Photo-thermal and liquid metal medium coupled new energy system

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of photo-thermal energy utilization, in particular to a photo-thermal and liquid metal medium coupling new energy system which comprises a photo-thermal collector. The fused salt energy storage tank or the steam storage tank is connected with a medium outlet of the photo-thermal heat collector through a liquid metal pipeline and used for storing heat of the high-temperature liquid metal or releasing heat; the steam generator is connected with the medium outlet of the fused salt energy storage tank, heats water into steam by using the heat of the liquid metal, and conveys the steam to an energy consumption terminal through a steam pipeline; the liquid metal storage tank is used for storing liquid metal, an inlet of the liquid metal storage tank communicates with the steam generator through a liquid metal pipeline, and an outlet communicates with a medium inlet of the photo-thermal collector through a liquid metal pipeline. According to the utility model, the liquid metal is used as a heat transfer medium, and the photo-thermal system is optimized and improved on the basis, so that the construction, operation and maintenance cost is remarkably reduced, and an efficient, safe and sustainable innovative path is provided for photo-thermal power generation and energy utilization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of photothermal energy utilization technology, specifically a new energy system that couples photothermal energy with liquid metal medium. Background Technology

[0002] Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a renewable energy utilization technology that converts solar energy into heat energy and then into electricity through a concentrating system. Its core lies in using a heat transfer medium to absorb concentrated solar radiation, generating high-temperature, high-pressure steam through heat exchange to drive a turbine for power generation. It combines high efficiency with energy storage potential, making it an important direction for the large-scale utilization of solar energy.

[0003] Currently, traditional concentrated solar power (CSP) systems commonly use molten salt, water, or thermal oil as the heat transfer medium. While molten salt is widely used due to its high heat capacity, it has significant drawbacks in practical operation: First, molten salt has a low vaporization point (approximately 580°C), while the temperature at the collector end of a dish-type CSP system can reach 800–1000°C. Under high-temperature conditions, molten salt is prone to vaporization, expansion, carbonization, and coking, leading to risks of pipe bursts and blockages. Increased costs also arise from material replacement due to molten salt deterioration. Furthermore, energy consumption is required to insulate the molten salt system to prevent solidification. To mitigate these risks, multiple pressure controls, safety protection devices, and temperature controls must be implemented in the CSP system, resulting in a more complex system structure and increased maintenance costs. Second, molten salt is highly corrosive, requiring the use of special materials such as chromium alloys for the pipes and pumps, significantly increasing equipment costs and maintenance complexity.

[0004] Based on this, this technology proposes an improved scheme using liquid metal as the heat transfer medium. Through its high vaporization point, excellent fluidity, non-corrosiveness, and low insulation cost, it completely avoids the inherent defects of media such as molten salt. Furthermore, the solar thermal system has been optimized and improved on this basis, significantly simplifying the system structure and reducing construction and operation and maintenance costs, providing an efficient, safe, and sustainable innovative path for solar thermal power generation and energy utilization. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention provides a new energy system that couples photothermal energy with liquid metal medium, which can solve the technical problems of complex structure and high maintenance cost of existing molten salt photothermal systems.

[0006] This application provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A new energy system coupling photothermal and liquid metal media includes:

[0008] Photothermal collectors are used to absorb light energy and transfer heat to liquid metal;

[0009] Molten salt storage tanks or steam storage tanks are connected to the medium outlet of the solar thermal collector via liquid metal pipelines, and are used to store heat from high-temperature liquid metal or release heat.

[0010] The steam generator is connected to the medium outlet of the molten salt energy storage tank through a liquid metal pipeline. It uses the heat of the liquid metal to heat water into steam and then transports the steam to the energy-consuming terminal through the steam pipeline.

[0011] A liquid metal storage tank is used to store liquid metal. Its inlet is connected to a steam generator through a liquid metal pipeline, and its outlet is connected to the medium inlet of a solar thermal collector through a liquid metal pipeline.

[0012] Technical Principle: During operation, cryogenic liquid metal from a liquid metal storage tank is transported to a solar thermal collector, which converts sunlight into heat energy. The liquid metal, acting as a heat transfer medium, flows within the collector, absorbing heat and increasing its own temperature. It then flows through liquid metal pipelines into a molten salt storage tank. The molten salt storage tank utilizes the high specific heat capacity of molten salt to store a portion of the heat carried by the liquid metal, which is released during non-sunlight periods. During sunlight, the liquid metal, carrying another portion of its heat from the molten salt storage tank, enters a steam generator. This heat is transferred to the water within the generator pipes, heating it into high-temperature, high-pressure steam. The steam is then transported to energy-consuming terminals via pipelines. These terminals can utilize the high-temperature steam for power generation, directly supply steam to industrial and commercial use, or use it for heating. After heat transfer, the liquid metal cools down, flows out of the steam generator, and returns to the liquid metal storage tank through the liquid metal pipelines, entering the next cycle.

[0013] Beneficial effects:

[0014] 1. Simplified System Structure: Existing molten salt photothermal systems require complex pressure control and safety protection devices to address the vaporization problem of molten salt, resulting in a complex system structure and increased complexity and potential failure points. The liquid metal coupling system adopted in this application eliminates the risk of vaporization of liquid metal, thus eliminating the need for the aforementioned complex pressure control and safety protection devices. This significantly simplifies the system structure, reduces the number of components and connections, and improves system reliability and stability.

[0015] 2. Lower Cost: Molten salt in molten salt solar thermal systems is highly corrosive, requiring the use of special materials such as chromium alloys for piping and pumps, increasing equipment procurement costs. Furthermore, the complex system structure and the use of special materials make maintenance difficult and costly. In contrast, liquid metal is non-corrosive, and pipes and pumps can be made of ordinary materials, reducing equipment costs. The simplified system structure also lowers installation and maintenance costs, saving significant funds during both construction and operation phases.

[0016] 3. Higher energy transfer efficiency: The molten salt in a molten salt solar thermal system has relatively poor fluidity and heat transfer performance at high temperatures compared to liquid metal, affecting heat transfer efficiency and thus reducing the overall energy conversion efficiency of the system. Liquid metal, on the other hand, has excellent fluidity, enabling it to more efficiently absorb and transfer the heat collected by the solar thermal collector, quickly transferring it to the molten salt storage tank and steam generator, thereby improving heat transfer efficiency and contributing to enhanced system energy conversion efficiency and overall performance.

[0017] 4. Enhanced Safety: In molten salt solar thermal systems, the vaporization point of molten salt is approximately 580℃, while the temperature at the collector end of dish and tower solar thermal systems can reach 800-1000℃ or higher. At high temperatures, molten salt easily vaporizes and expands, posing a risk of pipe bursting and requiring multiple pressure control and safety protection devices to ensure operational safety. Liquid metal, on the other hand, has a high vaporization point and can withstand the high temperatures at the collector end of solar thermal systems. It is not easily vaporized in an operating environment of 800-1000℃, fundamentally avoiding the risk of pipe bursting due to the vaporization and expansion of the medium, and significantly improving system safety.

[0018] Furthermore, an energy storage circulation bypass is provided between the liquid metal storage tank and the molten salt energy storage tank. A control valve is installed on the energy storage circulation bypass. The inlet end of the energy storage circulation bypass is connected to the outlet of the liquid metal storage tank, and the outlet end of the energy storage circulation bypass is connected to the medium inlet of the molten salt energy storage tank through a liquid metal pipeline.

[0019] Beneficial effects: During non-sunlight hours, the control valve on the energy storage cycle bypass is opened, allowing the liquid metal in the liquid metal storage tank to enter the molten salt energy storage tank through the energy storage cycle bypass. The heat stored in the molten salt energy storage tank is used to directly heat the liquid metal. The heated liquid metal then flows out of the molten salt energy storage tank and enters the steam generator to produce steam.

[0020] 1. This process can effectively utilize the heat stored in the molten salt storage tank during sunshine hours, ensuring a continuous and stable power supply to the solar thermal system during non-sunshine hours, improving energy utilization efficiency and avoiding energy waste. Moreover, this method of directly using the heat from the molten salt storage tank to heat liquid metal can reduce additional energy consumption and equipment wear compared to starting other backup heating equipment, further reducing the system's operating costs and enhancing the system's economy and practicality under different operating conditions.

[0021] 2. By heating the liquid metal through the energy storage cycle bypass, the time delay caused by waiting for the solar thermal collector to restart and heat the liquid metal is reduced, enabling the energy-consuming terminal to obtain a stable steam supply in a shorter time. This improves the flexibility and adaptability of the entire solar thermal and liquid metal medium coupled new energy system to cope with different lighting conditions.

[0022] Furthermore, the molten salt energy storage tank includes a tube side and a shell side. The shell side is filled with molten salt thermal storage medium, and the tube side includes liquid metal coils for heat exchange and water supply coils. The inlet of the liquid metal coils is connected to the medium outlet of the solar thermal collector, and the outlet of the liquid metal coils is connected to the medium inlet of the steam generator.

[0023] Beneficial effects: By setting up two pipelines in the molten salt energy storage tank, water can be supplied to the water supply bypass pipe during non-sunlight hours. The heat stored in the molten salt energy storage tank is used to heat the liquid metal, and then the liquid metal coil exchanges heat with the water supply coil to heat the water into steam. This fully utilizes the energy storage advantages of the molten salt energy storage tank and realizes flexible energy conversion and output.

[0024] Furthermore, the steam generator is also equipped with a first water inlet pipe and a first steam pipeline, both of which are equipped with control valves. The first water inlet pipe is connected to a water source or a condenser, and the first steam pipeline is connected to an energy-consuming terminal.

[0025] Beneficial effects: The first water inlet pipe can be connected to a water source, ensuring a continuous and stable water supply to the steam generator when the system is operating normally and external water resources are sufficient, meeting the basic requirements for steam production and ensuring normal system operation. Simultaneously, the first water inlet pipe can also be connected to the condenser. This design achieves water resource recycling. During system operation, after the steam completes its driving work at the energy-consuming terminals, it is re-condensed into liquid water through the condenser. At this point, the condensate, connected to the condenser via the first water inlet pipe, can be reintroduced into the steam generator for heating and steam production, reducing dependence on external water resources, lowering system operating costs, and aligning with the concept of sustainable development.

[0026] Furthermore, the water supply coil is connected to a second water inlet pipe at its inlet and to a second steam pipe at its outlet. Both the second water inlet pipe and the second steam pipe are equipped with control valves. The second water inlet pipe is connected to the first water inlet pipe, and the second steam pipe is connected to the energy-consuming terminal.

[0027] Beneficial effects:

[0028] 1. During periods of sunshine, steam is stably supplied via the solar thermal collector, the first inlet water pipe, and the first steam pipeline. During non-sunshine periods, the system switches to the second inlet water pipe and the second steam pipeline, utilizing the heat from the molten salt storage tank for steam supply. This process fully utilizes the heat stored in the molten salt during sunshine hours, achieving rational allocation and efficient utilization of energy at different times. Furthermore, this time-segmented steam supply method ensures a stable steam supply to the energy-consuming terminals regardless of changes in sunlight conditions, preventing interruptions or significant fluctuations in steam supply due to the presence or absence of sunshine, thus improving the overall stability of the solar thermal and liquid metal medium coupled new energy system.

[0029] 2. During periods of sunshine, the steam generator undertakes the primary steam production task, fully utilizing its advantage of efficiently generating steam from solar energy through the operation of the first water inlet pipe and the first steam pipeline. During non-sunshine periods, the water supply coil, located in the molten salt storage tank, undertakes steam production through the second water inlet pipe and the second steam pipeline. This design allows the steam generator and water supply coil to operate separately at different times, avoiding continuous high-load operation of a single device, thereby reducing equipment wear and extending the overall service life of the equipment.

[0030] Furthermore, it includes a control system, which is electrically connected to several control valves. The control system enables automatic control of each control valve.

[0031] Furthermore, the energy-consuming terminal includes a power generation terminal or a steam supply terminal. The power generation terminal includes a steam turbine generator connected to the steam pipeline of the steam generator, and a condenser is connected to the outlet of the steam turbine generator. The steam supply terminal includes a steam pressure regulator connected to the steam pipeline of the steam generator, and several steam supply pipelines are provided at the outlet of the steam pressure regulator.

[0032] Beneficial effects: Multiple energy-consuming terminals meet the diverse steam needs of different users, improve the system's adaptability to different energy consumption scenarios, and fully realize the value of steam generated by the solar thermal system.

[0033] Furthermore, solar thermal collectors include tower collectors or distributed dish collectors.

[0034] Furthermore, when it is a tower-type solar collector, the solar thermal collector, molten salt energy storage tank, steam generator, and liquid metal storage tank are all installed on the solar thermal tower, and the steam pipeline of the steam generator extends to the bottom of the solar thermal tower and connects to the energy-consuming terminal.

[0035] Beneficial effects: By placing the solar thermal collector, molten salt storage tank, steam generator, and liquid metal storage tank all on the solar thermal tower, this compact layout greatly saves ground space. Furthermore, with all equipment concentrated on the solar thermal tower, the shorter pipeline distances between the liquid metal after absorbing heat in the solar thermal collector, the storage in the molten salt storage tank, and the heat transfer to the steam generator effectively reduce heat loss during transmission, improve heat transfer efficiency, and thus enhance the energy conversion efficiency of the entire solar thermal system. This allows the system to utilize solar energy more efficiently to generate steam and electricity.

[0036] Furthermore, when using a distributed dish solar collector, the solar thermal collector is mounted above the dish heliostat via a support frame, while the steam generator and liquid metal storage tank are mounted on the ground.

[0037] Beneficial effects: This layout allows solar thermal collectors to be flexibly arranged according to different terrains and lighting conditions; in addition, the number of collectors in distributed dish collectors can be gradually increased according to actual needs and funding conditions, enabling modular construction. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the photothermal system connection in Example 1;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another energy consumption method in Example 1;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the photothermal system connection in Example 2;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another energy consumption method in Example 2;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the tower-type solar thermal system in Example 3;

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the distributed dish-type solar thermal system in Example 4. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The following detailed description illustrates the specific implementation method:

[0045] The markings in the accompanying drawings include: solar thermal collector 1, liquid metal pipeline 11, energy storage circulation bypass 12, molten salt energy storage tank 2, liquid metal coil 21, water supply coil 22, steam generator 3, liquid metal storage tank 4, drive pump 41, steam pipeline 5, first steam pipeline 51, second steam pipeline 52, water source 6, water supply pump 60, first water inlet pipe 61, second water inlet pipe 62, steam turbine generator 71, condenser 72, steam pressure regulator 73, steam supply pipeline 74, control valve 100, heliostat 200, solar thermal tower 201, butterfly heliostat 202, and support 203.

[0046] Example 1

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, a new energy system coupling photothermal and liquid metal media includes:

[0048] Photothermal collector 1 is used to absorb light energy and transfer heat to liquid metal;

[0049] Molten salt storage tank 2 or steam storage tank, this embodiment specifically uses molten salt storage tank 2 as an example for detailed description; molten salt storage tank 2 is connected to the medium outlet of solar thermal collector 1 through liquid metal pipeline 11, used to store the heat of high temperature liquid metal or release heat; specifically, the shell side of molten salt storage tank 2 is filled with molten salt heat storage medium, and a set of liquid metal coils 21 are set inside, the liquid metal coils 21 are used to allow high temperature liquid metal to pass through.

[0050] The steam generator 3 is connected to the medium outlet of the molten salt energy storage tank 2 through a liquid metal pipeline 11. It uses the heat of the liquid metal to heat water into steam and then transports the steam to the energy-consuming terminal through the steam pipeline 5. Specifically, in this embodiment, the steam generator 3 is a steam boiler, and the steam pipeline 5 is the first steam pipeline 51. The steam generator 3 is also equipped with a first water inlet pipe 61, which is equipped with a control valve 100 and a water pump 60. The first water inlet pipe 61 is connected to a water source 6 or a condenser 72, and the first steam pipeline 51 is connected to the energy-consuming terminal.

[0051] Energy-consuming terminals include power generation terminals or steam supply terminals, such as... Figure 1 As shown, when generating electricity using steam, the first steam pipe 51 is connected to the power generation terminal. The power generation terminal also includes a steam turbine generator 71 connected to the first steam pipe 51 of the steam generator 3. The outlet of the steam turbine generator 71 is connected to one end of the condenser 72, and the first water inlet pipe 61 is also connected to the condenser 72. Figure 2 As shown, when steam is used directly, the first steam pipeline 51 is connected to the steam supply terminal. The steam supply terminal includes a steam pressure regulator 73 connected to the first steam pipeline 51 of the steam generator 3. Several steam supply pipelines 74 are provided at the outlet of the steam pressure regulator 73, which can be used to supply steam to industrial and commercial enterprises or for centralized heating.

[0052] Liquid metal storage tank 4 is used to store liquid metal, such as... Figure 1 As shown, its inlet is connected to the medium outlet of the steam generator 3 via a liquid metal pipeline 11, and its outlet is connected to the medium inlet of the solar thermal collector 1 via a liquid metal pipeline 11. The liquid metal pipeline 11 at the outlet of the liquid metal storage tank 4 is also equipped with a drive pump 41 and a control valve 100. Specifically, the liquid metal used in this embodiment can be a low-melting-point liquid metal disclosed in patent number 201410268984.1, which is an alloy composed of 37% gallium, 22% indium, 18.6% bismuth, 3% aluminum, 2% iron, 2.4% magnesium, and 15% tin by mass; or the liquid metal disclosed in patent number 201910250637.9, which is an alloy composed of 20% gallium, 30% indium, 19% bismuth, 5% aluminum, 3% iron, 5% magnesium, and 18% tin by mass.

[0053] In this embodiment, an energy storage circulation bypass 12 is also provided between the liquid metal storage tank 4 and the molten salt energy storage tank 2. A control valve 100 is installed on the energy storage circulation bypass 12. The inlet end of the energy storage circulation bypass 12 is connected to the outlet of the liquid metal storage tank 4, and the outlet end of the energy storage circulation bypass 12 is connected to the medium inlet of the molten salt energy storage tank 2 through a liquid metal pipeline 11. Specifically, it also includes a control system (not shown in the figure), which is electrically connected to several control valves 100. The control system can be a PLC controller, and the control valves 100 are electric valves. The controller automatically controls the opening and closing of each electric valve.

[0054] Specifically, during sunshine hours: The low-temperature liquid metal in the liquid metal storage tank 4 is transported to the solar thermal collector 1 via the drive pump 41. The solar thermal collector 1 converts sunlight into heat energy. The liquid metal, acting as a heat transfer medium, flows within the solar thermal collector 1, absorbing the heat transferred from the collector and raising its own temperature. It then flows into the molten salt storage tank 2 through the liquid metal pipeline 11. The molten salt storage tank 2 utilizes the high specific heat capacity of molten salt to store a portion of the heat carried by the liquid metal for release during non-sunshine hours. During sunshine hours, the liquid metal, carrying another portion of heat, enters the steam generator 3 after passing through the molten salt storage tank 2. This heat is transferred to the water in the steam generator 3 pipes, heating the water into high-temperature, high-pressure steam. The steam is then transported to the energy-consuming terminal through the first steam pipeline 51.

[0055] During non-sunlight hours, the control valve 100 on the energy storage circulation bypass 12 is opened, allowing the liquid metal in the liquid metal storage tank 4 to enter the molten salt energy storage tank 2 through the energy storage circulation bypass 12. The heat stored in the molten salt energy storage tank 2 is used to directly heat the liquid metal. The heated liquid metal then flows out of the molten salt energy storage tank 2 and enters the steam generator 3 to generate steam. This process effectively utilizes the heat stored in the molten salt energy storage tank 2 during sunshine hours, ensuring a continuous and stable power supply to the solar thermal system during non-sunlight hours, improving energy utilization efficiency, and avoiding energy waste. Moreover, this method of directly using the heat from the molten salt energy storage tank 2 to heat the liquid metal reduces additional energy consumption and equipment wear compared to starting other backup heating equipment, further reducing the system's operating costs and enhancing the system's economy and practicality under different operating conditions.

[0056] Example 2

[0057] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that, as Figure 3-4 As shown, the energy storage cycle bypass 12 is eliminated, and the structure of the molten salt energy storage tank 2 is improved. Specifically, the molten salt energy storage tank 2 includes a tube side and a shell side. The shell side is filled with molten salt thermal storage medium, and the tube side includes a liquid metal coil 21 for heat exchange and a water supply coil 22. The inlet of the liquid metal coil 21 is connected to the medium outlet of the solar thermal collector 1, and the outlet of the liquid metal coil 21 is connected to the medium inlet of the steam generator 3.

[0058] The water supply coil 22 has a second water inlet pipe 62 connected to its inlet, and a second steam pipe 52 connected to its outlet. Both the second water inlet pipe 62 and the second steam pipe 52 are equipped with control valves 100. The second water inlet pipe 62 is connected to the first water inlet pipe 61 via a tee. The second steam pipe 52 is connected to an energy-consuming terminal, which can be a power generation terminal or a steam supply terminal. Figure 3 The energy-consuming terminal shown is the power generation terminal. Figure 4 The energy-consuming terminal shown is a steam supply terminal.

[0059] During operation, during periods of sunshine, the control valves 100 on the second water inlet pipe 62 and the second steam pipeline 52 are closed, and steam is stably supplied mainly by the solar thermal collector 1, the steam generator 3, and the first water inlet pipe 61 and the first steam pipeline 51. During non-sunshine periods, the system switches to the second water inlet pipe 62 and the second steam pipeline 52. Water is transported to the water supply coil 22 through the second water inlet pipe 62, and the heat stored in the molten salt energy storage tank 2 is used to heat the liquid metal. The liquid metal coil 21 then exchanges heat with the water supply coil 22 to heat the water into steam. This process fully utilizes the heat stored in the molten salt during sunshine, achieving a reasonable allocation and efficient utilization of energy at different times. Moreover, this time-segmented steam supply method ensures a stable steam supply to the energy-consuming terminals regardless of changes in sunshine conditions, preventing interruptions or significant fluctuations in steam supply due to the presence or absence of sunshine, thus improving the stability of the entire solar thermal and liquid metal medium coupled new energy system.

[0060] In addition, during sunny periods, the steam generator 3 undertakes the main steam production task, fully utilizing its advantage of efficiently generating steam from solar energy through the operation of the first water inlet pipe 61 and the first steam pipeline 51. During non-sunny periods, the water supply coil 22 undertakes the steam production task in the molten salt storage tank 2, operating through the second water inlet pipe 62 and the second steam pipeline 52. This design also allows the steam generator 3 and the water supply coil 22 to work separately at different times, avoiding continuous high-load operation of a single device, thereby reducing equipment wear and extending the overall service life of the equipment.

[0061] It is worth noting that in other embodiments besides this one, if necessary, steam generator 3 and water supply coil 22 can be used simultaneously to generate steam during sunshine hours to increase the steam supply.

[0062] Example 3

[0063] The difference between this embodiment and embodiments one and two is that, as Figure 5As shown, the solar thermal collector 1 is a tower-type collector, and the heliostat 200 is installed on the ground to focus sunlight onto the collector at the top of the solar thermal tower 201. Specifically, the solar thermal collector 1, molten salt storage tank 2, steam generator 3, and liquid metal storage tank 4 are all installed on the solar thermal tower 201. The solar thermal collector 1 is located at the top of the solar thermal tower 201, the liquid metal storage tank 4 and the steam generator 3 are located in the middle of the solar thermal tower 201, and the molten salt storage tank 2 is located between the top and the middle of the tower. The various devices are connected by liquid metal pipelines 11 to form a solar thermal circulation system. The steam pipeline 5 of the steam generator 3 extends to the bottom of the solar thermal tower 201 and connects to the energy-consuming terminal.

[0064] In this embodiment, the solar thermal collector 1, molten salt storage tank 2, steam generator 3, and liquid metal storage tank 4 are all installed on the solar thermal tower 201. This compact layout greatly saves ground space. On the other hand, with all the equipment concentrated on the solar thermal tower 201, the pipeline distances between the liquid metal after absorbing heat in the solar thermal collector 1 and the molten salt storage tank 2 and the heat transfer to the steam generator 3 are shorter, which can effectively reduce heat loss during the transmission process, improve heat transfer efficiency, and thus improve the energy conversion efficiency of the entire solar thermal system, enabling the system to utilize solar energy to generate steam and electricity more efficiently.

[0065] Example 4

[0066] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 3 is that, as Figure 6 As shown, the solar thermal collector 1 is a distributed dish collector. Specifically, the solar thermal collector 1 is mounted above the dish heliostat 202 via a support 203. The steam generator 3 and the liquid metal storage tank 4 are mounted on the ground and connected to the solar thermal collector 1 via liquid metal pipelines 11. This layout allows the solar thermal collector 1 to be flexibly arranged according to different terrain and lighting conditions; moreover, the distributed dish collector can gradually increase the number of collectors according to actual needs and funding conditions, enabling modular construction.

[0067] The above are merely embodiments of this utility model, and the utility model is not limited to the field covered by this embodiment. Commonly known structures and characteristics in the solutions are not described in detail here. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the structure of this utility model, and these should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model. These modifications will not affect the effectiveness of the implementation of this utility model or the practicality of the patent. The scope of protection claimed in this application should be determined by the content of its claims, and the specific embodiments described in the specification can be used to interpret the content of the claims.

Claims

1. A new energy system coupling photothermal and liquid metal medium, characterized in that, include: Photothermal collectors are used to absorb light energy and transfer heat to liquid metal; Molten salt storage tanks or steam storage tanks are connected to the medium outlet of the solar thermal collector via liquid metal pipelines, and are used to store heat from high-temperature liquid metal or release heat. The steam generator is connected to the medium outlet of the molten salt energy storage tank through a liquid metal pipeline. It uses the heat of the liquid metal to heat water into steam and then transports the steam to the energy-consuming terminal through the steam pipeline. A liquid metal storage tank is used to store liquid metal. Its inlet is connected to a steam generator through a liquid metal pipeline, and its outlet is connected to the medium inlet of a solar thermal collector through a liquid metal pipeline.

2. The photothermal and liquid metal medium coupling new energy system according to claim 1, characterized in that: An energy storage circulation bypass is also provided between the liquid metal storage tank and the molten salt energy storage tank. A control valve is installed on the energy storage circulation bypass. The inlet end of the energy storage circulation bypass is connected to the outlet of the liquid metal storage tank, and the outlet end of the energy storage circulation bypass is connected to the medium inlet of the molten salt energy storage tank through a liquid metal pipeline.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the system is characterized in that: The molten salt energy storage tank includes a tube side and a shell side. The shell side is filled with molten salt thermal storage medium. The tube side includes a liquid metal coil for heat exchange and a water supply coil. The inlet of the liquid metal coil is connected to the medium outlet of the solar thermal collector, and the outlet of the liquid metal coil is connected to the medium inlet of the steam generator.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the system is characterized in that: The steam generator is also equipped with a first water inlet pipe and a first steam pipeline. Both the first water inlet pipe and the first steam pipeline are equipped with control valves. The first water inlet pipe is connected to a water source or a condenser, and the first steam pipeline is connected to an energy-consuming terminal.

5. The photothermal and liquid metal medium coupling new energy system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The water supply coil is connected to a second water inlet pipe at its inlet and to a second steam pipe at its outlet. Both the second water inlet pipe and the second steam pipe are equipped with control valves. The second water inlet pipe is connected to the first water inlet pipe, and the second steam pipe is connected to the energy-consuming terminal.

6. The photothermal and liquid metal medium coupling new energy system according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a control system, which is electrically connected to several control valves.

7. The photothermal and liquid metal medium coupling new energy system according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: The energy-consuming terminal includes a power generation terminal or a steam supply terminal. The power generation terminal includes a steam turbine generator connected to the steam pipeline of the steam generator, and a condenser is connected to the outlet of the steam turbine generator. The steam supply terminal includes a steam pressure regulator connected to the steam pipeline of the steam generator, and several steam supply pipelines are provided at the outlet of the steam pressure regulator.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is characterized in that: The solar thermal collector includes a tower collector or a distributed dish collector.

9. The photothermal and liquid metal medium coupling new energy system according to claim 8, characterized in that: When it is a tower-type solar collector, the solar thermal collector, molten salt energy storage tank, steam generator, and liquid metal storage tank are all installed on the solar thermal tower, and the steam pipeline of the steam generator extends to the bottom of the solar thermal tower and connects to the energy-consuming terminal.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the system further comprises a heat pipe. When it is a distributed dish solar collector, the solar thermal collector is mounted above the dish heliostat via a bracket, while the steam generator and liquid metal storage tank are mounted on the ground.

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