Power Plant with Multiple-Effect Evaporative Condenser

Abstract

A power plant includes a power generating system, a tower housing and an evaporative cooling system which includes at least one multiple-effect evaporative condenser. The multiple-effect evaporative condenser includes a pumping device, a first cooling unit and a second cooling unit. The first cooling unit includes a first water collection basin for collecting said cooling water from the pumping device, a plurality of first heat exchanging pipes connected to the condenser and immersed in the first water collection basin, and a first fill material unit provided underneath the first heat exchanging pipes. The second cooling unit includes a second water collection basin positioned underneath the first cooling unit for collecting said cooling water flowing from the first cooling unit, a plurality of second heat exchanging pipes immersed in the second water collection basin, and a second fill material unit provided underneath the second heat exchanging pipes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power plant, comprising:
 a power generating system having a circulating heat exchange fluid;   a tower housing; and   an evaporative cooling system which comprises at least one multiple-effect evaporative condenser connected to said power generating system for effectively cooling said heat exchange fluid, said multiple-effect evaporative condenser comprising:   an air inlet side and an air outlet side which is opposite to said air inlet side;   a pumping device adapted for pumping a predetermined amount of cooling water at a predetermined flow rate;   a first cooling unit, comprising:   a first water collection basin for collecting said cooling water from said pumping device;   a plurality of first heat exchanging pipes connected to said power generating system and immersed in said first water collection basin; and   a first fill material unit provided underneath said first heat exchanging pipes, wherein said cooling water collected in said first water collection basin is arranged to sequentially flow through exterior surfaces of said first heat exchanging pipes and said first fill material unit;   a second cooling unit, comprising:   a second water collection basin positioned underneath said first cooling unit for collecting said cooling water flowing from said first cooling unit;   a plurality of second heat exchanging pipes immersed in said second water collection basin; and   a second fill material unit provided underneath said second heat exchanging pipes, wherein said cooling water collected in said second water collection basin is arranged to sequentially flow through exterior surfaces of said second heat exchanging pipes and said second fill material unit; and   a bottom water collecting basin positioned underneath said second cooling unit for collecting said cooling water flowing from said second cooling unit,   the cooling water collected in said bottom water collection basin being arranged to be guided to flow back into said first water collection basin of said first cooling unit, said heat exchange fluid from said power generating system being arranged to flow through said first heat exchanging pipes of said first cooling unit and said second heat exchanging pipes of said second cooling unit in such a manner that said heat exchange fluid is arranged to perform highly efficient heat exchanging process with said cooling water for lowering a temperature of said heat exchange fluid, a predetermined amount of air being drawn from said air inlet side for performing heat exchange with said cooling water flowing through said first fill material unit and said second fill material unit for lowering a temperature of said cooling water, said air having absorbed said heat from said cooling water being discharged out of said first fill material unit and said second fill material unit through said air outlet side.   
     
     
         2 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said evaporative cooling system comprises a plurality of multiple-effect evaporative condensers accommodated in said tower housing, said multiple-effect evaporative condensers are spacedly arranged in said tower housing in two rows and a plurality of columns, such that for each row of said multiple-effect evaporative condensers, a longitudinal axis of each of said multiple-effect evaporative condensers is substantially parallel to each other, while for each column of said multiple-effect evaporative condensers, a longitudinal axis of each of said multiple-effect evaporative condensers is substantially aligned. 
     
     
         3 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each two of said adjacent multiple-effect evaporative condensers is grouped to form an evaporative condenser unit, said evaporative cooling unit further comprising a plurality of top sealing members each of which is connected between two of said first water collection basins of said two adjacent multiple-effect evaporative condensers for each said evaporative condenser unit. 
     
     
         4 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said pumping device is positioned in said bottom water collection basin at said air inlet side, and is connected to said first water collection basin through a water pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said multiple-effect evaporative condensers further comprises at least one filter arrangement detachably supported between said first cooling unit and said second cooling unit. 
     
     
         6 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said filter arrangement comprises a main panel, a plurality of through filtering holes spacedly formed on said main panel, a filtering net attached on a bottom side of said main panel, and a supporting member provided at a bottom side of said main panel. 
     
     
         7 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said filter arrangement further comprises a cleaning arrangement which comprises a plurality of guiding pulleys provided at two ends of said filtering net, a plurality of cleaning nozzles supported at a position adjacent to said guiding pulleys respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said filtering net is configured by stainless steel. 
     
     
         9 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said first water collection basin has a first stabilizing compartment connected to said pumping device, a first heat exchanging compartment provided adjacent to and communicated with said first stabilizing compartment via a first water channel, wherein said first heat exchanging pipes are immersed in said first heat exchanging compartment, said cooling water pumped by said pumping device being guided to flow into said first stabilizing compartment through said first water channel. 
     
     
         10 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said first water collection basin has a first inner sidewall, a first outer sidewall, a first partitioning wall, a first bottom plate, and a first passage plate, said first partitioning wall being provided between said first inner sidewall and said first outer sidewall, and dividing said first water collection basin into said first stabilizing compartment and said first heat exchanging compartment, said first water channel being formed on said first partitioning wall along a longitudinal direction thereof, said first stabilizing compartment being formed between said first inner sidewall, said first partitioning wall, and said first bottom plate, said first heat exchanging compartment being formed by said first partitioning wall, said first outer sidewall, and said first passage plate. 
     
     
         11 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said first passage plate has a plurality of first passage holes for allowing said cooling water contained in said first heat exchanging compartment to fall into said first fill material unit. 
     
     
         12 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein each of said multiple-effect evaporative condensers comprises a flow control mechanism which comprises at least one control plate movably provided underneath said first passage plate of said first water collection basin, at least one driving member connected to said control plate for driving said control plate to move in a horizontal and reciprocal manner, and a plurality of securing members, said control plate having a plurality of control holes spacedly distributed thereon, said securing members being mounted on said first water collection basin and arranged to normally exert an upward biasing force toward said control plate so as to maintain a predetermined distance between said control plate and said first passage plate. 
     
     
         13 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each first water collection basin further has a pair of first securing slots formed at lower portions of said first partitioning wall and said first outer sidewall respectively, each of said first securing slots being elongated along a longitudinal direction of said first water collection basin, wherein said securing members are mounted in said first securing slots respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said flow control mechanism further comprises an automated control system comprising a central control unit, a connecting member connected between said central control unit and said driving member, and a sensor provided in said first water collection basin and electrically connected to said central control unit. 
     
     
         15 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said second water collection basin has a second heat exchanging compartment, wherein said second heat exchanging pipes are immersed in said second heat exchanging compartment. 
     
     
         16 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said second water collection basin has a second inner sidewall, a second outer sidewall, and a second passage plate, wherein said second heat exchanging compartment is defined within said second inner sidewall, said second outer sidewall, and said second passage plate, said second passage plate having a plurality of second passage holes for allowing said cooling water to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said second water collection basin further has a pair of second securing slots formed at lower portions of said second inner side wall and said second outer sidewall respectively, said securing members being mounted in said second securing slots respectively. 
     
     
         18 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said multiple effect evaporative condensers further comprises a supplementary water supply unit which comprises a plurality of water level sensors provided in said first water collection basin and said second water collection basin respectively, a plurality of supplemental water pipes extended between said water pipe and said first water collection basin and said second water collection basin respectively, and a plurality of water control valves provided in said supplemental water pipes respectively for controlling a flow of water therein. 
     
     
         19 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said first heat exchanging pipes comprises a first pipe body and a plurality of first retention members spacedly formed in said first pipe body, and a plurality of first heat exchanging fins extended from an inner surface of said first pipe body. 
     
     
         20 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 19 , wherein each of said first pipe bodies has two curved side portions and a substantially flat mid portion extending between said two curved side portions to form rectangular cross sectional shape at said mid portion and two semicircular cross sectional shapes at two curved side portions of said first heat exchanging pipe. 
     
     
         21 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said first retention members are spacedly distributed in said flat mid portion along a transverse direction of said corresponding first pipe body so as to form a plurality of first pipe cavities, each of said first heat exchanging fins being extended from an inner surface of said first pipe body. 
     
     
         22 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said second heat exchanging pipes comprises a second pipe body and a plurality of second retention members spacedly formed in said second pipe body, and a plurality of second heat exchanging fins extended from an inner surface of said second pipe body. 
     
     
         23 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 22 , wherein each of said second pipe bodies has two curved side portions and a substantially flat mid portion extending between said two curved side portions to form rectangular cross sectional shape at said mid portion and two semicircular cross sectional shapes at two curved side portions of said second heat exchanging pipe. 
     
     
         24 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said heat exchanging pipes has a thin oxidation layer formed on an exterior surface and an interior surface thereof for preventing further corrosion of said relevant heat exchanging pipe. 
     
     
         25 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 24 , wherein each of said heat exchanging pipes has a thin layer of polytetrafluoroethylene formed on an exterior surface thereof to prevent unwanted substances from attaching on said corresponding exterior surface. 
     
     
         26 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said first cooling unit further comprises a first guiding system connected to said first heat exchanging pipes to divide said first heat exchanging pipes into at least two piping groups. 
     
     
         27 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 26 , wherein said first guiding system comprises a plurality of first inlet collection pipes extended between outer ends of said first heat exchanging pipes, a first outlet pipe extended between inner ends of said first heat exchanging pipes, wherein said first outlet pipe is extended at a position between said two first inlet collection pipes. 
     
     
         28 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said first heat exchanging pipes are inclinedly and downwardly extended from said first inlet collection pipe toward said first outlet pipe. 
     
     
         28 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said first guiding system further comprises a plurality of first heat exchanging fins extended between each two adjacent first heat exchanging pipes. 
     
     
         29 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said second cooling unit further comprises a second guiding system connected to said second heat exchanging pipes to divide said second heat exchanging pipes into at least two piping groups. 
     
     
         30 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said second guiding system comprises a plurality of second inlet collection pipes extended between outer ends of said second heat exchanging pipes, a second outlet pipe extended between inner ends of said second heat exchanging pipes, wherein said second outlet pipe is extended at a position between said two second inlet collection pipes. 
     
     
         31 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 30 , wherein said second guiding system further comprises a plurality of second heat exchanging fins extended between each two adjacent second heat exchanging pipes. 
     
     
         32 . The power plant, as recited in  claim 31 , wherein said second heat exchanging pipes are inclinedly and downwardly extended from said second inlet collection pipe toward said second outlet pipe.