615results about "Steam separation arrangements" patented technology

A solar thermal power generator includes an inclined elongated boiler tube positioned in the focus of a solar concentrator for generating steam from water. The boiler tube is connected at one end to receive water from a pressure vessel as well as connected at an opposite end to return steam back to the vessel in a fluidic circuit arrangement that stores energy in the form of heated water in the pressure vessel. An expander, condenser, and reservoir are also connected in series to respectively produce work using the steam passed either directly (above a water line in the vessel) or indirectly (below a water line in the vessel) through the pressure vessel, condense the expanded steam, and collect the condensed water. The reservoir also supplies the collected water back to the pressure vessel at the end of a diurnal cycle when the vessel is sufficiently depressurized, so that the system is reset to repeat the cycle the following day. The circuital arrangement of the boiler tube and the pressure vessel operates to dampen flow instabilities in the boiler tube, damp out the effects of solar transients, and provide thermal energy storage which enables time shifting of power generation to better align with the higher demand for energy during peak energy usage periods.

A water level control system for enhancing the controllability of the level of water retained in a steam drum. A water level control section of the system determines the volume of retained water in a steam-water separator from a detected steam flow rate signal by using a function operator and a first order lag circuit, determines a signal representing the mass flow rate balance of water in the steam-water separator by differentiating the volume of retained water with respect to time with a differentiator, generates a compensated signal by adding the signal to the difference between a detected feed water flow rate signal and the detected steam flow rate signal, and properly compensates a valve area demand for a feed water flow control valve.

An apparatus for generating steam within a heat exchanger. In one aspect, the invention can be a heat exchanger comprising: a shell having an inner surface forming a cavity, the shell comprising an inlet for introducing the shell-side liquid into the cavity and an outlet for allowing the vapor to exit the cavity; a tube bundle comprising a plurality of tubes for carrying a tube-side fluid located in the cavity and having a longitudinal axis; a shroud circumferentially surrounding the tube bundle and positioned between the tube bundle and the inner surface of the shell so that an annular space exists between the shroud and the inner surface; an opening in a bottom portion of the shroud that forms a passageway between the annular space and the tube bundle; and an opening in a top portion of the shroud that forms a passageway between the annular space and the tube bundle.

An evaporator including a lower drum, an upper drum, and at least one tube extending between the lower drum and the upper drum. The plurality of tubes have fluid passageways therein extending from the lower drum to the upper drum. A duct is provided having a heating gas passageway provided therein. The at least one tube extends through the heating gas passageway. The fluid passageways define an overall flow path from the lower drum to the upper drum extending in a direction substantially counter-current to an overall flow path defined by the heating gas passageway extending from a gas inlet of the heating gas passageway to a gas outlet thereof.

A conical cyclone separator for separating steam from water in a steam / water mixture supplied to a steam drum of a boiler. A widened tangential inlet extends the axial length of the conical portion of the separator, increasing the width of the inlet while causing no derogation in steaming capacity and substantially lowering pressure drop. The inlet design of this separator is compatible with smaller diameter steam drums unable to currently utilize conventional separators.

A method for generating steam from a feedwater inlet stream including impurities is disclosed. The method involves receiving the feedwater inlet stream at an inlet of a steam generator and causing the feedwater stream to flow through a tubing circuit to an outlet of the tubing circuit, the tubing circuit having a substantially un-rifled bore defined by a metal wall. The method also involves delivering a heat flux to the feedwater stream through the metal wall of the tubing circuit to generate steam by causing evaporation of feedwater within the tubing circuit, and controlling at least one of a flow rate of the feedwater stream and the heat flux to cause generation of an outlet stream at the outlet includes a steam portion and liquid phase portion, the steam portion being greater than about 80% of the outlet stream by mass. The steam portion provides sufficient cooling of the metal wall to maintain a wall temperature at less than a threshold temperature.

A method, apparatus, and system and operation of surface equipment to generate steam while reducing the quantity of boiler blowdown and thereby increasing the amount of feedwater that is re-used or re-cycled in generating said steam. The present invention teaches that, on a sustained basis, the blowdown stream at the outlet of a once-through steam generator can be routed to the inlet of a second once-through steam generator that is in series with the first, that blowdown stream can be used to generate additional steam in the second once-through steam generator and further reduce the amount of blowdown, and that this can be accomplished without need of any treatment that reduces hardness or silica levels of the blowdown stream prior to its entering or during its entry into the inlet of the second once-through steam generator. The output of this second steam generator is a substantially dry saturated steam vapor stream and, complementarily, a blowdown stream whose mass rate has been reduced substantially from that of the blowdown stream exiting the first steam generator.

This invention provides cost-effective alternatives to reduce the cost associated with customary blowdown from steam generating equipment. By selectively recycling process blowdown streams using secondary vaporizers, the net result is a partial replacement of wastewater stream with almost an equivalent quantity of clean steam condensate. The heat transfer is carried out by indirect contact devices, such as shell and tube heat exchanger and the like, without mixing of the two process streams to allow condensate recovery while avoiding cross contamination. This invention carries economic as well as environmental credits. A condensate recovery apparatus can be designed to enable easy connection to existing equipment already in service, as well as easy removal, without causing process disruption.

In one aspect, the invention provides a steam generation apparatus that is liquid fuel fired and addresses conversion of gaseous fuel SIB units to operate with liquid fuel. The invention also relates to a conversion unit for a steam injection boiler, a method for converting a steam injection boiler from gas firing to possible liquid fuel firing and a method for generating steam from a liquid fuel source. The invention employs a fired heater for heating the liquid fuel to a temperature suitable for firing and preheats the water to compensate for the shortfall in heat liberation when a gas boiler is converted to use liquid fuel. In another aspect of the invention, production of steam is achievable consistently by employing step-up heaters with a steam injection boiler. The heaters being connected in parallel to continue heating the water / steam to achieve a higher quality steam over that produced in the boiler while minimizing consideration as to the adverse effects of coil fouling in the boiler.

This invention relates to a correctional method of water level in the steam drum based on the temperature and pressure that belongs to the heat process control field including the following steps: the temperature difference DeltaT is linear to the water supply flow increment in small range, DeltaQ=-kDeltaT, theDeltaQ is used as the feedforward value in the main circuit of the cascade control of the water level in the steam drum, to eliminate the adverse effect of 'false water level' on the water supply control. When the load increases,DeltaQ>0, and the steam drum working condition is nearly stable, the correctional value is 0; when the load decreases, the controlled water supply is suppressed, DeltaQ<0; when the water flow increases, the temperature T of the steam drum decreases and the water supply flow increment DeltaQ<0; when the water supply flow is nearly constant, the correctional value is 0; when the water supply flow decreases, the controlled supply flow increases, DeltaQ>0. This method introduces the effect of steam drum pressure and water temperature on the steam bubble in the steam drum water to correct the water level control, which suppresses the overshoot phenomenon and ensures the steady operation of the boiler.

The invention relates to a circulating fluidized bed reactor designed to be fed with air and convertible to operate with an oxygen-rich mixture, comprising a reaction chamber (1) horizontally bounded by vertical walls, at least two centrifugal separators (2A, 2B) and a heat recovery element called a heat exchanger cage (3), a reactor also comprising means for introducing a fluidization gas into the reaction chamber using at least one wind box (4) placed under the reaction chamber, and for maintaining a circulating fluidized bed of particles in said chamber, means for transferring gas which must be dedusted from the chamber to the separators, means for discharging the particles separated from the separators and means for transferring the dust-free gases from the separators to the exchanger cage. According to the invention: said reaction chamber comprises at least one partially internal vertical partition wall (10) forming two subchambers (1A, 1B) communicating together and each communicating with at least one separator, said exchanger cage (3) comprises a partially internal vertical partition wall (30) forming two subcages (3A, 3B) communicating together and each communicating with at least one separator, these partition walls being arranged in order to create a passage for the flow of the flue gases into one of said subchambers and into one of said subcages corresponding to operation by oxygen feed in the reaction chamber.

A steam generator circulation system is provided and includes a boiler feed pump for forcing water through an economizer, and through the waterwall tubes of an evaporator. A separator receives a mixture of steam and water and sends the steam to a steam utilization unit such as a superheater. A valve is provided below the separator. If the valve is open, the saturated water from the separator is mixed with feedwater and recirculated through the tubes of the evaporator. If the valve is closed, recirculation is terminated. At loads below the critical point, the valve below the separator system would be open and the boiler would operate like a natural circulation drum boiler. At loads above the critical point, the valve below the separator system would be closed resulting in a boiler that operates like a once-through boiler.

A steam generator includes a substantially horizontal gas conduit (1) to guide a heating gas flow (2) and an evaporator unit positioned at least partially in the horizontal gas conduit for transferring heat from the heating gas to a flow medium which flows through the evaporator unit. The heat transfer section of the evaporator unit of the steam generator is bottom fed, which means that the inlet conduit is arranged at a lower region of the heat transfer section. The outlet conduit is arranged at an upper region. The inlet conduit allows an once through operation of the evaporator section which is necessary to enable operation under supercritical circumstances. The evaporator unit includes at least two evaporator stages (3, 4) which are arranged in a cascade. Each evaporator stage includes a heat transfer section (12, 21) and a separator (14, 23). The presence of the separators (14, 23) subdivides the evaporator unit into evaporator stages (3, 4).

A stream splitting device splits a two-phase inlet stream into two or more outlet streams having nearly identical vapor-to-liquid ratios. The inlet stream is directed into a separator vessel containing an impingement plate to decrease the velocity of the stream and direct it toward the inner walls of the vessel, where it impinges, separating the liquid from the vapor. Inside the vessel, each of two vertical suction channels with side wall apertures is in fluid communication with an outlet pipe. The lower ends of the suction channels are submerged in the liquid phase. Vapor flows though the apertures that are above the liquid surface in the vessel, thereby generating a pressure drop across the walls of the suction channels. Consequently, liquid is lifted up into the suction channels, where it is mixed with the vapor. The two-phase mixture then leaves the vessel and stream splitter through the outlet pipes.

The embodiment of the invention discloses a control method for the steam temperature of a meager coal boiler of a 1045MW ultra supercritical unit. The control method is used for solving the technical problems that because mature ultra supercritical steam temperature control technologies capable of being applied to actual production fields lack currently, heating surface over-temperature pipe explosion is frequently caused by unreasonable steam temperature control of a field ultra supercritical boiler, large potential safety hazards are caused to safe and stable operation of a power plant, and severe economic loss of a large thermal power plant is caused. The control method includes the steps that in the boiler unit starting process, design performance data of the unit are compared, and overall regulation and control are conducted according to the corresponding relation curve of water supply quantity, coal supply quantity and air volume under different loads; when the load of the boiler unit is increased or decreased, the air volume, coal supply quantity and water supply quantity are increased or decreased with the same ratio; when the boiler unit normally operates, the superheat degree of the intermediate point is controlled to regulate the water-fuel ratio to be proper; and water spraying adjustment is carried out, so that deviation in regulation of the water-fuel ratio is eliminated.

A waste heat steam generator including evaporator tubes is provided. The evaporator tubes are connected in parallel on the flow medium side, a plurality of overheating tubes are mounted downstream of the evaporator tubes using a water separation system. The water separation system includes water separation elements, each water separation element being respectively mounted downstream of the plurality of evaporator tubes and / or upstream of a plurality of overheating tubes. Each water separating element includes an inlet pipe which is respectively connected upstream to the evaporator tubes, the inlet pipe extending into a water evacuation pipe when seen in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of outflow pipes branch off in the transitional area, the pipes being connected to an inlet collector of the overheating tubes which are respectively connected downstream. A distribution element is arranged on the steam side between the respective water separating element and the inlet collector.

Low-pressure steam for a steam consuming device, and particularly a steam reboiler, is generated at the steam consumption pressure to maximize the heat recovery from a utility fuel and / or waste heat source. Most preferably, steam is generated at the lowest possible pressure by fluidly coupling the steam generator to the steam consuming device (e.g., by integrating the condensate drum with the steam drum). Therefore, it should be appreciated that the steam generator pressure in such configurations and methods will ride on the reboiler pressure.

A saturated steam generator which is provided with a heat source for heating water to generate saturated steam and which can be small-sized. A saturated steam generator for generating saturated steam by heating water with superheated steam resulting from being superheated in a heat transmission tube (16) inserted into a heat storage tank (10), characterized by the provision of a saturated steam generator tank (12), wherein in the heat storage tank (10), disposed in a heat storage section composed by having a solid heat storage material and a liquid heat storage material filled therein are a heat transmission tube (16) and a heater (44), which heats the solid heat storage material and the liquid heat storage material, it being arranged that superheated steam resulting from passing through the heat transmission tube (16) is used as a heat source to heat stored water (22) so as to generate saturated steam.

The invention provides a boiler end-gas waste-heat recovering device which comprises a steam generator and a steam-water separating device, wherein the steam generator comprises a box body, a plurality of heat pipes and sleeve pipes with the number corresponding to the number of the heat pipes; the box body is of a hollow structure, and is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet; one end of each heat pipe is respectively vertically arranged in the inner side of the box body; the other end of each heat pipe is respectively positioned above the box body; each heat pipe is of a sealing hollow structure; liquid absorption materials are fixed on the inner side wall of the heat pipe; proper amount of liquid metal is filled in the heat pipes; the outer side wall of each heat pipe positioned on the outer side of the box body is respectively provided with the sleeve pipe; the upper end and the lower end of each sleeve pipe are respectively communicated with the steam-water separating device; and saturated water is filled in each sleeve pipe. The invention is mainly used for heat recovering recycle of smoke gas and the end gas of a boiler.

The present invention is directed to a solar energy system including a tower having a solar radiation receiver, the solar radiation receiver including a plurality of tubes carrying a heat-transfer medium and a drum, the drum in thermal communication with the tubes, and one or more mirrors configured to reflect solar radiation onto the receiver, wherein the receiver receives the reflected solar radiation from the mirrors, thereby heating the heat transfer medium and vaporizing the heat transfer medium.

A solar thermal power generator includes an inclined elongated boiler tube positioned in the focus of a solar concentrator for generating steam from water. The boiler tube is connected at one end to receive water from a pressure vessel as well as connected at an opposite end to return steam back to the vessel in a fluidic circuit arrangement that stores energy in the form of heated water in the pressure vessel. An expander, condenser, and reservoir are also connected in series to respectively produce work using the steam passed either directly (above a water line in the vessel) or indirectly (below a water line in the vessel) through the pressure vessel, condense the expanded steam, and collect the condensed water. The reservoir also supplies the collected water back to the pressure vessel at the end of a diurnal cycle when the vessel is sufficiently depressurized, so that the system is reset to repeat the cycle the following day. The circuital arrangement of the boiler tube and the pressure vessel operates to dampen flow instabilities in the boiler tube, damp out the effects of solar transients, and provide thermal energy storage which enables time shifting of power generation to better align with the higher demand for energy during peak energy usage periods.

In order to solve the numerous problems with existing steam, vacuum, and hot water heating systems, presented are novel systems and methods of vapor vacuum heating having several improvements over the prior art, including: condensate return which can operate without steam traps; naturally-induced vacuum; improved vacuum pump operation for sustaining vacuum in such systems; liquid lift apparatus for use with such systems; and other improvements. All innovations presented herein make vapor vacuum heating more efficient and economical for industrial, commercial, and home applications. A field test conducted with these innovations show results of about 26-50% reduced energy usage, implying significant energy savings from the use of the present invention over current heating systems.

A once-through steam generator comprises a duct having an inlet end in communication with a source of a hot gas; and a tube bundle installed in the duct and comprising multiple heat transfer tubes. The tube bundle has an economizer section, an evaporator section, and a superheater section. A steam separating device may be positioned between the evaporator section and the superheater section, wherein, as part of a wet start-up, hot water collected by the steam separating device is delivered from the steam separating device to mix with cold feedwater before it is introduced into the economizer section. A start-up module may be positioned in the duct near the inlet end, wherein, as part of a dry start-up, cold feedwater is delivered into the start-up module to generate hot water that is then mixed into the feedwater stream before it is introduced into the economizer section.

The invention relates to a steam generator wherein a continuous heating panel of a generator, which is formed from a number of evaporator tubes, and an overheating panel, which is formed from a number of over-heating tubes which are arranged downstream from the evaporator tubes and on the flow side, are arranged in a heating gas channel. According to the invention, a water separating element is integrated into a number of over-flow tubes which are connected on the flow side of one of several evaporator tubes to one or several overheating tubes.

A system for producing and maintaining high purity degassed layup water for use in a power plant system during a layup period is disclosed. The liquid degassing system includes a degassing assembly for removing a predetermined amount of the undesired gases under vacuum pressure from the layup solution such that the amount of desired gases within the layup solution remains at or below standard values.

The invention discloses a natural circulating steam injection boiler fed with high salt-containing softened water and a water circulating method, and belongs to the fields of natural circulating steam pocket water power technology and stage evaporation technology. A steam pocket is divided into a net section and a salt section, boiler feed water is directly introduced into a vertical down pipe of the net section of the steam pocket, and the evaporation heating surface of the net section is arranged on the heating surface of a hearth. The feed water of the salt section of the steam pocket is supplied by the boiler water of the net section, the evaporation heating surface of the salt section is arranged in a flue at the tail of the boiler, and the sewerage is directly led out by a steam-water separation device on the salt section of the boiler. The blow-down rate of the boiler is 5 to 15 percent, and the evaporation capacity of the salt section is 5 to 40 percent of the total evaporation capacity. Under the same blow-down rate, the boiler water of the net section and salt section heating surfaces of the boiler has low salt content; the heating surfaces have good corrosion resistance, hydrodynamic characteristic and safe heat transfer; and the heating surface of the salt section is convenient for overhauling. The fuel of the boiler can be coal, oil, natural gas and other combustible solids, and is suitable for high-capacity thick oil thermal recovery steam injection boilers.