Method and system for maintaining operating temperatures in a molten salt co-generating unit

• US 4,438,630 A
• Filed: 09/07/1982
• Issued: 03/27/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Combustion Engineering Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Combustion Engineering Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Rowe, George H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrager, Allen M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US06/415,511
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 60/646, 60/652, 60/657, 60/659, 60/676, 60/641.8, 60/641.13, 60/641.14, 60/641.15, 126/436
• US Class Current: 60/676
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/18 having heaters having both steam accumulator and heater F01K3/14; steam heaters per se F22
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/006 using solar heat solar heat collectors per se F24S; devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/06 the heat carrier being molten; Use of molten metal, e.g. zinc, as heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/20 Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/15 On-site combined power, heat or cool generation or distribution, e.g. combined heat and power [CHP] supply

Abstract

A method of operating a co-generating steam supply system having two units, the second of which utilizes a molten-salt primary heat transfer fluid, is disclosed for utilizing the steam produced by the first unit for maintaining selected component operating temperatures in the second unit during periods when the second unit is not producing steam. The steam generator of the second unit is maintained at operating temperature by reversing the fluid flow through both the shell and tube sides. The reverse flow of molten salt is in heat exchange relation with the reverse flow of steam drawn from the steam flow line of the first unit.

Claims

1. In a molten salt co-generating steam supply system, the system including first and second steam supply units connected to a common load, the first unit adapted for continuous steam generation in alternating full system power and part system power output, the second unit adapted for alternating hot shutdown and partial system power generation, the first unit having a steam flow line to the load and a feed-water flow line from the load, the second unit having a primary fluid loop containing a molten salt and a secondary loop containing water as the working fluid, with a steam generating heat exchanger interposed therebetween, wherein the invention is a method of maintaining the steam generator components of the second unit in a hot standby condition when steam is being generated only by the first unit, comprising the steps of:

connecting the first unit steam flow lines to the second unit secondary loop steam flow lines;

connecting the first unit feed-water flow lines to the second unit secondary feed-water flow lines;

whereby a fraction of the steam generated by the first unit bypasses the load and enters the steam line of the secondary loop, flows in reverse direction through the secondary steam generator and returns to the first unit through the secondary loop feed-water lines, such that the steam generator components are maintained near their normal operating temperatures.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of reversing the direction of flow of the molten salt in the primary loop.