Increasing power of steam plant with refrigerant cooled condenser at peak loads by using cooling thermal storage

Abstract

A steam powered power plant and method of cooling a steam powered plant. A boiler provides steam to turbine and the turbine drives a generator to produce power. Exhaust steam from the turbine is cooled in a condenser and returns to the boiler. A first dry refrigeration cycle uses a first compressor to compress a first flow of refrigerant and the compressed flow of refrigerant rejects heat to the surrounding through an air cooled condenser and is then expanded in the steam condenser to cool the exhaust steam. A second refrigeration cycle includes a second compressor used to compress a second flow of refrigerant and the second flow of refrigerant is cooled in an air cooled condenser and is expanded to cool water in a storage tank wherein the stored water can be used to cool the condenser and exhaust steam during a peak load condition of the power plant.

1 . A steam powered power plant includes;
 a first boiler for providing steam to a turbine wherein said turbine drives a generator to produce power and wherein exhaust steam from said turbine is cooled in a condenser and returns to said boiler, and   a first refrigeration cycle wherein a first compressor compresses a first flow of refrigerant and wherein said compressed flow of refrigerant is cooled in an air cooled condenser, throttled and expanded in said condenser to cool said exhaust steam, and   a second refrigeration cycle wherein a second compressor compresses a second flow of refrigerant and said second flow of refrigerant rejects heat in an air cooled condenser, throttled and expanded to cool a thermal storage wherein said thermal storage can be used to cool said steam condenser.   
   
   
       2 . The steam power plant of  claim 1  wherein said generator generates electrical power to power a load and wherein said load is sensed to determine the cooling operation of said power plant, wherein during a low load condition said first refrigeration cycle provides cooling to said steam condenser and said second refrigeration cycle provides cooling to said thermal storage and during a peak load said first refrigeration cycle and said second refrigeration cycle are turned off and cooling of said condenser is provided from said thermal storage. 
   
   
       3 . The steam power plant of  claim 1  wherein said thermal storage is a tank of water. 
   
   
       4 . The steam power plant of  claim 1  wherein at a partial load condition, wherein said load is greater than said low load but less than said peak load said first refrigeration cycle provides cooling to said steam condenser and said second refrigeration cycle is turned off. 
   
   
       5 . The steam power plant of  claim 1  wherein said thermal storage includes a tank of water and a heat exchanger and wherein coolant from said condenser flows through said heat exchanger during said peak loading. 
   
   
       6 . The steam power plant of  claim 5  wherein the flow of coolant through said heat exchanger is controlled by valves that are opened during said peak loading. 
   
   
       7 . The steam power plant of  claim 5  wherein said first and second compressors are powered by said turbine. 
   
   
       8 . A steam power plant includes;
 a steam driven turbine wherein said turbine drives a generator to produce power and wherein exhaust steam from said turbine is cooled in a condenser, and   a first dry refrigeration cycle wherein a first compressor compresses refrigerant and wherein said compressed refrigerant is expanded in said condenser to cool said waste steam, and   a second dry refrigeration cycle wherein a second compressor compresses a second refrigerant and said second refrigerant is expanded to cool a thermal storage media wherein said thermal storage media can be used to cool said steam condenser.   
   
   
       9 . The steam power plant of  claim 8  wherein said generator generates electrical power to power a load and wherein said load determines the cooling operation of said power plant, wherein during a low load condition said first refrigeration cycle provides cooling to said condenser and said second refrigeration cycle provides cooling to said thermal storage media and during a peak load said first refrigeration cycle and said second refrigeration cycle are turned off and cooling of said condenser is provided from said thermal storage media. 
   
   
       10 . The steam power plant of  claim 9  wherein said thermal storage media is held in a tank and a heat exchanger is located in said tank in contact with said media and wherein refrigerant from said steam condenser flows through said heat exchanger during said peak loading to cool said exhaust steam. 
   
   
       11 . The steam power plant of  claim 9  wherein said thermal storage media is water. 
   
   
       12 . The steam power plant of  claim 9  wherein at a partial load condition, wherein said load is greater than said low load but less than said peak load said first refrigeration cycle provides cooling to said steam condenser and said second refrigeration cycle is turned off. 
   
   
       13 . The steam power plant of  claim 10  wherein the flow of coolant through said heat exchanger is controlled by valves that are opened during said peak loading. 
   
   
       14 . The steam power plant of  claim 10  wherein said first and second compressors are powered by said generator. 
   
   
       15 . The method of operating a steam plant including the steps of;
 boiling water to produce steam,   powering a turbine driven generator using said steam,   condensing exhaust steam from said turbine with a condenser,   sensing a load on said generator,   if said load is below a threshold,   driving a first compressor to provide refrigerant to said condenser to cool said exhaust steam,   if said loading is below a second threshold driving a second compressor to cool a heat sink.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of driving a second compressor to cool a heat sink includes the step of providing a flow of refrigerant through said heat sink at a peak load of said steam power plant. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of providing a flow of refrigerant through said heat sink is controlled by opening valves to a heat exchanger in said heat sink and wherein said heat sink is a water tank. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein if said load rises above said second threshold said second refrigeration cycle is turned off. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the flow of refrigerant is controlled by opening valves to said condenser. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of driving a first condenser and driving a second condenser includes drawing electrical power from said generator.