compensation pipe 8 may be further connected between the first hose 1 and the heat collecting pipe 5 to extend the heat collecting pipe 5 .
[0025] In order to reduce heat transfer loss, in this embodiment 1, the outer circumferences of the first hose 1 and the second hose 2 are both provided with a thermal insulation layer.
[0026] The working principle of this utility model is as follows:
[0027] When the molten salt tank collector rotates in one dimension to track the sun, the first hose 1 connected to the heat collecting pipe 5 rotates accordingly, and at the same time drives the steel pipe 3 and the second hose 2 to rotate. The steel pipe 3 is connected to the rotating shaft 9 via a coupling, further ensuring that the entire flexible connection rotates with the collector around its rotation centerline. In addition, under the limiting action of the one-dimensional limiting device 4 and the U-shaped limiting member 12, the first hose 1 and the second hose 2 are guaranteed to move within the allowed one-dimensional direction, which can minimize fatigue damage to the hoses, thereby ensuring the service life of the flexible connection while achieving the function of rotating with the collector. At the same time, the first hose 1 can also absorb thermal expansion in the axial direction of the heat collecting pipe 5. The flexible connection of this embodiment 1 has lower processing requirements and sealing design requirements, thereby reducing the possibility of leakage and is particularly suitable for molten salt tank collectors with strong oxidizing properties. In addition, by setting the limit of the flexible connection in the present invention, it is possible to avoid the flexible connection from failing due to fatigue due to additional action, further ensuring the stability of the system.
[0028] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A flexible connection device suitable for a molten salt tank collector, characterized in that: A first hose, a second hose, a steel pipe, and a one-dimensional limiting device, wherein one end of the first hose is connected to one end of the heat collecting pipe, and the other end is connected to one end of the steel pipe, the other end of the steel pipe is connected to one end of the second hose, and the other end of the second hose is fixedly connected to one end of the fixed pipe, the steel pipe is supported by the steel pipe and connected to the rotating shaft of the heat collecting pipe via a coupling, the rotating shaft is rotatably installed at the top of the support frame, the one-dimensional limiting device is installed on the support frame, and the second hose is limited in the one-dimensional limiting device, so that the second hose only moves in a one-dimensional plane perpendicular to the rotating shaft.
2. The flexible connection device suitable for molten salt tank collector according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a U-shaped limiting piece, which is vertically installed on the end plate on one side of the collector frame and cooperates with the end plate to form a limiting hole parallel to the rotation axis, and the first hose is passed through the limiting hole.
3. The flexible connection device for molten salt tank collector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The one-dimensional limiting device includes two limiting plates arranged parallel to each other, and a hose accommodating space is formed between the two limiting plates for accommodating the second hose to ensure that the second hose moves within the allowed one-dimensional direction.
4. The flexible connection device suitable for molten salt tank collector according to claim 3, characterized in that: A plurality of rolling elements are provided on the second hose along the axial direction. The rolling elements are in rolling contact with the limiting plate to reduce friction between the second hose and the limiting plate.
5. The flexible connection device suitable for molten salt tank collector according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each group of rolling elements includes a clamp and a plurality of universal wheels. The plurality of universal wheels are circumferentially distributed on the clamp, and the clamp is tightly mounted on the second hose. The universal wheels are in rolling contact with the limiting plate.
6. The flexible connection device for molten salt tank collector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The outer circumferences of the first hose and the second hose are both provided with a heat-insulating layer.