Apparatus and method for producing superheated steam by means of a solar-thermally operated reheater and use of the superheated steam

Abstract

An apparatus for producing superheated steam with solar energy is provided. The apparatus has a heat-transfer medium circuit with a heat transfer medium for absorbing the solar energy in the form of heat and a water/stream circuit with water and/or steam for forming the superheated steam. The water and/or the steam may flow in one direction in the water/steam circuit. For producing the superheated steam, the heat-transfer medium circuit and the water-steam circuit are thermally coupled to each other by a heat exchanger of a reheater. In the water/steam circuit, a water separator is arranged upstream of the heat exchanger in direction of flow for separating water and steam from each other, so that substantially only steam enters the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger and the water separator are arranged in a common reheating pressure vessel.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for producing superheated steam by solar energy, comprising:
 at least one heat-transfer circuit with a heat-transfer medium for taking up the solar energy in the form of heat,   at least one water/steam circuit with water and/or steam for forming superheated steam, wherein:   the water and/or the steam flow in one direction of flow in the water/steam circuit,   the heat-transfer circuit and the water/steam circuit are coupled thermally to one another via at least one heat exchanger of at least one reheater for producing the superheated steam,   at least one water separator for separation of water and steam from one another is disposed in the water/steam circuit in direction of flow upstream of the heat exchanger, so that essentially only steam is supplied to the heat exchanger, and   the at least one heat exchanger and the at least one water separator are disposed in a common reheater pressurized container.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one water separator and the at least one heat exchanger are disposed directly adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger is disposed vertically above the at least one water separator. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger has at least one reheater water pipe for carrying the steam of the water/steam circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one reheater water pipe has a shape selected from the group consisting of straight shape, U shape, helix shape and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger has at least one reheater heat-transfer pipe for carrying the heat-transfer medium of the heat-transfer circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one reheater heat-transfer pipe has a shape selected from the group consisting of straight shape, U shape, helix shape and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a plurality of reheater water pipes disposed in parallel to one another and/or a plurality of reheater heat-transfer pipes disposed in parallel to one another.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a plurality of deflection plates for changing a direction of flow of the heat-transfer medium.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a plurality of reheaters.   
     
     
         21 . A method of producing superheated steam using an apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , the method comprising:
 providing the heat-transfer medium,   converting solar energy into heat of the heat-transfer medium,   providing a water/steam mixture of the water/steam circuit,   separating water from the water/steam mixture by the water separator and   transmitting the heat of the heat-transfer medium to remaining steam of the water/steam mixture such that superheated steam is produced.