Shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger

A shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger having an arrangement of heat transfer surfaces and a vertical steam/water separator structurally and fluidically interconnected thereto. A vertical support structure is provided to support the vertical separator and the heat transfer surfaces. The vertical support structure is bottom supported, while the vertical steam/water separator and heat exchanger heat transfer surfaces are top supported from the vertical support structure. The vertical support structure provides structural support and rigidity for the heat exchanger and a means by which the heat exchanger can be picked up and lifted for placement at a desired location. A fabrication/transport/lifting fixture is provided which facilitates fabrication, assembly, transportation and erection of the heat exchanger from the shop to the field. The fixture supports two trunnion shafts attached to the support structure of the receiver. Lifting lugs would be located on the top end of the support structure. Upon arrival at the job site in the field, a crane lifts the heat exchanger receiver to vertical, rotating about the trunnion shafts on the fixture, and then lifts the heat exchanger receiver for placement at a desired location.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to the field of power generation and industrial boiler design, including boilers, steam generators and heat exchangers used in the production of steam, such as those used to generate electricity or those used for industrial steam applications and, more particularly, to a shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger having an integral support structure.

A solar receiver is a primary component of a solar energy generation system whereby sunlight is used as a heat source for the production of high quality steam that is used to turn a turbine generator, and ultimately generate electricity. The receiver is permanently positioned on top of an elevated support tower that is strategically positioned in a field of heliostats, or mirrors, that collect rays of sunlight and reflect those rays back to target wall(s) in the receiver. An efficient, compact solar receiver for such systems which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture would be welcomed by the industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is drawn to a shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger for transferring heat energy from the sun into a working fluid, such as water. The heat exchanger is used to transform at least a portion of the water from the liquid phase into saturated or superheated steam.

In particular, one aspect of the present invention is drawn to a shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger comprising: an arrangement of heat transfer surfaces, a vertical steam/water separator structurally and fluidically interconnected thereto; and a vertical support structure top supporting the vertical steam/water separator and the heat transfer surfaces.

The shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger is placed on top of a tower and uses the energy of the sun to heat the working fluid. A heliostat field of mirrors located on the ground automatically tracks the sun, and reflects and concentrates light energy to the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger. The incident solar insolation heats the working fluid, typically water, to produce saturated or superheated steam which can be provided to a steam turbine to generate electricity.

A vertical steam/water separating device, disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,429 to Wiener et al., is used to separate the steam from the steam-water mixture. The vertical steam/water separator is structurally and fluidically interconnected with the heating surfaces of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger as part of a shop-assembled design as described herein.

The vertical support structure is bottom supported from a base which is connected to the tower. Buckstays are provided on the vertical support structure to provide lateral support for the arrangement of heat transfer surfaces, which advantageously comprise loose tangent tube panels, while allowing for unrestrained thermal expansion of the tube panels in both the horizontal and vertical directions, thereby eliminating additional tube stresses.

The vertical support structure and the base, buckstays and other structural members not only provide structural support and rigidity for the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger, but also a means by which the heat exchanger can be picked up and lifted for placement at a desired location. The structure permits the entire assembly of the heat exchanger, vertical steam/water separator and tangent tube panels of heating surface to be shop-assembled, transported, and then lifted and set upon a tower as a unit during installation. The vertical support structure remains with the solar receiver heat exchanger, thereby facilitating (if necessary) the removal of the solar receiver heat exchanger from the tower should it become desirable to do so.

The shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger according to the present invention is advantageously comprised of an arrangement of heat transfer surfaces and fluid conveying conduits arranged in a particular fashion to transfer a desired amount of heat energy into the water. The heat transfer surfaces are advantageously made of tubes arranged into tangent tube panels, and are provided with inlet and outlet headers as required. As is known to those skilled in the art, heat transfer surfaces which convey steam-water mixtures are commonly referred to as evaporative or boiler surfaces; heat transfer surfaces which convey steam therethrough are commonly referred to as superheating (or reheating, depending upon the associated steam turbine configuration) surfaces. Regardless of the type of heating surface, the sizes of tubes, their material, diameter, wall thickness, number and arrangement are based upon temperature and pressure for service, according to applicable boiler design codes, such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section I, or equivalent other codes as required by law. Required heat transfer characteristics, pressure drop, circulation ratios, spot absorption rates, mass flow rates of the working fluid within the tubes, etc. are also important parameters which must be considered. Depending upon the geographic location where the heat exchanger is to be installed, applicable seismic loads and design codes are also considered.

In another aspect of the invention, shop-assembly, transport and field erection are facilitated by a fabrication/transport/lifting fixture which facilitates fabrication, assembly, transportation and erection of the heat exchanger from manufacture in the shop to installation in the field. The fixture supports two trunnion shafts attached to the vertical support structure of the solar receiver. Lifting lugs are located on the top end of the support structure. Upon arrival at the installation site in the field, a crane lifts the heat exchanger receiver to vertical, pivoting on the trunnion shafts, and then lifts the solar receiver heat exchanger for placement at a desired location.

More particularly, another aspect of the present invention is drawn to a fixture for facilitating fabrication, assembly, transportation and erection of a shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger, comprising: a base; and stanchions provided at one end of the base for engaging trunnion shafts on the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger, the stanchions permitting rotation of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger about the trunnion shafts on the stanchions from a shipping position to a substantially vertical position during a portion of the field erection process of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this disclosure. These and other features of the present invention will be better understood and its advantages will be more readily appreciated from the following description, especially when read with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings. Thus, for a better understanding of the present invention, and the operating advantages attained by its use, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, forming a part of this disclosure, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will hereinafter be made to the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein like reference numerals designate the same or functionally similar elements throughout the several drawings.

The present invention employs a vertical steam/water separating device according to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,429 to Wiener et al. to separate the steam from the steam-water mixture produced by the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger of the present invention. The text of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,429 to Wiener et al., is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. The vertical steam/water separator is structurally and fluidically interconnected with the heating surfaces of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger as part of a shop-assembled design as described herein.

To the extent that explanations of certain terminology or principles of the heat exchanger, boiler and/or steam generator arts may be necessary to understand the present invention, the reader is referred toSteam/its generation and use,40th Edition, Stultz and Kitto, Eds., Copyright ©1992, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and toSteam/its generation and use,41st Edition, Kitto and Stultz, Eds., Copyright ©2005, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, the texts of which are hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 11, there is shown a shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10according to the present invention, and which is comprised of the following major components:

Evaporator or boiler tube panels12;

Header heat shields34;

Instrumentation40; and

More particularly, and referring generally toFIGS. 1 through 11in order, the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10has an arrangement of evaporative12and superheater14heat transfer surfaces, a vertical steam/water separator16structurally and fluidically interconnected thereto; and a vertical, internal support structure18provided to top support the vertical steam/water separator16and the heat transfer surfaces12,14. The vertical support structure18is interposed between the vertical steam/water separator16and the arrangement of heat transfer surfaces,12,14. The shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10is fully shop assembled except for the header heat shields34, safety valves, vents, silencers and other delicate instruments (not shown). The shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10is fully drainable.

Each side of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10comprises one evaporator tube panel12and one superheater panel14. Two primary superheater (PSH) panels14form one corner of the receiver10and two secondary superheater (SSH) panels14form an opposite corner (not shown). The evaporator12and superheater14panels are constructed of closely spaced tangent loose tubes (no membrane) with tube bends near the headers for additional flexibility. The tubes are small diameter thin wall tubes to minimize hot to cold face tube temperature differentials. The tube attachments allow for unrestrained thermal expansion of the tube panels in both the horizontal and vertical directions, thereby eliminating additional tube stresses. These design features maximize flexibility and minimize thermal stresses and the potential for tube bowing. While the above-described arrangement of evaporator tube panels12and superheater tube panels14is one preferred embodiment, other arrangements are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the evaporator12and superheater14panels may not be placed on every side, or the superheater panels14may not meet at a corner, or there may even be different configurations of plural evaporative12and superheater panels14provided on a given side.

The solar receiver heat exchanger10is top supported from the internal vertical support structure18. The vertical support structure18is bolted to a tower flange (not shown) via a transition section22integral to the base structure of the solar receiver10. There are three elevations of buckstays20to transmit wind and seismic loads from the panels12,14into the support structure18. The beams of the buckstays20are fixed to the columns of the vertical, internal support structure18.

The receiver10is designed for natural circulation and does not require a circulating pump. Feedwater enters the vertical separator16near mid height of the receiver10. The sub-cooled water flows down through the downcomer pipe17at the bottom of the vertical separator. Supply pipes24carry the water to the lower headers of the evaporator panels12. The heat from the mirror field is absorbed by the water flowing upward though the tubes in the panels12which is lower in density than the water leaving the vertical separator16resulting in a natural pumping action. The water-steam mixture exits the headers at the top of the evaporator panels12. Risers26carry the water-steam mixture to the vertical separator16. The inlet nozzles of the riser connections27on the vertical separator16are arranged tangentially and slope downward to impart a downward spin to initiate moisture removal. Wet steam flows upward through a perforated plate, scrubber and dry pan for final moisture removal. The water removed flows down and mixes with the water inventory in the vertical separator16for recirculation. While the supply pipes24and the risers26are illustrated in the FIGS. as being relatively straight fluid paths, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that their actual design in terms of arrangement and length will be determined by the degree of flexibility required to accommodate expected motions caused by thermal expansion and contraction during operation of the solar receiver heat exchanger. It is thus likely that additional bends or length may be necessary to provide such flexibility.

Dry saturated steam leaves the top of the vertical separator16and flows through the saturated connections28to the PSH14inlet headers located at the top of the panels14. Both PSH panels14have one or more (in one embodiment, five) steam passes with plural (in one embodiment, nine (9)) tubes per pass with diaphragm headers58of a special design due to the fact that the panels are comprised of closely spaced tangent tubes (seeFIGS. 15-17). Steam flows through both PSH panels14in parallel, starting at the ends adjacent the evaporator panels12and flows toward the center. This arrangement puts the coldest steam next to the evaporator panels12to protect the PSH14from spillage during startup. Steam then exits the PSH headers at the bottom, mixes and flows upward though the attemperator30and associated piping32(feedwater is used for attemperation), then splits and enters the SSH14headers at the top. The SSH panels14are arranged the same as the PSH panels14, but are located on an opposite corner of the solar receiver10. Steam leaves the receiver10via a main steam pipe (not shown) located at the bottom of the receiver10.

The upper and lower headers and tube bends on the evaporator12and PSH, SSH panels14are protected from spillage and stray light energy by heat shields34that extend around the perimeter of the receiver10as shown. Advantageously, the heat shields34comprise stiffened steel plate that is supported by the receiver structure18. The exposed side is painted white to reduce operating temperatures. The back side is not insulated to reduce operating temperatures. There is also gap between the heat shield34and tubes forming the panels12,14to allow natural air flow for additional cooling.

The back of the panels12,14will require a light barrier36to protect the insulation38and structure from rain and heat exposure that may get through gaps between the loose tangent tubes. Advantageously, the barrier36may comprise an array of metal sheets supported by the tube attachment structure. The barrier36may be painted white on the tube side to maximize reflectance and reduce operating temperatures. The barrier36will also support the panel insulation38and associated lagging.

The heat exchanger10will include instrumentation40to measure tube hot face and fluid temperatures, heat flux on panels and possibly strain, deflection and thermal expansion of various components of the receiver, if desired. In all the FIGURES, the location of this instrumentation40is merely schematically indicated, rather than specifically drawn and called out.

Two platforms42are provided to access the upper and lower manways or access doors on the vertical steam/water separator16, which are accessible by ladders.

Although the heat exchanger receiver10is fully drainable, daily draining may not be economical or desired, hence heat tracing, insulating cover or some other means may be required for freeze protection, particularly for the tube panels12which are exposed.

The vertical steam/water separator16is of the type disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,429 to Wiener et al., and operates in known fashion to separate the steam from the steam-water mixture. The vertical steam/water separator16of this type is particularly suited to handle large transient swings in heat input to the heat exchanger10which may, in turn, cause large variations in water levels within the steam/water separator16. The water separated from the steam-water mixture is conveyed to a lower portion of the separator16, mixed with make-up feedwater, and conveyed to the evaporative surface12to start the process over again.

The vertical steam/water separator16was chosen over a traditional horizontal steam drum for the following reasons: 1) it fits well into the receiver interior; 2) it eliminates the possibility of drum humping; 3) steam separating surface area could be achieved with the vertical separator; and 4) if desired, the vertical separator can be used to support the heat exchanger heating surface tube panels and can alternatively be bottom supported.

There are other advantages to the use of the vertical steam/water separator16in the solar receiver heat exchanger10according to the present invention, instead of a traditional horizontal steam drum, particularly during shut down conditions. These advantages arise from a combination of the structure of the separator16and connections thereto, as well as the physical relationship of the locations of these connections and the elevations of the upper headers of the evaporator panels12. Referring toFIG. 11, the relationship among the elevation of the upper evaporator panel12headers relative to the elevation of the normal water level (NWL), high water level (HWL) and riser connections or penetrations27in the vertical separator16are specifically set to conserve the vertical separator16's temperature and pressure; primarily this feature is utilized during overnight shutdowns. The normal operation HWL is set at an elevation matching the elevation of the upper evaporator panel12headers, and normal operation NWL is somewhere below the HWL (FIG. 11). The riser penetrations27in the vertical separator16are above the normal operation HWL and the upper evaporator panel12headers. After being shut down, the water in the evaporator panels12cools and is more dense than the water in the vertical separator16, which is still warm and less dense. Because of this density difference the water in the evaporator panels12wants to flow backwards: down the evaporator panels12, through the supplies24and supply connections25and up the downcomer pipe17into the vertical separator16; if this occurred the cool water from the evaporator panels12would quickly cool the vertical separator16. However, because the riser penetrations27in the vertical separator16are above the normal operation HWL, the warmer water already in the vertical separator16is not connected to the risers26and cannot flow into the risers26and upper evaporator panel12headers, and thus the backwards circulation cannot occur. This forces the cool water in the evaporator panels12to remain in the evaporator panels12allowing the warm water to remain in the vertical separator16which helps to conserve vertical separator16temperature and pressure overnight. As a result, at the following morning, the vertical separator16is at an elevated temperature and pressure which allows the solar receiver heat exchanger10to startup faster than if the vertical separator16were to cool completely to ambient temperature. It is important to note that this particular arrangement or setting of the HWL, NWL and LWL for the vertical separator16thus still allows the circulation system to function in an acceptable manner when the evaporator panels12are receiving heat; the circulation system has been optimized to operate normally during regular steam generation conditions and yet provides the above-described special features to minimize the cool down of the circulation system when the solar receiver heat exchanger10is not in operation. This concept is much easier to do with the vertical separator16according to the present invention in comparison to a boiler employing a traditional horizontal steam drum.

The solar receiver heat exchanger10must be capable of fast startups and load raising following cloud passes to maximize available heat usage and operation at full load and minimize off pointing of mirrors. A traditional steam drum is susceptible to drum humping (described below) if the load is increased or decreased too fast. If a cloud passes and decreases heat to the receiver with the turbine throttle valve wide open, drum pressure will drop due to the drop in steam production. This will superheat the steam in the drum causing the top half of the drum to be at a higher metal temperature than the bottom half which in turn causes the drum to distort or hump upward. The opposite happens on a rapid load increase because the steam condenses and cools the top half of the drum. Over time, this could lead to fatigue damage to the steam drum.

The inside diameter of the vertical steam/water separator vessel16is selected to provide enough surface area for the steam separating equipment and enough water inventory to allow the boiler to operate at peak steam flow for several minutes (about 1-½ minutes) in the event of a feedwater trip, even if the water level within the vessel was at the low water level (LWL) line when the trip occurs.

The steam separating equipment within the vessel16comprises a perforated plate, scrubber and dry pan which are located near the top of the vertical separator16as shown. The purpose of these components is to remove any additional moisture from the steam before it exits the vessel16. This, in turn, reduces the possibility of solids carryover into the superheater14which could plate out inside the tubes and cause hot spots.

The feedwater connection to the vertical steam/water separator has a thermal sleeve. This nozzle is angled down so that feedwater does not impinge and thermally shock the vessel16if the water is below the low water level.

The upper and lower manways or access doors (seeFIGS. 1,4, and11) provide access to service the steam separating equipment and vortex inhibitor, respectively. The vessel16is insulated and lagged to reduce heat loss.

The shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10is designed to operate without a circulation pump and with natural circulation characteristics. This means that circuits receiving more heat input have more steam/water flow and circuits receiving less heat input will have less flow. Although not preferred, if desired in order to facilitate the circulation of the water and water-steam mixture throughout the heat exchanger10, one or more circulation pumps may advantageously be provided at the lower portion of the separator16in the downcomer pipe17for pumping the water back to the evaporative surface to provide for assisted circulation or pumped circulation operation.

The solar receiver heat exchanger panels12,14are designed for high reliability to achieve a long life under highly cyclic operating conditions and be capable of withstanding daily startups, shutdowns and cloud transients without suffering low cycle fatigue damage. The evaporative12and superheater14heat transfer surfaces are comprised of loose tangent tube panels; that is, the tubes are closely spaced to one another and are not welded together. During operation, each tube in the panels wants to thermally expand to a different length than other tubes due to temperature differences between the tubes, but the lower headers will approximately move down based on the average tube temperature and remain horizontal and, because it is much stiffer than the tubes, it will not bend. This will impart stresses in the tubes, particularly in the superheater, because each pass operates at a different average temperature. The tube bends at the inlet and outlet headers therefore provide a spring, so to speak, to reduce tube stresses near the header connections and reduce the potential for tube bowing. Top supporting the panels provides free downward thermal expansion. The tubes are small diameter with thin wall to minimize hot to cold face temperature differentials, thermal stresses and the potential for bowing; in one embodiment, the evaporator12and superheater14panels are made of 31/32″ OD×0.095″ MW tubes of SA210A1 and SA213T22 material, respectively. Other tube materials and thicknesses may be employed, depending upon temperature, pressure and other considerations.

The evaporative heating surface12panels are provided with lower inlet headers and upper outlet headers. This facilitates the natural circulation design of the solar receiver heat exchanger10. The steam-water mixture generated in tubes forming the evaporative heating surface12panels is collected in the upper outlet headers which also serve as a mix point to even out temperature imbalances which may exist in the steam-water mixture. Stubs on the outlet headers are interconnected via risers26to stubs or riser connections27on the upper portion of the vertical steam/water separator16. The vertical steam/water separator16operates in known fashion (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,429 to Wiener et al.), separating the steam from the steam-water mixture.

If the heat exchanger10is designed simply for saturated steam production, without superheat, all the panels would be evaporative surface12, and saturated steam outlet connections28from the top portion of the separator16would convey the steam to its downstream location and use.

Depending upon the initial steam temperature and pressure, and the desired outlet superheated steam temperature, the panels comprising the superheater surfaces14may be multiple-pass superheater in order to provide adequate mass flow rates within the superheater surface tubes, and such concepts are within the scope of the present invention. Such multiple pass designs take into account the temperatures of not only the tubes in the superheater14, but also the temperature of the tubes in an adjacent structure or evaporator panel12, in order to address differential thermal expansion concerns. Further, throughout the present specification, the reference to superheater14may refer, depending upon the context, to either or both of primary superheater (upstream of a stage of spray attemperation for steam temperature control) and secondary superheater (downstream of a stage of spray attemperation for steam temperature control).

There are three elevations of buckstays20to transmit wind, seismic, shipping, and thermal expansion, etc. loads from the panels12,14into the support structure18as shown. The buckstay20beams are attached to the columns of the internal support structure18and are at staggered elevations to allow the buckstays to extend into the corners. The buckstays are also outside the panel insulation, and is thus referred to as a “cold” buckstay design. A tie bar31is held against the evaporator panels12with scallop bar23and pins33and, for the superheater panels14, with tube clips29as shown inFIG. 12and explained below. The clearances within the tie bar31, buckstay20, scallop bar23, pins33, and tube clip29system allow the panel to slide relative to the fixed tie bar31as the panel thermally expands vertically and in the tie bar axial direction; it allows for expansion in the tie bar31axial direction but does not allow expansion in a direction normal to a plane of the tube panel. Tie bar standoffs21are clipped to the buckstay20flange. This system allows for unrestrained thermal expansion of the tube panels in the vertical and tie bar31axial directions, thereby eliminating additional tube stresses.

To reduce cost and improve panel rigidity for shipment, the evaporator tubes12are attached with scallop bars23, tie bar31and pins33at each buckstay elevation20as shown. Three sets of scallop bars23are implemented across the width of the panel12instead of tying all of the tubes together with one bar to reduce stress in the tube attachment weld, particularly between buckstay elevations20where the tubes are straight (no bends to reduce stress due to differential thermal expansion).

A more flexible tube attachment design is provided for the superheater panels14; i.e., a separate buckstay system is provided for the evaporator12versus the superheater14panels. The superheater tubes are attached with a tube clip29and tie bar35arrangement as shown. This will allow each tube to expand independently since the potential for tube to tube temperature differentials is greater in the superheater14compared to the evaporator12, particularly for adjacent tubes of different passes.

The panels were also designed to minimize the number of designs to reduce cost. With regard to tube bending geometry, there are only two designs or configurations, one for the evaporator12and one for the superheater14with the only difference being which side the tube attachments are on. This is illustrated inFIG. 2, where it will be seen that the upper and lower headers on one side of the solar receiver heat exchanger10are located outboard of the plane of the tangent tube wall panels, while the upper and lower headers on an adjacent side of the solar receiver heat exchanger10are located inboard of the plane of the tangent tube wall panels.

The solar receiver heat exchanger10is top supported by the internal support structure shown inFIGS. 1,2and3. The top steel of the vertical support structure18supports the panels12,14and the vertical steam/water separator16. The panels12,14are supported by vertical rods attached to the back-to-back channel frame forming the perimeter of the top steel. This design allows for free downward thermal expansion of the panels and vertical separator. The support structure uses standard structural steel shapes and plate made of typical carbon steel material, such as A36 and A992, and is for the most part, bolted together. Other materials may be employed, depending upon temperature and other considerations. Structural tubing can be employed, but may have higher cost and require longer lead time. It also can complicate end connection design.

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 7, the supplies24deliver water from the vertical steam/water separator16downcomer pipe17to the bottom inlet headers of the evaporator panels12. The risers26deliver the steam-water mixture from the upper headers of the evaporator panels12back to the vertical steam/water separator. The quantity and size of the supplies24and risers26are designed to satisfy natural circulation requirements. They are also designed with some flexibility to accommodate differential thermal expansion between the panel12headers and the vertical steam/water separator to minimize stress at the connections.

The saturated connections and saturated connection piping28deliver dry saturated steam from the top of the vertical steam/water separator to the PSH inlet headers located at the top of the panels14. Due to the narrow inlet headers, only two saturated connecting pipes are required, one per header as shown. This piping is made of carbon steel and uses standard pipe sizes and schedule thicknesses. All piping is insulated and lagged to reduce heat loss.

The shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10has one stage of spray attemperation and piping32for steam temperature control, located between the PSH and SSH, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 6. A single stage reduces cost and simplifies piping. The attemperator and piping32are located inside the receiver enclosure as shown. The attemperator uses feedwater for attemperation. The attemperator and piping will be supported by the receiver support structure18and/or by the panel headers. These components are also insulated and lagged to reduce heat loss.

The upper and lower headers and tube bends for the panels must be protected from light spillage and stray light energy. This is accomplished with heat shields34that extend around the perimeter of the solar receiver10, and as shown onFIGS. 1,8and9. One end or edge of the heat shields34are bolted or welded to the support structure18and the other end is free. The heat shields34are made of thin gage steel with stiffeners on the back side and along the free edge to resist wind and seismic loads. The heat shields34may also be joined at the corners to provide additional stiffness to avoid attachment to the tubes. Provisions for thermal expansion to reduce or prevent buckling are required. The heat shields34are painted white on the exposed side and are not insulated on the back side to reduce operating temperature. A gap is provided between the heat shields34and tube panels12,14to allow natural circulation of air for additional cooling. To reduce shipping dimensions, the shields are field installed.

A panel barrier36is required on the back of the panels12,14to protect the insulation and structure from rain and heat exposure that may get through gaps between the loose tangent tubes. SeeFIG. 10, which illustrates the panel barrier36system. The panel barrier36comprises an array of metal sheets supported by the tube attachment structure. One end will be fixed and the other guided to allow thermal expansion. For the evaporator12, the panel barrier will be supported from the scallop bars and for the superheater14, by the tie plate. The panel barrier36will be painted white on the tube side to maximize reflectance and reduce operating temperatures. The panel barrier36will also support the panel insulation and lagging.

Instrumentation40to measure tube hot face temperatures, fluid temperatures and heat flux on the panels would likely be provided. Additional instrumentation such as strain gages and trams to measure deflections and thermal expansion of various components may also be provided. SH steam temperatures will be measured via pad welded thermocouples located on the cold (insulated) side of the tube outlet legs near the headers.

As shown inFIGS. 13 and 14, another aspect of the present invention is drawn to a shipping rig or fabrication/transport/lifting fixture50which facilitates fabrication, assembly, transportation and erection of the heat exchanger from the shop to the field. The fixture comprises a base52, and two stanchions54provided at one end thereof. The stanchions54support two trunnion shafts56attached to the vertical support structure18of the solar receiver. The trunnion shafts56engage the stanchions54on the fixture during shipment of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10to support same and for permitting rotation of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10on the stanchions54from a shipping position to a substantially vertical position during a portion of the field erection process of the shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger. Lifting lugs are located on the top end of the support structure18. Upon arrival at the job site in the field, a crane lifts the solar receiver heat exchanger10to vertical, rotating on the trunnion shafts56, and then lifts the solar receiver heat exchanger10for placement at a desired location, such as on the top of the receiver tower (not shown).

FIGS. 15 through 17illustrate top, end and cut-away views, respectively, of a split diaphragm plate58used in the superheater14inlet and outlet headers to provide multiple steam paths in the superheat panels14when tangent tubes are employed. A traditional circular diaphragm is welded into the inside of a header to compartmentalize it into separate fluidic compartments along the length of the header. As long as the tube stub connections are spaced far enough apart along the length of the header, this approach will work. However, in the present application with closely spaced tangent tubes forming the superheat panels14, the tube stub connections on the inlet and outlet headers are staggered and close together. A conventional circular diaphragm would interfere with some of the tube stubs attached to the headers. In order to overcome this problem, the diaphragm plate is a split diaphragm plate58comprised of two semi-circular diaphragm plates A and B, as shown, which are inserted into the header and welded to one another along a diameter and at the circumference of each plate A and B to the inside surface of the header.

Referring toFIGS. 18 through 22there is shown an alternate embodiment of a tangent tube support system according to the present invention. A typical tangent tube support system comprising a buckstay, standoffs, tie bar, and tube clips (when considering superheat panels14of the type used in the present shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger10) does not provide adequate support or positively enforce a “light tight” construction in the header axial direction. Since the receiver10is shop-assembled, and will be transported horizontally and then erected into a vertical position, it is important to provide for adequate support of the tangent tube panels12and14during and in between both conditions. More specifically, it is necessary to provide for a non-typical level of support which addresses concerns due to shipping the receiver10and locating the receiver10in a high seismic zone, accommodates for all anticipated thermal expansions, enforces the appropriate tube spacing to insure a “light tight” construction, supports manufacturability, and supports field replacement should that become necessary. The tangent tube support system must provide for adequate support of the primary and secondary superheat tube panels14, and the evaporator tube panels12.

To address these issues, in this embodiment partially circumferentially welded tube lugs60are employed on each tube of a panel12or14, and wherein each lug60is located on adjacent tubes at offset elevations with clearances to accommodate for both manufacturing considerations and expected tube-to-tube temperature differentials (a significant concern when considering superheat14tube panels). As shown inFIG. 20, the tube lugs60are each provided with two apertures which accept pins62to provide a two-pinned connection to a collector beam assembly comprised of upper and lower collector beams64which are each provided with corresponding apertures66for accepting the pins62, and interconnecting plates68. This embodiment thus supports a panel comprised of n tubes by implementing (n+1) intermediately located pins62, where n is an integer representing the number of tubes in a panel. Therefore while in many ways advantageous to a single pin support location (per lug) design, this effect is still similarly accomplished by implementing a single lug per tube and approximately a single pin per tube (when considering overall quantities required for manufacturing). The clearances between the tube lugs60and collector beam assembly again accommodate for both manufacturing considerations and expected tube-to-tube temperature differentials.

Two interconnecting plates68per supported tube panel are connected via pins70and rotating link bars72to a link bar support lug74attached to a flexural support member76, via structural steel78to the columns comprising the vertical support structure18(FIGS. 19,21and22). Through the aforementioned system, forces acting on each tube in a direction perpendicular to the plane defined by the tube panel can be efficiently supported by structural steel. Additionally the rotating link bars72purposefully allow for rotation and thus accommodate for the average thermal expansion of the supported tube panels as a whole; the rotating link bars72in this embodiment will typically be ½ preset for this thermal expansion. Two collector beam assembly support lugs80are located per supported tube panel in the appropriate locations so that the collector beam assembly travels at the panel's average thermal expansion while also providing a load path for vertical dead load of the assembly, light barrier, insulation, and lagging to be efficiently supported by the structural steel.

As best illustrated inFIGS. 18 and 22, bumper guides82are affixed to the center (considering the header axial direction) of the collector beam assembly and a cantilevered bumper84is attached to the flexural support member76, which again is attached via structural steel78to the columns of the vertical support structure18. Through the aforementioned system, forces acting on each tube in the header axial direction can be efficiently supported by the structural steel while allowing for the appropriate tube panel thermal expansions. Additionally the bumper system provides a centrally located anchor point for thermal expansion in the header axial direction. While the primary function of this embodiment is to adequately support the tangent tube panels for all expected loading conditions while still allowing for the appropriate thermal expansions, there are a number of other advantages realized through the use of this approach:

1. The collector beam assembly offers a convenient shelf on which to locate a light barrier, insulation, and lagging.

2. The collector beam assembly reduces costs and facilitates shop manufacture. Manufacturing and assembling the tube lugs60, pins62, collector beams64, and interconnecting plates68yields a convenient fixture that assists in the manufacturing process. The fixture is temporarily affixed to a tube panel assembly at the appropriate elevation and the individual tube lugs60are tack welded in place. Upon removal of the fixture the tube lug60welding process is finalized providing a fitted tube panel to collector beam assembly.

The pin70and link bar72system supports field replacement. The tube panels can be completely detached from the vertical support structure (when considering a single tube panel) by removing the relevant header/piping connections, disconnecting two header vertical support rods, and disconnecting the two pins70more proximal to the support structure at each tangent tube support elevation. As they presumably reside outside of the light barrier, insulation, and lagging the proposed invention offers a convenient method to remove tube panels for field replacement.

The element of this embodiment that remains regardless of the aforementioned design is the partially circumferentially welded tube lug60design located on offset elevations that each provides two pinned62support locations allowing (n+1) intermediately located pins to support a n tangent tube panel.

The collector beam assembly could be comprised of different structural shapes, if desired. For example, instead of the pair of long rectangular bars forming each of the collector beams64, which may flex or bow with gravity, the collector beams64could be comprised of 90 degree angles which are stiffer. The apertures66provided through one of the legs of each angle are then more likely to be aligned with the apertures in the lugs60, facilitating installation of the pins62. The other legs of the angles would be oriented towards the vertical support18. Alternatively, a single structural T shape, where the stem of the T is located between the offset tube lugs60and the apertures66for receiving the pins62are provided therein, and the bar of the T is oriented towards the vertical support18, may be employed.

The cantilevered hollow structural shape (HSS) bumper84and HSS flexural support member76, as illustrated in the FIGURES, could be similarly accomplished utilizing W or other structural shapes. This would allow more typical attachments to structural steel and should more readily allow the tangent tube support system's flexural support member76to serve additional purposes in the structural steel. The various components can be fabricated from carbon steel, or other materials such as stainless steel or other alloy steels.

It will also be appreciated that while the tangent tube support system described above has particular applicability to a solar receiver heat exchanger, it is not limited to that setting and this system can be employed in any heat exchanger where differential and average thermal expansion of loose tangent tube panels must be accommodated for while providing adequate support for all anticipated loading conditions.

It will thus be appreciated that the present invention provides a thermally and cost-effective solar receiver heat exchanger design having the following properties. The design is low cost, and capable of being shop-assembled in a mass-production environment. Its size permits truck shipment within normal limits for truck shipment (truck width <13 ft, overall height <12′6″, overall length <35 ft.). The relatively low weight reduces shipping and erection costs. The solar receiver heat exchanger is designed for high reliability and long life while operating under highly cyclic operating conditions, and is capable of withstanding daily startups, shutdowns and cloud transients without suffering low cycle fatigue damage. The vertical steam/water separator is capable of fast startups and load raising following cloud passes to maximize available heat usage and full load operation. The natural steam/water circulation design is fully drainable and eliminates the need for a costly circulating pump, while meeting required steam capacity and performance.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, it is to be understood that this invention may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, the solar receiver heat exchanger may be scaled to a larger size, depending upon the amount of steam flow desired; however, particular shipping or transport limitations may have to be considered in order to take advantage of shop assembly to the maximum extent. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to these disclosed particulars but extends instead to all equivalents within the scope of the following claims.