Geothermal subterranean updraft power plant

Abstract

The invention relates to an updraft power plant having at least one chimney (1), which extends at least partially underground and is connected at its lower end to an air collection chamber (7), in which air from all of the air-carrying system parts is collected and through which the air can flow into the chimney (1), and having fresh air channels (9), through which ambient air can be supplied to the air collection chamber (7) so that the air in the fresh air channels (9) is heated by the surrounding ground, the air collection chamber (7) being divided into at least four sectors, and the chimney (1) having an inside diameter of at least 20 m and a height of at least 100 m.

Description

[0001] Geothermal subterranean updraft power plant

[0002] The invention is based on a solar updraft power plant with at least one chimney which runs at least partially underground and which is connected at its lower end to an air collection chamber in which air from all air-conducting system components is collected and through which the air can flow into the chimney, as well as supply air ducts through which ambient air can be supplied into the air collection chamber in such a way that the air in the supply air ducts is heated by the soil surrounding the supply air ducts.

[0003] In order to maintain a sufficiently high air flow velocity in the chimney, in above-ground updraft power plants, the air is preferably heated at the base before entering the chimney, for which purpose solar collectors, for example, are currently used.

[0004] The disadvantage of above-ground solar chimney power plants, however, is that the chimney requires a height of 200 m to more than 1000 m, which, particularly due to the wind pressure at high altitudes, places corresponding demands on the statics to withstand vibrations and deformations. Furthermore, due to the use of solar collectors, currently known solar chimney power plants are not capable of base load, and their power output is dependent on solar radiation. Furthermore, in zones with a suitable duration of solar radiation, such as desert regions, weather events can occur more frequently, which can lead to increased abrasion of the solar collectors, resulting in corresponding power losses and requiring additional maintenance.The use of solar energy to heat the air also leads to a significant difference in performance between day and night operation, as well as a loss of performance on cloudy days and due to seasonally varying irradiation effects. Due to the small temperature difference that can be generated by solar thermal energy, the efficiency of conventional solar updraft power plants is also low. A further disadvantage of solar updraft power plants is the space required for the solar collectors, which proves to be a hurdle to effective economic operation and is often unavailable in the corresponding economic zones where the updraft power plant is intended to be operated.

[0005] To reduce the space required and the static load on the chimney, WO-A 2004 / 033901 describes an underground updraft power plant in which air is geothermally heated. Disused mines are particularly used for the underground updraft power plant. The mine tunnels are used to supply and heat the air, and the actual power plant is located in the production shaft. Geothermal gradation is used to heat the air, which increases the temperature with increasing depth, namely by 3 K per 100 m. According to WO-A 2004 / 033901, thermal water or waste heat from radioactive waste can be used for additional heat supply.The disadvantage here is that when radioactive waste is used for additional air heating, sufficient measures must be taken against radioactive radiation. In particular, it is necessary to ensure that no radioactivity is released to the outside with the air flowing through the chimney.

[0006] Furthermore, WO-A 2004 / 033901 refers to disused coal, salt, or metal ore mines as updraft power plants. The main shaft, which is supposed to correspond to a former production shaft, is used and, if necessary, supplemented by one or more air intake shafts. Production shafts in mines, regardless of the type, have a maximum diameter of 15 m. Most production shafts are 10 m in diameter. Larger production shafts are not known to date in underground mining.

[0007] The airflow described in WO-A 2004 / 033901 does not generate a usable airflow to drive air turbines. Mine tunnels are aerodynamically designed for sufficient fresh air supply and do not generate wind speeds suitable for power generation. The tunnels in mines extend several kilometers to the conveyor shaft. Even with a high energy input into the air and thus potentially higher flow velocities, the air velocity would be reduced by turbulence and uneven surfaces to such an extent that significant energy generation would no longer be possible.

[0008] The geothermal energy available at depths of 1,000 meters (temperature difference of 30K) or more in a mine is not sufficient to permanently heat the amount of air required to operate a solar updraft power plant. The required amount of air would cause the ground to cool, leading to a significant reduction in flow velocity. The remaining convection of the air in a mine allows for good ventilation of the tunnels, but has no potential for power generation. Furthermore, if the air is heated exclusively by deep geothermal staging, the achievable air temperature is generally insufficient to operate the solar updraft power plant at sufficient power.

[0009] A further disadvantage is that, if the dimensions resulting from the use of mine tunnels are maintained, the modifications described in WO-A 2004 / 033901 would not contribute to significant energy generation if all channel dimensions were maintained.

[0010] In addition, it would be necessary to aerodynamically optimize the air supply in the shafts to minimize pipe losses within the mine. Typically, ducts for ventilating a mine are not sufficient to operate a solar chimney power plant economically.

[0011] A further disadvantage arises from the described serial arrangement of vertical propellers, turbines, or wind turbines due to the resulting complex maintenance. Furthermore, installation is technically complex and correspondingly expensive, and the static load on the shaft lining would be so high that construction costs would increase disproportionately. In particular, the heat load from the hot air at the turbines in the shaft represents a disproportionately high burden for horizontal systems.

[0012] Other updraft power plants whose chimney is at least partially underground are also described, for example, in DE-A 102 03 469, WO-A 02 / 14689, DE-A 17 07 343, GB-A 2 301 633 or US-A 1 ,385,526.

[0013] The disadvantage of all described solar chimney power plants, however, is that they cannot be operated safely with high power yields, and in particular, that power generation cannot be adjusted to actual demand during operation. Another disadvantage of the solar chimney power plants known from the state of the art is that the dimensions of power plants in mines and quarries described above cannot generate sufficient electrical power because the dimensions are too small and the losses due to a lack of flow optimization are too high. The ratio of shaft depth to diameter, as well as the temperature profiles at the inlet and outlet, are particularly relevant here.The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a solar updraft power plant which can be operated independently of the weather, in which the power output can be adjusted to the actual demand with economic yield and which does not require the static expenditure of above-ground power plants.

[0014] The object is achieved by a solar updraft power plant with at least one chimney which is at least partially underground and which is connected at its lower end to an air collection chamber in which air from all air-conducting system components is collected and through which the air can flow into the chimney, as well as supply air ducts through which ambient air can be fed into the air collection chamber in such a way that the air in the supply air ducts is heated by the surrounding soil, wherein the air collection chamber is divided into at least four sectors, an outer sector (37) in which the air flowing in through the supply air ducts (9) is collected, a closable middle sector (47), a closable inner sector (49) and an innermost sector (41) through which the air heated in the middle sector or in the inner sector (49) can be fed to the chimney,wherein at least one switchable heat exchanger for heating the air is arranged in the central sector (47) or in the inner sector (49), and at least one device for generating electrical energy is arranged in the inner sector (49) when the switchable heat exchanger is arranged in the central sector (47), in the central sector (47) when the switchable heat exchanger is arranged in the inner sector (49), and / or at the outlet of the chimney (1), wherein the air in the switchable heat exchanger is heated by means of medium-depth or deep geothermal energy, heat from fault zones, or heat from natural hotspots, and wherein the chimney has an inner diameter of at least 20 m and a height of at least 100 m.

[0015] For the purposes of the present invention, underground or subterranean structures are understood to include both natural depressions and those created by open-pit mining, lying below normal ambient level, such as ravines, craters, open-pit lignite mines, copper mines, titanium mines, gold mines, rock and gravel works, clay pits, gravel pits, or quarries, and also include what is known in English as "surface mining," for example, "strip mining," "open pit mining," or "mountain top removal mining." It is irrelevant whether the depression is allowed to decay after the updraft power plant has been constructed, or whether the pit remains unfilled and the components in the pit are partially or fully visible. Depressions can be used in such a way that at least one or more updraft power plants can be constructed, either individually or in a network.Here, lateral stabilization through the terrain formation of the chimneys by complete or partial backfilling or other stabilization measures such as the connection of multiple chimneys plays an important role.

[0016] By heating the air through the earth surrounding the supply air ducts and by additional heating using medium-depth or deep geothermal energy, heat from fault zones, or heat from natural hotspots, heat can be introduced into the air, increasing the efficiency of the solar updraft power plant compared to state-of-the-art solar updraft power plants. Furthermore, performance deficits can be minimized. Furthermore, the constant and consistent availability of geothermal energy greatly reduces or even completely eliminates the weather-related influences that occur in solar thermal updraft power plants. Furthermore, the required area is much smaller than for solar-powered updraft power plants, and the structural requirements, due to the underground chimney, are also much lower than for an above-ground tower, which in the case of a solar thermal updraft power plant requires a height of up to 1000 m.The air is heated in a switchable heat exchanger by direct or indirect heat transfer, using a heating medium that is heated by deep or medium-deep geothermal energy, heat from fault zones or heat from natural hotspots and then transfers the absorbed heat to the air either by indirect heat transfer or by direct heat transfer, by injecting the heating medium into the air to be heated.

[0017] In the context of the present invention, a solar updraft power plant is a power plant for generating electrical energy in which air is heated by the addition of heat and rises up a chimney. The speed of the rising air is sufficiently high to drive a power generator. The higher the chimney in which the air rises and thus the enclosed vertical column of air, the lower the pressure at the chimney outlet, which increases the flow rate and thus the power output (chimney effect). The key variables for the performance of the solar updraft power plant are the temperature difference between the hot air entering the chimney and the ambient air, as well as the height and diameter of the enclosed air column. In this case, it is not necessary for the air to rise vertically, i.e. at an angle of 90° to the horizontal.The chimney can also be inclined or have areas of varying inclination. However, it is preferred if the angle at which areas of the chimney are inclined relative to the horizontal is in the range of 45° to 90°, more preferably in the range of 70° to 90°, and especially in the range of 80° to 90°. However, it is particularly preferred if the chimney runs essentially vertically, i.e., at an angle of 90° to the horizontal. Deviations from the vertical are particularly construction-related and can amount to up to 5°.

[0018] The stack effect creates a large volume of hotter air in or around the supply air ducts and / or in the air plenum that is less dense than the colder air in the chimney. Since colder air has a higher density, it begins to flow down the still cold inner wall of the chimney. Inside the chimney, the hot and therefore lighter air flows upwards. As the chimney heats up, the cold air along the inner wall of the chimney is pushed upwards by the buoyancy of warm air. The colder air thus further fans the chimney draft, is also heated up, and is pushed upwards by further descending colder air in a turbulent flow, so that the chimney increasingly fills with hot air and the inner walls of the chimney heat up.This creates a hydrostatic pressure imbalance compared to the outside air, which begins to balance itself out as colder and therefore denser, heavier ambient air is drawn into the chimney through the supply air ducts and the hot, less dense air flows upwards in the chimney.

[0019] To ensure that sufficient air is always available, the chimney is connected at its lower end to the innermost sector of the air collection chamber. The air collection chamber is particularly preferably arranged below the chimney. In the air collection chamber with a suitable volume, all of the air from all air-conducting system components, in particular the supply air ducts, is collected and fed to the chimney. According to the invention, the air collection chamber comprises at least four sectors: an outer sector in which the air from the air-conducting system components, in particular the supply air ducts, is collected, a middle sector in which the at least one device for generating electrical energy is accommodated, and downstream an inner sector in which there is at least one heat exchanger with which the air can be heated using geothermally obtained energy, and an innermost sector in which the heated air is fed to the chimney.Power generators and heat exchangers can also be arranged one above the other in the air plenum in the respective sectors. Furthermore, it is also possible for the at least one device for generating electrical energy to be arranged in the inner sector and the at least one heat exchanger to be located in the middle sector. Furthermore, the outer sector and / or the innermost sector can also be equipped with one or more heat exchangers. Furthermore, it is also possible to install one or more heat exchangers in the adjoining chimney. This sectoral structure of the air duct is referred to in the present invention as a sectoral air plenum and includes all of the sectors mentioned above.

[0020] The heat exchanger(s) may also be arranged in the direction of air flow upstream of the device for generating electrical energy, alternatively or additionally in the air supply ducts at any desired location or in the chimney at any desired location.

[0021] The devices for generating electrical energy can additionally or alternatively be arranged at the chimney outlet. To do this, it is possible, for example, to build a ring around the chimney and close off the upper cross-section of the chimney, for example with a dome, so that the air leaving the chimney flows through the ring. The devices for generating electrical energy are preferably arranged in the ring as described below for the air collection chamber. The chimney can also be closed or covered at the top without the devices for generating electrical energy in order to protect it from environmental influences such as water or rain. The same applies to the air supply shafts, which can be roofed. Under the roof there can be either at least one device for generating electricity or simply air inlets.

[0022] This type of arrangement must be designed in such a way that the hot air can be directed to the power generators in a targeted manner. Turbulence must be minimized.

[0023] The central sector and / or the inner sector can be closed off with suitable devices and, preferably, regulated. This enables demand-based power generation by directing only as much air through the central sector as is necessary to generate the current amount of electricity. Unlike conventional power plants, this allows for rapid adjustment to actual power demand.

[0024] By directly supplying the supply air via the supply shafts into the outer sector of the air collection chamber and using heat exchangers in the subsequent sectors and, if applicable, in the chimney, it is not necessary to route the supply air through tunnels for heating, as described in WO-A 2004 / 033901. Due to the design's orientation toward mining, routing the air through the tunnels would trigger strong turbulence, which, at the desired wind speeds, would negatively impact performance and very likely lead to structural defects. According to the invention, the arrangement of the electrical energy generation device in the closable central sector or the closable inner sector allows individual electrical energy generation devices to be removed from the airflow, thus controlling performance.The device for generating electrical energy is preferably arranged in the middle sector upstream of the switchable heat exchanger, since cold air has a higher density than warm air and thus more energy can be generated by the device for generating electrical energy. Furthermore, the thermal load is much lower than when hot air flows through. The air in the switchable heat exchanger is heated by the medium-depth or deep geothermal energy, preferably to a temperature of more than 100°C. The possible separation of the sector in which the device for generating electrical energy is arranged allows maintenance work on the device for generating electrical energy or the heat exchanger during ongoing operation, despite the high temperatures that can be reached by geothermal energy in the depth of the air collection chamber.

[0025] A further advantage of the sectoral arrangement is the optimization of the performance of the electrical energy generation devices. This makes it possible to use electrical energy generation devices that cannot be installed in the chimney due to their weight. Furthermore, a parallel arrangement of several electrical energy generation devices is possible, which does not impede performance compared to a serial arrangement. The serial arrangement of turbines described in WO-A 2004 / 033901 impedes performance because the air pressure drops after each turbine, creating turbulence that impedes the flow to the subsequent turbines connected in series.

[0026] Any device for generating electricity known to those skilled in the art in which wind energy is converted into electrical energy can be used as the device for generating electrical energy. The device for generating electrical energy preferably comprises at least one rotor and at least one generator, or at least one wind-driven turbine with generator, or at least one turbine generator, or at least one pressure-stage turbine with generator, or at least one turboexpander turbine with generator, or at least one pressure-stage wind turbine generator set. Rotors are particularly preferably used to drive the generator, wherein the axes of the rotors can be arranged horizontally or at an angle. For this purpose, the axis of the rotor preferably has an angle in the range of 0° to 60° to the horizontal. Additionally or alternatively, rotors whose axis is inclined at an angle between 60° and 90° to the horizontal can also be used.The rotors can also be specially modified turbines for generating electricity with hot air, which are constructed similarly to the steam turbines used for power generation. The turbine wheels are adapted to the lower density of the flowing medium, i.e., the hot air. Turbines used for power generation are preferably those that do not operate in a speed-graded manner like a free-running wind energy converter (wind turbine), but rather as a shrouded, pressure-graded wind turbine generator set, in which, like a hydroelectric power plant, static pressure is reduced to generate energy.

[0027] In such wind turbine generator sets, the air speed upstream and downstream of the turbine is approximately the same. The extracted power is proportional to the product of the volume flow and the pressure drop across the turbine. With a view to maximum energy yield, the goal of turbine control is to maximize this product in all operating conditions. The turbine regulates the pressure drop and thus the optimal air speed and air flow in the system via blade pitch. The efficiency of such systems is 80% or more.

[0028] It is also possible to provide vertical-axis rotors that utilize a spiral vortex effect. Such rotors are also referred to as spiral updraft turbines. Such rotors have a long, vertical axis with a spherical mount at the lower end, mounted on a permanent magnet. This design creates no friction, so no maintenance is required. Such spiral updraft turbines can be installed anywhere in the chimney. Furthermore, it is also possible to position at least one spiral updraft turbine below the chimney in a widened chimney area.

[0029] In addition to installing the device for generating electrical energy in the central and / or inner sector, corresponding devices can also be installed in any other position in the updraft power plant where air flows, including in the chimney or in supply air ducts or tunnels through which air flows. However, it is preferable to install the devices for generating electrical energy in the central and / or inner sector and, if additional devices for generating electrical energy are provided, to install these in horizontal ducts or ducts with a slight gradient, i.e., a gradient of less than 45°, so that they are easily accessible for repair and maintenance work. If rotors of the device for generating electrical energy are to be installed in the chimney, they are preferably installed as vertical rotors above the air collection chamber in the lowest part of the chimney.In the context of the present invention, the heat that the air absorbs directly from the surrounding earth is referred to as geothermal energy. Since the temperature of the earth increases by approximately 3 K per 100 m with increasing depth, the incoming air can be preheated in this way. To better utilize the heat from the earth surrounding the supply air ducts, it is preferable to drive heat-conducting rods or tubes, in particular Meta II tubes, into the walls of the supply air ducts. At the end protruding into the supply air duct, the flowing air cools the heat-conducting rods and is thus heated. For better heat transfer, it is preferable if the end of the heat-conducting rods protruding into the supply air duct is provided with ribs or fins to enlarge the heat-transfer surface. In addition, a heat-conducting medium can flow through the heat-conducting rods.For this purpose, either a pump can be provided with which the heat-conducting medium is circulated in the heat-conducting pipes or the heat-conducting pipes work according to the principle of a heat pipe known to those skilled in the art.

[0030] Medium-depth or deep geothermal energy used for further heating refers to petrothermal or hydrothermal heat extracted from greater depths, whereby medium-depth or deep geothermal energy achieves a heat input of more than 20 K.

[0031] Medium-depth or deep geothermal energy encompasses systems in which geothermal energy is tapped through deep boreholes and whose energy can be used directly. Medium-depth geothermal energy begins at depths of more than 400 m and temperatures above 20 °C. Deep geothermal energy begins at depths of more than 1000 m and temperatures above 40 °C.

[0032] Deep geothermal energy includes hydrothermal systems, for example aquifers with hot, warm, or thermal water, where hot water has a temperature of more than 100°C, warm water a temperature in the range of 60 to 100°C, and thermal water a temperature of 20 to 60°C. For example, high-energy hydrothermal systems at a depth of 1,000 to 3,500 m, such as a hydrothermal borehole duplicate, can be used to generate heat. Alternatively, the heat can also come from fault zones or natural hotspots. Fault zones or natural hotspots are deep boreholes that, starting at a depth of 100 m, exhibit very strong increases in ground temperature due to geological faults, such as the Laxenburg project in Lower Austria.

[0033] If no natural hotspots are present, it is particularly preferred to use petrothermal systems at depths of 1500 to over 10,000 m, preferably from 2000 to 7500 m, and especially from 2300 to 7000 m, as geothermal heat sources. Here, the energy stored primarily in the rock is utilized. Examples of these utilization systems are enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) or hot dry rock systems (HDR), which are also known as open systems. These involve energy generation from the rock itself, making it largely independent of water-bearing structures. The hot rock, often the crystalline basement or low-porosity sandstone, is used as a heat exchanger.

[0034] Deep geothermal probes are particularly preferred for utilizing medium-depth or deep geothermal energy, harnessing energy from any rock sequence with a closed circuit of the heating medium in the probe. Deep geothermal probes are vertical, closed heat exchangers installed in boreholes more than 400 m deep. In the deep geothermal probe, the heating medium circulates in a closed system, preferably at a depth of 800 to 3000 m. Alternatively, depths of more than 3000 m up to 8000 m are also possible. It is particularly preferred if the geothermal probe is drilled from the lowest point of the solar chimney power plant, for example, the floor of the air collection chamber or a deep inlet channel.Geothermal probes with a closed control loop are preferred, where heat absorption occurs safely in a closed loop system through a working fluid without exchange with the deep water and without interaction with the deep rock. This makes it possible to build closed geothermal systems with very high power outputs, which are required for the solar chimney power plant described here. Examples of such geothermal probes with a larger loop are the systems available under the name Eavor-Loop™ from Eavor GmbH or from Fervo Energy of Houston, Texas.

[0035] Preferably, at least one heat exchanger, with which the air is heated using medium-depth or deep geothermal energy, is located in the inner sector of the air plenum. Additionally, it is possible to provide further heat exchangers in the innermost sector of the air plenum, in the area below the chimney, or in the lower, middle, or upper region of the chimney to heat the air, with a preferred position being in the middle or lower region of the chimney and a particularly preferred position being in the lower region of the chimney. Furthermore, it is also possible to arrange heat exchangers in the supply air shafts, in which case the position is chosen such that the path from the heat exchanger to the chimney outlet is shorter than to the inlet into the supply shaft.

[0036] The performance of the updraft power plant according to the invention depends in particular on three factors: the cross-sectional area of ​​the chimney, the height of the chimney, and the temperature difference. The height and the temperature difference are each factored into the performance calculation of the kinetic energy of the updraft with the exponent 3 / 2. Since the square of the radius is used in the calculation of the cross-sectional area, the cross-sectional area of ​​the chimney offers the greatest potential for increasing performance. The chimney can have a diameter of 20 m to more than 1000 m, with the chimney preferably having a diameter of 20 to 500 m, more preferably of 20 to 300 m, and in particular of 30 to 200 m. If the chimney does not have a round cross-sectional area, but any other cross-sectional area, the diameter of the hydraulic diameter is used, which results in

[0037] 4A d h =~ü is calculated with the cross-sectional area A and the circumference U. However, it is preferred if the chimney has a circular cross-sectional area. This also applies to the supply air ducts.

[0038] In addition to a single chimney, the solar updraft power plant can also have multiple chimneys. This is particularly advantageous when the chimney effect is no longer sufficient due to a diameter that is too large. In this case, several chimneys, each with a smaller diameter, can be provided, with the total cross-sectional area of ​​all chimneys corresponding to the desired cross-sectional area.

[0039] In addition to heating the air using geothermal energy, it is possible to include at least one preferably switchable air heating device, through which the air can be heated using solar thermal energy, waste heat from technical systems or combustion gases. The air heating device usually comprises at least one heat exchanger through which a heat transfer medium flows. The heat transfer medium can then be heated, for example, using solar energy, waste heat from technical systems or combustion gases. Particularly when using combustion gases, it is alternatively also possible to use a burner or a combustion turbine and to feed the resulting combustion gases directly into the air flowing through the chimney. It is also possible, alternatively or additionally, to use further additional heating systems through the combustion of fossil or green energy sources that are on or below the earth's surface.In particular, the waste heat from ironworks or steelworks can be used.

[0040] When using waste heat from technical systems, the heat transfer medium can be used directly to cool the technical system. Alternatively, it is also possible to use cooling water from technical systems to heat the air. In this case, the cooling water is used to cool a technical process and then heat the air with the cooling water. Alternatively, it is also possible to cool the cooling water with the heat transfer medium and then heat the air with the heat transfer medium. This variant, in particular, enables heat pump operation, which can heat the air to higher temperatures than the heated cooling water.

[0041] Any heat exchanger known to those skilled in the art, in which air is heated by a heat transfer medium through direct or indirect heat transfer, can be used as a heat exchanger for heating the air. Suitable heat exchangers include, for example, shell-and-tube heat exchangers, preferably with finned tubes, plate heat exchangers, finned heat exchangers, coiled tube heat exchangers, smooth-tube heat exchangers, flat-tube heat exchangers, or any special heat exchanger.

[0042] The air heating device can be installed in a sector of the air plenum, in air-conducting system components, particularly the supply air ducts, or in the chimney. Preferably, the air heating device is located in the inner sector or in the chimney, and particularly in the inner sector.

[0043] To increase the performance of the updraft power plant, it is advantageous if the air is effectively distributed or swirled at the chimney outlet. This allows the air to flow out of the chimney more quickly, thereby increasing the flow velocity in the chimney. To increase the process efficiency of the updraft power plant, a chimney section can be located above ground. The higher the above-ground section of the chimney, the more advantageous it is for the distribution of the heated air. Since heights of more than 1000 m are technically possible, but heights of more than 600 m have so far been uneconomical, it is preferred if the above-ground section of the chimney has a height in the range of 10 to 600 m, and in particular in the range of 20 to 400 m, in order to distribute the air flow out of the chimney. However, it is also conceivable for the chimney to be less than 10 m high or to have no above-ground section at all.

[0044] Furthermore, performance can be increased if the above-ground section is designed as a cooling tower. A cooling tower, or recooling system, is a system that uses a heat exchanger to remove excess or technically unusable heat. The use of a natural draft cooling tower is particularly suitable for this purpose. Such cooling towers are typically up to 400 m high above ground level. Alternatively, a type of hybrid system can be used, in which the chimney has an above-ground section with a height of 50 to 400 m. In this above-ground section, the air is additionally cooled, thus increasing the temperature gradient in the solar chimney power plant and thus its efficiency.

[0045] As an alternative to a cooling tower or an above-ground chimney, a dome with appropriate generators can also be built on top of the chimney. In this case, the generators for power generation are preferably located not in the air plenum, but at the top of the chimney outlet.

[0046] The underground part of the chimney preferably has a height of 100 m to 5000 m, with a height of 200 m to 4000 m being preferred, and a height of 500 m to 3500 m being particularly preferred. The height of the chimney also depends on the type of geothermal energy being used. Especially when harnessing heat from natural hotspots, a lower height is sufficient. For example, when using natural hotspots, a chimney height of 100 to 500 m may be sufficient, although in this case, a chimney height of 500 to 3000 m is also possible.

[0047] In addition to heat exchangers for heating the air and devices for generating electrical energy, the solar updraft power plant can also include other system components, in particular rotors for generating vortexes, burner systems, combustion turbines, and / or steam injection. In particular, the rotors for generating vortexes and steam injection can be used to improve efficiency. Burner systems or combustion turbines can increase the air temperature and thus also improve efficiency. In addition, burner systems or combustion turbines can be used to further heat the air for starting up the solar updraft power plant, thus accelerating the start-up process. The burner systems or combustion turbines are preferably located in the innermost sector of the air plenum or in the lower area of ​​the chimney.Rotors for vortex generation and steam injection are preferably arranged in the lower part of the chimney, whereby steam injection can also take place in any of the sectors of the air plenum, in particular in the central sector, the inner sector or the innermost sector.

[0048] If burner systems or combustion turbines are used, they can be operated with natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, or any other fuel, particularly combustible gases. Particular preference is given to the use of so-called green energy sources such as methane from biogas plants or ethanol from biomass. The burner systems or combustion turbines can be used, particularly during start-up, to heat up the updraft power plant more quickly or to increase the energy input into the updraft power plant and thus increase its output. The temperature level of the air heated in this way can exceed 600°C, with the air flowing into the chimney preferably having a temperature of no more than 450°C and, in particular, no more than 250°C.

[0049] It is preferred if colder air is mixed with the exhaust gas from the burner system or the combustion turbine. The colder air can be either ambient air or preheated air, with the preheated air having a temperature below that of the exhaust gas. The amount of air mixed with the exhaust gas is preferably selected such that the temperature of the air supplied to the chimney is in the range of 20 to 600 °C. Adjusting the temperature by mixing the exhaust gas and air ensures that no unexpected thermal damage occurs to components of the solar chimney power plant.

[0050] To provide sufficient air for the operation of the solar chimney power plant, air is supplied via at least one air supply duct, preferably several air supply ducts. The air supply ducts are preferably designed as shafts and / or tunnels in the ground. Shafts are defined as ducts that run essentially vertically, while tunnels are defined as ducts that run essentially horizontally or with only a slight incline.

[0051] The cross-sectional area of ​​the supply air ducts is preferably at least 50% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the chimney. It is further preferred if the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply air ducts is at least 100% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the chimney, more preferably at least 130% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the chimney, and in particular 150 to 500% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the chimney. If multiple chimneys are included, the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply air ducts refers to the total cross-sectional area of ​​all chimneys. In order to minimize line losses in the supply air ducts and in the chimney, it is further advantageous if the supply air ducts and / or the chimney are aerodynamically optimized in order to achieve the most trouble-free air flow possible. In this case, the surfaces of the supply air ducts and / or the chimney are preferably designed so that turbulent flows are largely avoided and the air can flow laminarly through the supply air ducts.For this purpose, the surfaces can be designed, for example, like shark skin or the surface of golf balls with dimples. The size of the dimples can vary depending on the size of the chimney. For example, the dimples are inserted into the exterior wall using special formwork panels with a negative image of the dimples, so that a positive impression of the corresponding dimples is created after concreting.

[0052] Furthermore, turbulent flows can be extracted through suitable slots in the inner wall of the chimney. Pipes are laid in the concrete wall of the chimney, which extract the turbulent air from the wall surface through a negative pressure. The negative pressure can be created by moving air in the shaft through higher outlets in the form of pipes or slots. Fittings that can accelerate or decelerate the air can be used in the main shaft of the solar chimney power plant and the supply air ducts. One or more diffusers can also be installed in the chimney or the supply air ducts to specifically direct and control the air flow and thus reduce turbulent flows.The installation of baffles is also planned, although these can be made of materials other than sheet metal, such as composite materials or other plastics, metals, wood, or mineral building materials, to better control the airflow. These components are particularly helpful in reducing or suppressing turbulence at bends in the supply air ducts.

[0053] If not all of the heat provided by the heat exchangers is needed to heat the air, it is possible to provide heat storage units to store the heat. Suitable heat storage units include latent heat storage units or stones or piles of stones. In this way, if, for example, more power is needed or sufficient heat cannot be provided, the air can be further heated using the stored heat. The heat storage units and the intermediate storage of heat they enable make it possible to use the heat at a later time, allowing flexible operation of the solar chimney power plant with fast response times, as the heat does not have to be additionally generated from geothermal energy.The heat storage device can be designed, for example, as a concrete heat storage device with air ducts, as a rock fill, as a fluidized bed, as water, as oil, or as a liquid salt mixture. Suitable phase-change materials for a latent heat storage device include water, salts, or metals, which are melted to store heat and then solidify again to release heat. Heat storage can also be achieved using reversibly chemically reacting substances. Suitable heat storage materials, phase-change materials, or reversibly chemically reacting substances for heat storage are known to those skilled in the art.

[0054] Since, due to the greater temperature difference, higher performance is generally achieved when the outside air is colder, for example in winter or at night, than when the outside temperature is higher, for example in summer or during the day, such performance differences can also be compensated for by controlling the heat exchangers and using the heat storage units.

[0055] To control the solar chimney power plant and regulate the power provided, all heat exchangers used to heat the air are switchable. This allows individual or all heat exchangers to be switched on or off, allowing the amount of heat supplied to the air to be adjusted. For example, it is possible to switch off individual heat exchangers if a sufficient air temperature is already achieved using fewer heat exchangers.

[0056] It is also advantageous if individual shafts or tunnels of the solar chimney power plant, especially individual air intake ducts, can be closed and used as intrinsic heat storage. As soon as more power is needed, the shafts or tunnels, especially the air intake ducts, can be opened.

[0057] Preferably, fittings are provided in the chimney that can reduce or, if necessary, increase the chimney diameter in order to generate a Venturi effect or an artificial air vortex.

[0058] In order to be able to regulate the output of the updraft power plant, it is preferred if the outer sector of the air collection chamber is connected to the innermost sector via several flow channels forming the middle and inner sectors. Each flow channel contains at least one device for generating electrical energy and at least one heat exchanger. Furthermore, it is preferred if each flow channel is closable. In this way, the output can be adjusted by opening or closing individual channels. Furthermore, heat exchangers in individual flow channels can also be switched off in order to achieve the desired air temperature at which the air flows into the chimney by mixing colder and warmer air.

[0059] Furthermore, it is particularly preferred if each flow channel has a bypass through which the air can be guided past the device for generating electrical energy accommodated in the flow channel and / or the heat exchanger. This enables the supply of an unchanged amount of air into the chimney with reduced electrical energy generation, as the air flows through the bypass rather than through the device for generating electrical energy. Switching off the heat exchanger means that the air flowing through the heat exchanger is not heated. Alternatively, the air can also be guided around the heat exchanger to prevent heating. In this way, air that has been passed through the heat exchanger can be mixed with air that has not been heated in order to achieve the desired temperature.In this way, and if necessary with additional heating using a burner system or a combustion turbine, any desired temperature level above 20°C can be set for the air supplied to the chimney. Adjusting the temperature controls the air velocity in the chimney, which influences the load on the electrical energy generation devices, especially the generators, and thus regulates energy production. Depending on the resulting temperature difference, the geometry of the chimney, and its height, a suitable convective updraft can be generated in the chimney, which influences the flow in the flow channels and thus serves to generate electricity.

[0060] Due to the mixing processes, a fresh air blower can be completely dispensed with, further increasing overall efficiency. Alternatively, it is also possible to use a fresh air blower as a supplement.

[0061] Furthermore, it is preferable if, by installing suitable components, an artificial air vortex is generated in the chimney of the solar updraft power plant. This solves the problems of an artificial air vortex with its uncontrolled interaction in the atmosphere above and outside the vortex generator. The air vortex generated by the suitable components is essentially located in the chimney of the solar updraft power plant, thus eliminating the need for the power plant to rely on kilometers-high, uncontrollable systems in the open air.

[0062] Tangential or oblique air injection, which is suitable for generating and stabilizing an air vortex, can be used as a vortex generator to create the air vortex in the chimney. Furthermore, suitable air deflectors, such as guide plates or deflectors, can be used to add swirl to the airflow or to stabilize a swirl. The air injection and / or the air deflectors can be arranged at one or more locations in the chimney at any height. If air deflectors are built into the chimney, they can be made of concrete, composite materials such as fiber-reinforced plastics or laminates, plastics, or metals.

[0063] If a vortex generator is provided, it is preferably located directly below the chimney in the innermost sector of the air collection chamber or in the lower part of the chimney, preferably within the lowest 100 m of the chimney. This ensures that the generated air vortex is essentially located within the chimney of the updraft power plant, but can also extend beyond it and exist outside the chimney.

[0064] It is further particularly preferred if steam injection is included. The steam can be generated, for example, using energy from the geothermal probes or from geothermal energy in general. With steam injection, the air before or after the heat exchangers is enriched with saturated or superheated water vapor. The water vapor serves as an energy carrier and can be fed in at any point in the air collection chamber and / or at one or more points in the chimney of the updraft power plant. The air enriched with water vapor cools inside or outside the chimney until the water vapor condenses. Large amounts of energy are released through the latent heat transfer of the water vapor in the chimney from gaseous to liquid. This released energy serves in particular to generate and stabilize the air vortex.The condensing water vapor releases so much energy that it supports the formation of the air vortex and maintains its operation. The released heat acts in the chimney like an afterburner in a jet turbine.

[0065] If the air vortex is created by tangential or oblique air injection, this can occur at any height in the stack. It is preferred if the injected air has been enriched with saturated or superheated water vapor. To initiate the condensation process of the water vapor and thus the release of latent heat energy, air of a suitable temperature or water can be injected tangentially at any height in the stack.

[0066] Even if a vortex generator is not provided, it is preferable to inject saturated or superheated steam into the air before or after the heat exchangers. In this case, too, the steam serves as an energy carrier and can be injected at one or more points in the chimney. The heat released during the condensation of the water significantly increases the draft in the chimney, leading to increased performance.

[0067] Steam can be generated using conventional burners or electricity. Alternatively, it is also possible to use geothermal energy, which is already used in solar chimney power plants, to generate steam.

[0068] The solar chimney power plant according to the invention can be built in a disused mine or a disused mine. This requires the installation of heat exchangers that utilize medium- or deep-depth geothermal energy. Furthermore, the shafts for air supply must be adapted in cross-section and, if necessary, enlarged and / or supplemented to provide sufficient air for the chimney of the solar chimney power plant.

[0069] To increase the air discharge from the chimney, when using a disused mine or a disused mine, it is also advantageous to extend the chimney above ground so that the chimney has an above-ground part of up to 600 m in height.

[0070] A key advantage of converting a disused, existing mine into a solar chimney power plant is that the drying out of the structures by the solar chimney power plant's air currents can significantly reduce maintenance costs, i.e., the so-called perpetual costs. Furthermore, when operating a mine, all geological formations are known.

[0071] To build the solar chimney power plant in a disused mine, it is necessary that the main shafts forming the chimneys are at least 300 m 2 be expanded, with a total cross-sectional area of ​​the chimneys of at least 3000 m 2 is further preferred and a total cross-sectional area of ​​the chimneys of at least 7000 m 2 or larger is particularly preferred.

[0072] In addition to building the updraft power plant in a disused mine or a disused mine, a shaft with air supply shafts can also be built at the required depth anywhere. It is also conceivable to build the updraft power plant's chimney into a mountain. In this case, the air supply can be provided at the base of the mountain, below the base of the mountain, or deep underground via appropriate air supply structures. However, this would still require the drilling of geothermal boreholes, which can then be connected to the chimney as described above.

[0073] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures and are explained in more detail in the following description.

[0074] They show:

[0075] Figure 1 is an overview view of a solar updraft power plant according to the invention, Figure 2 is a three-dimensional representation of the chimney with supply shaft, Figure 3 is a three-dimensional representation of the air collection chamber of a solar updraft power plant,

[0076] Figure 4 is a sectional view of the air collection chamber,

[0077] Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the air collection chamber in three-dimensional representation.

[0078] Figure 1 shows an overview view of an updraft power plant according to the invention and Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional representation of the chimney of the updraft power plant with supply shaft.

[0079] The updraft power plant comprises a chimney 1 with an above-ground section 3 and an underground section 5. Below the chimney 1, on its inlet side, there is an air collection chamber 7 in which the air flowing in from the supply air ducts 9 is collected and fed to the chimney. For safety reasons, the supply air ducts 9 have above-ground supply air structures 11 through which the supply air is introduced into the supply air ducts 9, but which also provide protection to prevent people, animals, or objects from being sucked into the supply air ducts 9. In the embodiment shown here, the supply air ducts 9 each have a vertical section 13 that opens into an intermediate shaft 15. At least one connecting shaft 17 branches off from the intermediate shaft 15 and opens into the air collection chamber 7. In order to be able to control the amount of air supplied to the chimney, it is preferred if the supply air ducts 9 can be closed individually and independently of one another.For this purpose, suitable locks or valves can be provided at any location in the supply air duct 9. It is particularly preferred to close the supply air ducts 9 in the above-ground supply air structure 11.

[0080] In order to be able to supply further heat in addition to the heat released by the ground due to the depth of the supply air ducts 9 to the air flowing through the supply air ducts 9, heat exchangers are used through which a heating medium flows, which draws its heat from deep geothermal energy. For this purpose, geothermal boreholes 19 are preferably provided, as shown here, starting from the lower level of the solar chimney power plant, in which boreholes a geothermal probe through which the heating medium flows is particularly preferably accommodated. As it flows through the geothermal probe, the heating medium is heated and then releases the absorbed heat to the air flowing into the chimney 1. It is particularly preferred if the geothermal boreholes are driven from underground geothermal spaces 20 in order to facilitate maintenance and installation.

[0081] As it flows through the air collection chamber 7, the air drives wind turbines or rotors connected to generators to generate electricity. The electricity produced is channeled to the Earth's surface and can be further distributed via a power station 21.

[0082] In addition to using geothermal energy, the air can also be heated using other energy sources. For example, it is possible to use solar thermal energy to heat the air. For this purpose, a solar field 23 is provided, which is connected to underground solar thermal rooms 27 via a solar thermal station 25. Suitable heat exchangers are located in the solar thermal rooms to heat the air.

[0083] To compensate for temperature fluctuations, for example, due to changing ambient temperatures, a heat storage unit 29 can be provided in which excess heat can be stored. As long as the geothermal or solar thermal energy provides more heat than is currently needed, the excess heat can be stored in the heat storage unit 29. As soon as additional heat is required, for example, due to a decreasing temperature difference between the air supplied to the chimney and the ambient air, the heat from the heat storage unit 29 can be used to further heat the air flow supplied to the chimney.

[0084] In order to quickly reach the underground parts of the plant, a hoist cage, as known from underground mines, a classic freight elevator or a freight elevator with magnetic levitation technology can be moved in the chimney of the power plant or in a separate vertical supply shaft 31, which preferably runs parallel to the chimney of the power plant.

[0085] A freight elevator with magnetic levitation technology has the advantage that the mass of the ropes, which can weigh 20 to 30 tons alone for a building with a height of 300 meters or a shaft with a depth of 300 meters, does not have to be accelerated and decelerated with every movement, which consumes valuable energy. Furthermore, heights or depths of more than 300 meters cannot be served because at some point the weight of the ropes becomes so great that they break. Another problem is the so-called natural frequency of the long ropes. Rope frequencies must be suppressed with great effort. Magnetic levitation technology does not have any of these problems and would solve a wide variety of problems, especially in mining. The elevator technology for elevators with magnetic levitation technology could be embedded in the outer wall of chimney 1 or in the vertical supply shaft 31 of the solar chimney power plant. People and building materials could be easily transported during construction.After the shaft construction period is completed, the elevator(s) could be used for maintenance work.

[0086] For the construction and maintenance of the solar chimney power plant, it is preferable to provide assembly chambers 30 at different heights. The assembly chambers 30 are preferably connected to each other by the vertical supply shaft 31.

[0087] The vertical supply shaft 31 can be continuous if equipped with magnetic levitation technology, or, in the case of conventional freight elevators, as shown in Figure 2, can be controlled alternately with the assembly chambers 30 individually. The alternating shafts 32 are necessary because steel cables or other cables can only carry loads over a limited length. Therefore, this shortens the length of the elevator cables used.

[0088] Additionally, it is preferred if a supply road 33 is provided, via which soil can be removed during construction and via which plant components that are too heavy to be transported by the elevator cage can be transported downwards. This supply road 33 can be built spirally, with a gradient of 1% to 12%, preferably with a gradient of 3% to 10%, and in particular with a gradient of 5% to 9%, directly adjacent to the chimney 1 of the solar updraft power plant. However, it is preferred if the supply road 33 is at a distance of between 1 m and 10 m, more preferably a distance of between 10 m and 30 m, and in particular a distance of 30 m or more, from the chimney 1.

[0089] The supply line 33 may run outside the assembly chambers 30 and then be connected via horizontal supply shafts 34 or, as shown in Figure 2, between the assembly chambers and the chimney 1. The horizontal supply shafts 34 then run via the supply line 33 to the assembly chambers 30 with access to the elevator or elevators in the vertical supply shaft 31.

[0090] The assembly chambers 30 can be used during construction to transport the overburden when chimney 1 is excavated. Disposal is preferably carried out using conveyor belts, as used in underground and open-pit mining. Extendable platforms are built through the horizontal supply shafts 34 every 100 m to 500 m, preferably every 150 m to 200 m. These platforms serve during the construction phase for concrete transport, as a landing point, and for lowering or raising heavy equipment.

[0091] Alternatively, equipment can also be accessed via supply road 33. During the construction phase, larger components that cannot be transported via freight elevators can also be transported down. After shaft construction is complete, equipment components can also be transported to air collection chamber 7 or other components of the solar chimney power plant. During operation of the solar chimney power plant, supply road 33 can also be used as an air supply shaft.

[0092] All supply shafts and roads can, of course, also be used for the construction of air supply shafts with suitable measures. For example, horizontal connection shafts to the supply air shafts would have to be constructed. It is also conceivable that additional underground solar updraft power plants, built directly adjacent to an existing solar updraft power plant, could be constructed over the supply roads and shafts.

[0093] Figure 3 shows the air plenum as a three-dimensional view, Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the air plenum, and Figure 5 shows a horizontal sectional view in three-dimensional representation. In the embodiment shown here, the air plenum 7 has an octagonal cross-section. In addition to the octagonal shape shown here, the air plenum 7 can also have any desired shape. If the air plenum 7 is not circular, the number of edges preferably corresponds to the number of supply air ducts 9 leading to the air plenum 7, whose connecting shafts 17 open into the air plenum 7.

[0094] At the top of the air collection chamber there is an outlet 35, to which the chimney 1, not shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, is connected.

[0095] According to the invention, the air collection chamber 7 in the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5 has an outer sector 37, a middle segment 39, and an innermost sector 41. The middle segment 39 is divided into a middle sector 47 and an inner sector 49, in which the device for generating electrical energy and / or the heat exchangers are optionally placed. Thus, either a device for generating electrical energy or a heat exchanger can be placed in the middle sector 47, and correspondingly a heat exchanger or a device for generating electrical energy can be placed in the inner sector 49. The middle segment 39 is constructed from at least one, preferably several, flow channels 43, through which the air flows from the outer sector 37 into the innermost sector 41.The flow channels 43 comprise closure devices 45 which can close the outer sector 37, flow generators 47, the heat exchangers 49 and closure devices 46 to close the flow channel 43 to the innermost sector 41.

[0096] The supply air ducts 9 open into the outer sector 37 of the air collection chamber, in which the air is collected and fed to the flow ducts 43 of the middle segment 39. The outer sector 37, in which the air is collected, ensures that even in the event of an uneven air supply, the air is supplied evenly to the flow ducts 43, and that sufficient air is always available, which can be fed through the flow ducts from the middle segment 39 to the innermost sector 41, and then flow into the chimney 1 via the outlet 35, thus ensuring continuous operation of the solar chimney power plant.

[0097] In order to be able to regulate the solar chimney power plant and adapt the generated electrical energy to actual demand, the individual flow channels 43 are designed so that they can each be closed independently of one another. For this purpose, the flow channels 43 have a closure device 45, for example, a bulkhead or a slide, at at least one end. It is preferred if the flow channels 43 can be closed with a closure device 45, 46 at both ends, i.e., the end opening into the outer sector 37 and the end opening into the innermost sector 41.

[0098] In the flow channels 43, there is at least one device for generating electrical energy in the central sector 47 and, downstream of the device, at least one heat exchanger in the inner sector 49, or there is at least one heat exchanger in the central sector 47 and at least one device for generating electrical energy in the inner sector 49. A heating medium flows through the heat exchanger, which draws its energy from medium-depth or deep geothermal energy, fault zones, or natural hotspots. The heat exchangers in the central sector 47 or in the inner sector 49 are preferably each switchable, so that it is also possible to pass air through the heat exchanger without further heating it. This allows the air flow to be further controlled and the desired temperature to be set.

[0099] The devices for generating electrical energy accommodated in the central sector 47 or the inner sector 49 are, for example, turbines or rotors with generators. The generators can be connected to the turbine or rotor via an axis, or the rotation of the turbine or rotor can be transmitted to a rotation axis of the generator by means of suitable gears or belts. In this case, the generator can be located outside the flow channel 43. However, it is preferred if the generator is located within the flow channel 43 and is directly connected to the axis of the rotor or turbine.

[0100] In the figures, the inlet channels 9, flow channels 43, and all other tunnels or shafts, hereinafter referred to as "channels," are each depicted with an octagonal cross-section. In addition to the octagonal cross-section depicted here, the channels can also have any other cross-section, in particular a circular cross-section. In order to be able to enter or drive through channels that run horizontally or with a slight gradient, it is further preferred that they have a flat floor.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Updraft power plant with at least one at least partially underground chimney (1), which is connected at its lower end to an air collection chamber (7) in which air from all air-conducting system components is collected and through which the air can flow into the chimney (1), as well as supply air ducts (9) through which ambient air can be fed into the air collection chamber (7) such that the air in the supply air ducts (9) is heated by the surrounding soil, characterized in that the air collection chamber (7) is divided into at least four sectors, an outer sector (37) in which the air flowing in through the supply air ducts (9) is collected, a closable middle sector (47), a closable inner sector (49), and an innermost sector (41) through which the air heated in the middle sector or in the inner sector (49) can be fed to the chimney,wherein at least one switchable heat exchanger for heating the air is arranged in the central sector (47) or in the inner sector (49), and at least one device for generating electrical energy is arranged in the inner sector (49) when the switchable heat exchanger is arranged in the central sector (47), in the central sector (47) when the switchable heat exchanger is arranged in the inner sector (49), and / or at the outlet of the chimney (1), wherein the air in the switchable heat exchanger is heated by means of medium-depth or deep geothermal energy, heat from fault zones, or heat from natural hotspots, and wherein the chimney has an inner diameter of at least 20 m and a height of at least 100 m.

2. Updraft power plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the updraft power plant is built into a ravine, a crater, a lignite open-cast mine, a copper mine, a gold mine, rock, a gravel pit, a clay pit, a gravel pit or a quarry.

3. Updraft power plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one preferably switchable device for heating the air is included, by means of which the air can be heated by means of solar thermal energy (23, 25, 27), waste heat from technical installations or combustion gases.

4. Updraft power plant according to claim 3, characterized in that the device for heating the air is arranged in the innermost sector (41) or in the inner sector (49) or in the middle sector (47) or in the at least one chimney (1).

5. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that rotors for vortex generation, burner systems, combustion turbines and / or steam injection are included.

6. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each supply air duct (9) can be closed separately.

7. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one bypass is included, through which the air can be guided past the device for generating electrical energy and / or the heat exchanger.

8. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the devices for generating electrical energy comprise at least one rotor and at least one generator or at least one wind-driven turbine with generator or at least one turbine generator or at least one pressure-stage turbine with generator or at least one turbo-expander turbine with generator or at least one pressure-stage wind turbine generator set.

9. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the at least one chimney (1) has a hydraulic diameter in the range of 20 to 500 m and a depth in the range of 100 to 5000 m.

10. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the at least one chimney (1) has an above-ground part (3).

11. Updraft power plant according to claim 10, characterized in that the above-ground part (3) is designed as a cooling tower.

12. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the total cross-sectional area of ​​all supply air ducts (9) is in the range of 20 to 500% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one chimney (1).

13. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the at least one chimney (1) comprises internals for generating air vortices.

14. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it includes at least one heat accumulator (29) in which excess heat can be stored.

15. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that surfaces of the chimney (1) and / or at least one supply air duct (9) are constructed like sharkskin or have dimples.

16. Updraft power plant according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a spiral supply line (33) is included which runs around the chimney (1).

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