Supercritical Steam Generator Base Outlet Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional steam generators in coal-fired power plants have steam outlet terminals located at the top of the boiler, resulting in long steam leads that are costly and inefficient, particularly when used in conjunction with steam turbines for electricity generation.

Innovation Solution

The steam generator design relocates the steam outlet terminals to the base of the boiler, incorporating a downdraft furnace enclosure, a hopper tunnel, and a convection pass enclosure to reduce the length of steam leads, allowing for a more economical and efficient steam flow path.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If steam outlet terminals are located at the top of the boiler, then the boiler structure is conventional and simple, but the steam leads become long and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveboiler structureVSAvoidsteam leads

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional boiler design by locating the steam outlet terminals at the base of the boiler instead of at the top. This inversion allows the steam leads to be significantly shortened, reducing material costs and improving system efficiency while maintaining the conventional overall boiler structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Length of moving object

If steam outlet terminals are relocated to the base of the boiler, then the steam leads become shorter and less expensive, but the boiler structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteam leadsVSAvoidboiler structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the boiler into distinct functional enclosures: a downdraft furnace enclosure for combustion, a hopper tunnel for ash removal, and a convection pass enclosure for heat exchange. This segmentation allows the steam outlet terminals to be positioned at the base while maintaining organized, manageable structural complexity through functional zoning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a horizontal hopper tunnel dimension that connects the downdraft furnace to the convection pass, allowing ash removal and steam outlet positioning without compromising vertical structural integrity. This dimensional addition resolves the complexity issue by providing an alternative spatial pathway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If steam outlet terminals are at the top of the boiler, then the structure is conventional, but the system efficiency decreases due to long steam leads

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem efficiencyVSAvoidsteam leads

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the steam outlet position to the base of the boiler, the patent directly reduces steam lead length, thereby minimizing heat loss and improving system efficiency. This inversion maintains conventional operational characteristics while achieving superior thermal efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Length of moving object

If steam outlet terminals are relocated to the base, then the steam leads are shortened and cost reduced, but the furnace design becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteam leadsVSAvoidfurnace design

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The furnace is segmented into a dedicated downdraft furnace enclosure with defined gas flow patterns, separating combustion functions from steam generation functions. This segmentation simplifies the overall design by assigning specific roles to each enclosure, despite the relocated steam outlets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The downdraft furnace enclosure serves multiple functions: combustion, ash collection, and steam outlet positioning. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby managing design complexity while achieving shortened steam leads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 design reduces the length and cost of steam leads, bringing the steam outlet terminals closer to the steam turbine, thereby improving the overall system economics and efficiency by allowing for shorter and less expensive steam piping.

Implementation Method 1

The flue gas flows upwardly through the furnace combustion chamber and then follows the convection pass path

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS9874346B2Advanced ultra supercritical steam generator

Publication Date: 2018.01.23 THE BABCOCK & WILCOX CO

AI summary

A supercritical steam generator includes a downdraft furnace enclosure, a hopper tunnel, and a convection pass enclosure, with the hopper tunnel joining the downdraft furnace enclosure and convection pass enclosure together. Flue gas passes down through the downdraft furnace enclosure through the hopper tunnel and up through the convection pass enclosure. This structure permits the outlet steam terminals, which provide access to the resultant supercritical steam and/or reheat steam, to be located at a base of the steam generator rather than at the top of the steam generator as with conventional boilers. This reduces the length of the steam leads from the steam generator to a steam turbine that produces electricity using the supercritical steam.