Solar heat steam cycle system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solar heat steam cycle systems face challenges in managing the balance between collected solar heat and electric power demand, leading to inefficiencies and instability due to fluctuations in solar radiation, which affect steam pressure and turbine efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a control valve to allocate heating medium between an evaporator, a feed water heater, and a thermal storage device, using auxiliary boiler calculations to optimize steam flow rates based on collected and stored heat status, ensuring efficient use of heat across varying conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solar heat is collected and stored in a thermal storage device, then the system can maintain operation during periods of low solar radiation, but the system becomes complex in managing the balance between collected heat and electric power demand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of heating medium allocation by adjusting flow rates to the evaporator and feed water heater based on real-time steam pressure and power demand conditions. The control system continuously monitors system state and dynamically redistributes thermal energy to maintain optimal operation, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity through adaptive rather than static configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (flow rates, temperature distributions) based on collected heat status and power demand. By varying these parameters dynamically, the system maintains stable operation without requiring overly complex structural modifications, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
2Productivity
If heating medium is allocated to the evaporator to generate steam, then electric power generation is maximized, but steam pressure becomes unstable when solar radiation fluctuates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feed water heater as an intermediary component in the heating medium allocation system. This intermediary allows for buffer and redistribution of thermal energy, enabling the system to maintain stable steam pressure in the evaporator even when solar radiation fluctuates, while still maximizing electric power generation through optimized heat distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition of water in the feed water heater to regulate temperature and pressure. By controlling the heating of feed water through phase change processes, the system stabilizes steam pressure conditions for the evaporator, resolving the contradiction between productivity and stability.
3Loss of energy
If heating medium is allocated to the feed water heater to heat feed water, then thermal efficiency is improved, but steam generation capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic allocation of heating medium between the feed water heater and evaporator based on real-time system conditions. The control system continuously adjusts flow rates to optimize the balance between thermal efficiency (through feed water heating) and steam generation capacity (through evaporator operation), resolving the contradiction by making the system adaptive rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback control mechanisms that monitor steam pressure, power demand, and heat collection status to continuously adjust heating medium allocation. This feedback loop ensures optimal balance between thermal efficiency and steam generation capacity, resolving the contradiction through continuous optimization rather than static configuration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the system to operate stably and efficiently by maximizing steam turbine efficiency, effectively utilizing heat across different temperature ranges and demand fluctuations, thereby improving thermal efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heat collector (1) which collects solar thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
a thermal storage device (2) which stores the solar thermal energy collected by the heat collector
Implementation Method 3
a feed water heater (3) which heats feed water
Implementation Method 4
an evaporator (4) which evaporates the feed water supplied from the feed water heater
Implementation Method 5
a steam turbine (6) driven by steam generated by the evaporator
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a solar heat steam cycle system capable of operating efficiently and stably in keeping with the status of collected or stored heat, and a control method for use with the system.The system includes a heat collector (1) which collects solar thermal energy, a thermal storage device (2) which stores the solar thermal energy collected by the heat collector, a feed water heater (3) which heats feed water, an evaporator (4) which evaporates the feed water supplied from the feed water heater, and a steam turbine (6) driven by steam generated by the evaporator. The system includes a control valve (31) which controls allocations of heating medium supplied from the thermal storage device to the evaporator and the feed water heater.