Method and apparatus for generating electricity and storing energy using a thermal or nuclear power plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10196940-B2
Application number	US-201415105254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2014
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A method for generating electricity by means of a nuclear power plant and a liquid vaporization apparatus involves, during a first period, producing heat energy by means of the nuclear power plant and using the heat energy to vaporize water or to heat water vapor, expanding the water vapor formed in a first turbine and using the first turbine to drive an electricity generator in order to produce electricity, vaporizing liquefied gas coming from a cryogenic store in order to produce pressurized gas, reheating the pressurized gas with a part of the water vapor intended for the first turbine of the nuclear power plant and expanding the pressurized fluid in a second turbine to produce electricity and, during the second period, liquefying the gas to be vaporized.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the generation of electricity and the storage of energy by means of a thermal power plant or a nuclear power plant, and a liquid vaporization apparatus, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
A) during a first period:
a) producing thermal energy by a power plant selected from the group consisting of the thermal power plant and the nuclear power plant, wherein the produced thermal energy is used to vaporize water or to heat water vapor, which is then expanded in a first turbine, and the first turbine is used to drive an electricity generator for the production of electricity;
b) vaporizing a cryogenic liquid sourced from a cryogenic storage facility to produce a pressurized gas;
c) heating the pressurized gas to form a heated pressurized fluid; and
d) expanding the heated pressurized fluid in a second turbine for the production of electricity,
wherein a proportion of the thermal energy produced in step a) is used for the heating in step c), by employing a proportion of the water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine of the nuclear power plant, or a proportion of the heat of the water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine of the nuclear power plant for the heating of the pressurized gas,
wherein the thermal energy is produced by means of a nuclear power plant, a fluid is heated by the heat generated by a nuclear reaction to form a heated fluid, a first proportion of the heat energy of the heated fluid is used to heat the pressurized gas in step c), and a second proportion of the heat energy of the heated fluid is used to heat the water or water vapor delivered to the first turbine in step a);

B) during a second period:
a′) producing thermal energy by means of the thermal or nuclear power plant, and using the thermal energy to generate electricity;
b′) using electrical and/or mechanical energy generated by the power plant to produce the cryogenic liquid; and
c′) storing the cryogenic liquid in the cryogenic storage facility.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first proportion of the heated fluid heats the water or water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine, and a second proportion of the heated fluid heats the pressurized gas to be delivered to the second turbine, whereby the flow rate of the second proportion of the heated fluid is no more than 30% of the sum of the first and second proportions.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first proportion of the water vapor generated by the nuclear reaction expands in the first turbine and a second proportion of the water vapor generated by the nuclear reaction is used to heat the pressurized gas to be delivered to the second turbine, whereby the flow rate of the second proportion of the water vapor is no more than 30% of the sum of the first and second proportions.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cryogenic liquid is selected from liquefied air, liquefied atmospheric gases, and combinations thereof.

5. A method for the generation of electricity and the storage of energy by means of a thermal power plant or a nuclear power plant, and a liquid vaporization apparatus, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
A) during a first period:
a) producing thermal energy by a power plant selected from the group consisting of the thermal power plant and the nuclear power plant, wherein the produced thermal energy is used to vaporize water or to heat water vapor, which is then expanded in a first turbine, and the first turbine is used to drive an electricity generator for the production of electricity;
b) vaporizing liquefied gas sourced from a cryogenic storage facility to produce a pressurized gas;
c) heating the pressurized gas to form a heated pressurized fluid; and
d) expanding the heated pressurized fluid in a second turbine for the production of electricity,

wherein a proportion of the thermal energy produced in step a) is used for the heating in step c), by employing a proportion of combustion gases from the thermal power plant or a proportion of the water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine of the thermal power plant, or a proportion of the heat of the water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine of the thermal power plant for the heating of the pressurized gas,
wherein thermal energy is produced by means of a thermal power plant, the combustion gases are produced by the combustion of a fuel, a proportion of the heat of the combustion gases is used to heat the pressurized gas in step c), and a further proportion of the heat of the combustion gases is used to heat the water or water vapor delivered to the first turbine, thereby generating electricity,
B) during a second period:
a′) producing thermal energy by means of the thermal or nuclear power plant, and using the thermal energy to generate electricity;
b′) using electrical and/or mechanical energy generated by the power plant to produce the cryogenic liquid, and
c′) storing the cryogenic liquid in the cryogenic storage facility.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a first proportion of the combustion gases is used to heat the steam delivered to the first turbine for expansion, and a second proportion of the combustion gases heats the pressurized gas, whereby the flow rate of the second proportion of the combustion gases is no more than 30% of the sum of the first and second proportions.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the combustion gases firstly heat the pressurized gas, and are then used to heat the steam which is delivered to the first turbine for expansion.

8. A method for the generation of electricity and the storage of energy, the method comprising a first period and a second period,
A) wherein the first period comprises the steps of:
producing thermal energy using a power plant selected from the group consisting of the thermal power plant and the nuclear power plant;
vaporizing a cryogenic liquid sourced from a cryogenic liquid storage facility to form a pressurized gas;
using a first proportion of the thermal energy from the power plant to create steam that is then expanded in a first turbine, wherein the first turbine is used to drive an electricity generator for the production of electricity;
using a second proportion of the thermal energy from the power plant to heat the pressurized gas; and
expanding the pressurized gas in a second turbine for the production of electricity,

B) wherein the second period comprises the steps of:
producing thermal energy by means of the thermal or nuclear power plant, and using the thermal energy to generate electricity;
using electrical and/or mechanical energy generated by the power plant to produce the cryogenic liquid; and
storing the cryogenic liquid in the cryogenic storage facility
wherein the cryogenic liquid is selected from liquefied air, liquefied atmospheric gases, and combinations thereof.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the second proportion of the thermal energy constitutes no more than 30% of the thermal energy produced by the power plant.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the step of using electrical and/or mechanical energy generated by the power plant to produce the cryogenic liquid further comprises the step of sending electricity to an air liquefaction facility configured to liquefy atmospheric air.

11. A method for the generation of electricity and the storage of energy by means of a thermal power plant or a nuclear power plant, and a liquid vaporization apparatus, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
A) during a first period:
a) producing thermal energy by a power plant selected from the group consisting of the thermal power plant an

Assignees

• Air Liquide
• Air Liquide

Inventors

• Davidian Benoit
• Paufique Cyrille

Classifications

• F01K7/22 Primary

  the turbines having inter-stage steam heating · CPC title

• F01K13/00 Primary

  General layout or general methods of operation of complete plants · CPC title

• F01K23/02

  the engine cycles being thermally coupled · CPC title

• F01D15/10

  Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators · CPC title

• F01K7/38

  the engines being of turbine type · CPC title