Abstract: A combined cycle power plant and method for operating a combined power plant with stack energy control are presented. The combined cycle power plant includes a gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator including a plurality of heating surfaces, and a steam turbine. The heating surfaces may be partially bypassed to reduce steam production in the heat recovery steam generator during power plant startup. Less energy may be extracted from exhaust gas of the gas turbine. More energy may be dumped through an exhaust stack. The steam turbine may start without restriction of a gas turbine load during power plant startup. The steam turbine may start without increasing a size of an air cooled condenser while maintaining a higher load of a gas turbine during power plant startup.

Abstract: A combined cycle power plant and method for operating a combined power plant with stack energy control are presented. The combined cycle power plant includes a gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator including a plurality of heating surfaces, and a steam turbine. The heating surfaces may be partially bypassed to reduce steam production in the heat recovery steam generator during power plant startup. Less energy may be extracted from exhaust gas of the gas turbine. More energy may be dumped through an exhaust stack. The steam turbine may start without restriction of a gas turbine load during power plant startup. The steam turbine may start without increasing a size of an air cooled condenser while maintaining a higher load of a gas turbine during power plant startup.

Abstract: A steam water separator includes: —a vessel having a vessel wall delimiting an interior of the vessel, where the vessel is configured to contain steam in a steam zone and water in a water zone in the interior of the vessel, —at least one inlet for introducing steam and/or water in the vessel, —at least one steam outlet for taking steam out of the vessel, —at least one water outlet for taking water out of the vessel, and a wetting device configured to wet in the steam zone an inner surface of the vessel wall.

Abstract: A heat exchange system for producing superheated working fluid for a steam turbine from expected supercritical hydrothermal fluid from a geothermal reservoir, including a header-type heater with a shell is provided. An inlet is conducted to a feed pipe for transporting the expected supercritical hydrothermal fluid from the geothermal reservoir into the shell and where an outlet is conducted to a drain pipe for transporting the condensed hydrothermal fluid from the shell to a disposal, working fluid pipes circulating feed water from a condenser of the steam turbine into a heat exchange bundle system within the shell and retrieving superheated steam from the heat exchange bundle system for the steam turbine, a spraying device is arranged within the shell for spraying a first bundle of the heat exchange bundle system, and a mixing device is provided.

Abstract: A method for treating an outer surface of a heat transfer fluid tube especially for a receiver of a solar thermal power plant, having the steps of providing the heat transfer fluid tube and treating the outer surface with a hydrogen plasma jet so that a porosity in the range of a nano-scale is created in a thin layer of that outer surface.

Abstract: A steam supply apparatus (1) for enhanced oil recovery from an oil field (10). The steam supply apparatus includes a water circulating portion (50) providing a continuous flow of water to a water heater (4) for the production of a mixture of steam and water, and a separator (5) for directing the steam to the oil field. Water returned from the oil field is purified in a water treatment apparatus (3) to provide make-up water to the water circulating portion. A buffer volume (3b) is provided in fluid communication between the water treatment apparatus and the water circulating portion. The buffer is sized to provide a time lag between a degradation of the quality of the purified water and an occurrence of an unacceptable scale production in the water heater, thereby allowing continued safe system operation until the water quality problem is corrected.

Abstract: A heat exchange system for producing superheated working fluid for a steam turbine from expected supercritical hydrothermal fluid from a geothermal reservoir, including a header-type heater with a shell is provided. An inlet is conducted to a feed pipe for transporting the expected supercritical hydrothermal fluid from the geothermal reservoir into the shell and where an outlet is conducted to a drain pipe for transporting the condensed hydrothermal fluid from the shell to a disposal, working fluid pipes circulating feed water from a condenser of the steam turbine into a heat exchange bundle system within the shell and retrieving superheated steam from the heat exchange bundle system for the steam turbine, a spraying device is arranged within the shell for spraying a first bundle of the heat exchange bundle system, and a mixing device is provided.

Abstract: A solar receiver includes at least two receiver panels having a common outer front surface for receiving incident solar radiation from a field of mirrors. The receiver panels include an array of side by side arranged heat exchange tubes which have a substantially straight main portion which extend in an upwards longitudinal direction and an inwards extending portion for a connection to an input or output header for respectively distributing or collecting fluid to or from the heat exchange tubes. The receiver panels are spaced apart in the upwards direction at a distance of Z cm. The header for the solar receiver is spaced behind the front surface at a distance of A cm, wherein the quotient of Z and A, Z/A, at the most equals the quotient of a vertical V and a horizontal H distance, V/H, from the header to a most far positioned mirror.

Abstract: 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).

Abstract: A hybrid solar power plant includes a first circuit including a first flow medium and a second circuit including a second flow medium. The first circuit includes at least one solar collector to transfer collected solar heat to the first flow medium. The first circuit includes at least one first fluid/second fluid heat exchanger to exchange heat from the first flow medium in the first circuit to the second flow medium in the second circuit. The second circuit is preferably a water/steam circuit. The second circuit includes at least one steam turbine for generating electricity out of steam. The first circuit further includes a heat source for generating a flow of heating gas. The heat source serves as the auxiliary energy. A gas/first fluid heat exchanger is provided for transferring heat from the flow of heating gas to the first flow medium in the first circuit.

Abstract: A steam generation system comprises a main steam generator and a back-up steam generator (20) which are both in fluid communication with a super heater (3) for superheating the generated steam. The superheater comprises a main heat source (6) for heating up a flow of heating gas. A back-up evaporator (2) is provided as a back-up steam generator for evaporating supplied water into steam. The back-up evaporator is connected in parallel to the main steam generator. An auxiliary heat source is provided for heating up the back-up evaporator. By controlling the auxiliary heat source (9), it is possible to supply more or less heat energy to the back-up evaporator to compensate for fluctuations in steam production of the main steam generator. The back-up evaporator is positioned away from the flow of heating gasses departing from the main heat source.

Abstract: A steam supply apparatus (1) for enhanced oil recovery from an oil field (10). The steam supply apparatus includes a water circulating portion (50) providing a continuous flow of water to a water heater (4) for the production of a mixture of steam and water, and a separator (5) for directing the steam to the oil field. Water returned from the oil field is purified in a water treatment apparatus (3) to provide make-up water to the water circulating portion. A buffer volume (3b) is provided in fluid communication between the water treatment apparatus and the water circulating portion. The buffer is sized to provide a time lag between a degradation of the quality of the purified water and an occurrence of an unacceptable scale production in the water heater, thereby allowing continued safe system operation until the water quality problem is corrected.

Abstract: A hybrid solar power plant includes a first circuit including a first flow medium and a second circuit including a second flow medium. The first circuit includes at least one solar collector to transfer collected solar heat to the first flow medium. The first circuit includes at least one first fluid/second fluid heat exchanger to exchange heat from the first flow medium in the first circuit to the second flow medium in the second circuit. The second circuit is preferably a water/steam circuit. The second circuit includes at least one steam turbine for generating electricity out of steam. The first circuit further includes a heat source for generating a flow of heating gas. The heat source serves as the auxiliary energy. A gas/first fluid heat exchanger is provided for transferring heat from the flow of heating gas to the first flow medium in the first circuit.

Abstract: 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).

Abstract: A solar receiver includes at least two receiver panels having a common outer front surface for receiving incident solar radiation from a field of mirrors. The receiver panels include an array of side by side arranged heat exchange tubes which have a substantially straight main portion which extend in an upwards longitudinal direction and an inwards extending portion for a connection to an input or output header for respectively distributing or collecting fluid to or from the heat exchange tubes. The receiver panels are spaced apart in the upwards direction at a distance of Z cm. The header for the solar receiver is spaced behind the front surface at a distance of A cm, wherein the quotient of Z and A, Z/A, at the most equals the quotient of a vertical V and a horizontal H distance, V/H, from the header to a most far positioned mirror.

Abstract: A steam water separator includes:—a vessel having a vessel wall delimiting an interior of the vessel, where the vessel is configured to contain steam in a steam zone and water in a water zone in the interior of the vessel,—at least one inlet for introducing steam and/or water in the vessel,—at least one steam outlet for taking steam out of the vessel,—at least one water outlet for taking water out of the vessel, and a wetting device configured to wet in the steam zone an inner surface of the vessel wall.

Abstract: A steam generation system comprises a main steam generator and a back-up steam generator (20) which are both in fluid communication with a super heater (3) for superheating the generated steam. The superheater comprises a main heat source (6) for heating up a flow of heating gas. A back-up evaporator (2) is provided as a back-up steam generator for evaporating supplied water into steam. The back-up evaporator is connected in parallel to the main steam generator. An auxiliary heat source is provided for heating up the back-up evaporator. By controlling the auxiliary heat source (9), it is possible to supply more or less heat energy to the back-up evaporator to compensate for fluctuations in steam production of the main steam generator. The back-up evaporator is positioned away from the flow of heating gasses departing from the main heat source.