Managing power usage in an industrial process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11131482-B1
Application number	US-202016989236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 10, 2020
Priority date	Aug 10, 2020
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

A power system includes a first solar power assembly that includes a first working fluid fluidly coupled to one or more components of an industrial process; a second solar power assembly that includes a second working fluid fluidly coupled to an electrical power generation system that is electrically coupled to the one or more components of the industrial process; and a heat recovery system that includes a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes an inlet fluidly coupled to at least one of the one or more components of the industrial process to receive waste heat from the at least one of the one or more components of the industrial process, and an outlet fluidly coupled to at least another of the one or more components of the industrial process to supply the waste heat to the at least another of the one or more components of the industrial process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power system, comprising:
a first solar power assembly that comprises a first working fluid fluidly coupled to one or more components of an industrial process, the first solar power assembly configured to heat the first working fluid with solar energy;
a second solar power assembly that comprises a second working fluid fluidly coupled to an electrical power generation system that is electrically coupled to the one or more components of the industrial process, the second solar power assembly configured to heat the second working fluid with solar energy; and
a heat recovery system that comprises a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising an inlet fluidly coupled to at least one of the one or more components of the industrial process to receive waste heat from the at least one of the one or more components of the industrial process, and an outlet fluidly coupled to at least another of the one or more components of the industrial process to supply the waste heat to the at least another of the one or more components of the industrial process.

2. The power system of claim 1 , wherein the first solar power assembly comprises:
a first plurality of heliostat solar collectors thermally coupled to the first working fluid;
a first solar energy receiver positioned to receive the solar energy from the first plurality of heliostat solar collectors;
a daytime-open supply valve fluidly coupled between the first solar energy receiver and the industrial process, the daytime-open supply valve configured to control a flow of the first working fluid from the first solar power assembly to the one or more components of the industrial process; and
a daytime-open return valve fluidly coupled between the first solar energy receiver and the industrial process, the daytime-open return valve configured to control the flow of the first working fluid from the one or more components of the industrial process to the first solar power assembly.

3. The power system of claim 2 , wherein the second solar power assembly comprises:
a second plurality of heliostat solar collectors thermally coupled to the second working fluid;
a second solar energy receiver positioned to receive the solar energy from the second plurality of heliostat solar collectors;
a daytime-closed supply valve fluidly coupled between the second solar energy receiver and the electrical power generation system, the daytime-closed supply valve configured to control a flow of the second working fluid from the second solar power assembly to the electrical power generation system; and
a daytime-closed return valve fluidly coupled between the second solar energy receiver and the electrical power generation system, the daytime-closed return valve configured to control the flow of the second working fluid from the electrical power generation system to the second solar power assembly.

4. The power system of claim 3 , wherein the second solar power assembly further comprises:
a thermal storage assembly fluidly coupled between the second solar power assembly and the electrical power generation system;
a daytime-open supply valve fluidly coupled between the second solar energy receiver and the thermal storage assembly, the daytime-open supply valve configured to control a flow of the second working fluid from the second solar power assembly to the thermal storage assembly; and
a daytime-open return valve fluidly coupled between the second solar energy receiver and the electrical power generation system, the daytime-open return valve configured to control the flow of the second working fluid from the thermal storage assembly to the second solar power assembly.

5. The power system of claim 4 , wherein the first working fluid comprises a lead-bismuth eutectic alloy, and the second working fluid comprises a molten salt.

6. The power system of claim 4 , wherein the electrical power generation system is electrically coupled to the one or more components of the industrial process through a daytime-closed transfer switch and to a power distribution and transmission grid.

7. The power system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more components of the industrial process are electrically coupled to the power distribution and transmission grid through an adjustable transfer switch in parallel with the daytime-closed transfer switch.

8. The power system of claim 1 , wherein the heat recovery system further comprises:
a heat recovery assembly thermally coupled to the at least one of the one or more components of the industrial process to receive the waste heat into a first thermal fluid and a second thermal fluid, the heat recovery assembly fluidly coupled to the electrical power generation system to provide at least a portion of the waste heat in the first thermal fluid to the electrical power generation system; and
a heat transfer assembly fluidly coupled between the heat recovery assembly and the heat exchanger to provide at least another portion of the waste heat in the second thermal fluid to a working fluid in the heat exchanger that is fluidly coupled to the at least another of the one or more components of the industrial process through the outlet of the heat exchanger.

9. The power system of claim 1 , wherein the industrial process comprises a steel mill, and the at least one of the one or more components comprises a continuous caster, and the at least another of the one or more components comprises at least one of a solar electric arc furnace, a ladle furnace, or a vacuum degasser.

10. A method for supplying power to an industrial process, comprising:
operating a first solar energy assembly to heat a first working fluid with solar energy;
circulating the heated first working fluid from the first solar power assembly to one or more components of an industrial process;
providing thermal energy to the one or more components with heat from the first working fluid;
operating a second solar energy assembly to heat a second working fluid with solar energy;
circulating the heated second working fluid from the second solar power assembly to an electrical power generation system that is electrically coupled to the one or more components of the industrial process;
generating electricity, with heat from the second working fluid, by the electrical power generation system;
recovering waste heat in a heat exchanger of a heat recovery system from at least one of the one or more components of the industrial process; and
supplying at least a portion of the recovered waste heat from the heat exchanger to at least another of the one or more components of the industrial process.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein operating a first solar energy assembly to heat a first working fluid with solar energy comprises: collecting the solar energy with a first plurality of heliostat solar collectors of the first solar power assembly, and supplying the collected solar energy to a first solar energy receiver of the first solar power assembly; and
circulating the heated first working fluid from the first solar power assembly to one or more components of an industrial process comprises: operating a daytime-open supply valve fluidly coupled between the first solar energy receiver and the industrial process to control a flow of the first working fluid from the first solar power assembly to the one or more components of the industrial process, and operating a daytime-open return valve fluidly coupled between the first solar energy receiver and the industrial process to control the flow of the first working fluid from the one or more components of the industrial process to the first solar power assembly.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein operating

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Ugla Ali Abdulaziz

Classifications

• F01K23/064

  in combination with an industrial process, e.g. chemical, metallurgical · CPC title

• F01K13/02

  Controlling, e.g. stopping or starting · CPC title

• F02C1/06

  using reheated exhaust gas (F02C1/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24S90/00 Primary

  Solar heat systems not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F24S80/20

  Working fluids specially adapted for solar heat collectors · CPC title