Method for decelerating a cooling down of a flow conducting unit, and flow conducting unit

Abstract

A method for making a flow conducting unit cool down more slowly where the flow conducting unit has a holding unit and is penetrated by a heat transfer medium, the temperature of the heat transfer medium is reduced such that a wall of the flow conducting unit cools down, and the holding unit dissipates thermal energy such that the wall cools down more slowly.

1 . A method for decelerating a cooling down of a flow conducting unit, the method comprising:
 exposing the flow conducting unit which comprises a heat retention unit to throughflow by a heat transfer medium,   reducing a temperature of the heat transfer medium, as a result of which a wall of the flow conducting unit cools down, and   the heat retention unit releases thermal energy, as a result of which a cooling down of the wall is decelerated.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heat retention unit comprises a heating device which releases thermal energy.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 ,
 wherein a temperature of the wall is held at, or above, a predetermined temperature threshold value by the heating device.   
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heat retention unit comprises a phase change material,   wherein the phase change material undergoes a phase change from a first phase into a second phase, and   wherein the phase change material releases thermal energy during the phase change, as a result of which the cooling down of the wall is decelerated.   
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 ,
 wherein the thermal energy released by the phase change material during the phase change is released to the wall which transmits the thermal energy to the heat transfer medium, and/or in that the thermal energy released by the phase change material during the phase change is released to the heat transfer medium which transmits the thermal energy to the wall.   
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 ,
 wherein thermal energy is fed to the phase change material by a heating device.   
     
     
         7 . A method for operating a power plant, comprising:
 decelerating a cooling down of a flow conducting unit of the power plant as claimed in  claim 1 ,   wherein the temperature of the heat transfer medium which flows through the flow conducting unit is reduced as a result of a reduction of an output of the power plant.   
     
     
         8 . A flow conducting unit, comprising
 a wall, and   a heat retention unit which is designed to release thermal energy for decelerating a cooling down of the wall.   
     
     
         9 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 8 ,
 wherein the heat retention unit comprises a phase change material which is designed to undergo a phase change from a first phase into a second phase for decelerating a cooling down of the wall and to release thermal energy during the phase change.   
     
     
         10 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a thermal insulation and a heating device,   wherein the heating device is arranged between the wall and the thermal insulation and the thermal insulation encompasses the wall, the phase change material and the heating device.   
     
     
         11 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a further wall which encompasses the first-mentioned wall,   wherein the heat retention unit comprises at least one cavity which is arranged between the further wall and the first-mentioned wall and in which is positioned the phase change material.   
     
     
         12 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 9 ,
 wherein the heat retention unit comprises a plurality of capsules in which the phase change material is positioned and which are arranged in an interior space of the flow conducting unit.   
     
     
         13 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 9 ,
 wherein the phase change material comprises a metal alloy and/or a salt mixture and a phase change temperature of the phase change material is higher than 300° C., especially higher than 400° C., and lower than 800° C.   
     
     
         14 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 8 ,
 wherein the wall has a plurality of ribs on its side facing the heat retention unit and/or on its side facing away from the heat retention unit.   
     
     
         15 . A power plant comprising:
 a flow conducting unit, as claimed in  claim 8 ,   wherein the flow conducting unit is a pipeline, a steam header, a steam turbine or a heat transfer medium.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 ,
 wherein the heating device releases thermal energy to the wall.   
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 ,
 wherein thermal energy is fed to the phase change material by the heating device if a temperature of the phase change material falls short of a predetermined minimum temperature.   
     
     
         18 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 10 ,
 wherein the heating device is an electric heating device.   
     
     
         19 . The flow conducting unit as claimed in  claim 13 ,
 wherein the phase change temperature of the phase change material is higher than 400° C., and lower than 600° C.   
     
     
         20 . The power plant as claimed in  claim 15 ,
 wherein the power plant comprises a thermal power plant.