Patent ID: 9377218
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: F24S,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A solar receiver with natural circulation for generating saturated steam, comprising: a hot focus including a receiver, the receiver including lower collectors and upper collectors, the lower collectors and the upper collectors connected by tubes that are disposed vertically; a cold focus including a drum located over the hot focus; at least one downpipe connected to the drum and the lower collectors of the receiver, the at least one downpipe configured to direct a working fluid produced from the drum towards the lower collectors of the receiver and then through the tubes connecting the lower and the upper collectors, to the upper collectors; at least one riser pipe connected to upper collectors of the receiver and the drum, the at least one riser pipe configured to direct the working fluid from the upper collectors of the receiver to the drum; level, temperature, and pressure meters in the drum; heat flux and temperature sensors in the receiver; a flow rate meter and a control valve in the at least one downpipe; a control valve that controls a current of supply water to the drum; and a mixed control system implemented by a computer that controls the control valves based on measurements from the meters and sensors, in response to changes in incident power on the receiver; wherein a circulation of the working fluid through the at least one downpipe and the at least one riser pipe includes natural circulation, wherein the at least one downpipe and the at least one riser pipe, the cold focus, and hot focus are configured to promote the natural circulation and reduce pressure drops; and wherein the solar receiver further comprises a recirculation pump auxiliary system for support of natural circulation for use in cases of high densities of radiation fluxes in the receiver or for plant startups, resulting in a mixed system of natural and forced circulation; and wherein the control valve in the at least one downpipe is configured to regulate a flow rate of recirculation, the control valve in the at least one downpipe and the recirculation pump being connected in parallel between the at least one downpipe and the receiver, wherein once conditions necessary for natural circulation have been reached, the recirculation pump can be dispensed with such that the naturally circulating working fluid flows through the control valve in the at least one downpipe.