Method for operating a solar installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745868-B2
Application number	US-201313906033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2013
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

Method for operating a solar installation. The solar installation includes a solar field with direct evaporation accompanied by the generation of superheated live steam, a turbine for expanding the live steam, and a generator driven by the turbine for generating electrical energy. At least one valve is associated with the turbine by which the amount of live steam fed to the turbine is adjusted. The valve, or each valve, through which the amount of live steam fed to the turbine is adjusted such that an actual value of a live steam pressure occurring upstream of the turbine follows a reference value determined depending on a live steam temperature of the live steam upstream of the turbine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a solar installation, comprising:
generating superheated live steam in a solar field by direct evaporation;
expanding the superheated live steam within a turbine;
driving a generator with the turbine to generate electrical energy;
adjusting an amount of superheated live steam fed to the turbine by at least one valve associated with the turbine; and
controlling the at least one valve such that an actual value of a live steam pressure occurring upstream of the turbine matches a reference value determined based at least in part on a live steam temperature of the superheated live steam upstream of the turbine.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one valve is controlled such that the actual value of a live steam pressure occurring upstream of the at least one valve matches a reference value determined based at least in part on a live steam temperature of the superheated live steam upstream of the at least one valve.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the controlling the at least one valve further comprising:
measuring an actual value of the live steam temperature by a sensor;
supplying the actual value to a controller;
generating a reference value for the live steam pressure based at least in part on the actual value of the live steam temperature; and
determining based at least in part on the reference value for the live steam pressure a control variable for the at least one valve such that the actual value of the live steam pressure follows the reference value for the live steam pressure.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the controller generates the control variable for the at least one valve based at least in part on a control deviation between the actual value of the live steam pressure detected by the sensor and the reference value for the live steam pressure.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the reference value for the live steam pressure is determined base at least in part on the actual value of the live steam temperature by a characteristic line.

6. A controller of a solar installation having a solar field, a turbine, a generator, and at least one valve, the controller configured to control:
generation of superheated live steam in the solar field by direct evaporation;
expansion of the superheated live steam within the turbine;
driving of the generator with the turbine to generate electrical energy,
adjusting an amount of superheated live steam fed to the turbine by the at least one valve associated with the turbine; and
controlling the at least one valve such that an actual value of a live steam pressure occurring upstream of the turbine matches a reference value determined based at least in part on a live steam temperature of the live steam upstream of the turbine.

Assignees

• Schaake Thomas
• Morgenstern Stefan
• Bösch Heinz-Hugo
• Man Diesel & Turbo Se

Inventors

• Schaake Thomas
• Morgenstern Stefan
• Bösch Heinz-Hugo

Classifications

• F03G6/065

  having a Rankine cycle · CPC title

• Y02E10/46

  Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines · CPC title

• F01D25/10

  Heating, e.g. warming-up before starting · CPC title

• F01K7/24

  Control or safety means specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• F01D25/08

  Cooling (of machines or engines in general F01P); Heating; Heat-insulation (of blade-carrying members, of blades F01D5/00) · CPC title