Patent ID: 8544273

Claim:
A solar thermal power plant, comprising: a steam-electric power plant associated with a steam generation system operationally connected thereto for providing heat to drive operation of the steam-electric power plant; a solar collection system designed to heat thermal fluid and is in communication with the steam-electric power plant to provide heat thereto for driving the operation of the steam-electric power plant; and a non-solar power plant comprising a power generation unit and a waste heat recovery unit; and a controller configured to selectively operationally connect the solar collection system and the waste heat recovery unit to the steam-electric power plant to provide heat thereto, wherein the steam-electric power plant is configured to selectively at least partially divert working fluid from a steam division junction, to the waste heat recovery unit for heating, and reintroduced at a corresponding steam union junction, wherein the steam-electric power plant including a working fluid circuit is designed for carrying the working fluid sequentially through the steam generation system, a first turbine, a second turbine operating at a lower pressure than the first turbine, and returning to the steam generation system, wherein a first steam division junction is located downstream of the second turbine and upstream of the steam generation system, and wherein a first steam union junction, corresponding to the first steam division junction, is located downstream of the steam generation system and upstream of the first turbine, wherein the first steam division junction and the first steam union junction is defined by a three way valve whereby the first steam division junction is configured to selectively divert working fluid in one of two directions and the first steam union junction is configured to reintroduce working fluid which had been diverted by the first steam union junction, wherein the solar thermal power plant is configured to selectively operate in at least one of a direct solar mode or a direct non-solar mode, wherein in the direct solar mode the first steam division junction operates to allow working fluid flow between the second turbine and the steam generation system, and the first steam union junction operates to allow working fluid flow between the steam generation system and the first turbine, and wherein in the direct non-solar mode, the first steam division junction operates to allow working fluid flow between the second turbine and the waste heat recovery unit, and the first steam union junction operates to allow working fluid flow between the waste heat recovery unit and the first turbine.