IP Library Granted Patent US 9,140,143
Granted Patent B2
US 9,140,143 · App. 13/668,224 · Granted Sep 22, 2015

Method of operating a steam power plant at low load

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,140,143
App. No.
13/668,224
Granted
Sep 22, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for operating a steam power plant at low load is suggested comprising the extraction of live steam LS before the last superheater SH 3 and/or resuperheated steam before the last resuperheater RSH 2 and using the thermal energy of this steam in other heat sinks. Thus, nearly constant steam parameters of the live steam LS are achieved and the overall efficiency of the steam power plant remains at a high level.

Claims (16)

1. A method for operating a steam power plant including a steam generator, a turbine, a condenser, a condensate line, a first resuperheater, and a second resuperheater fluidly coupled upstream of the first resuperheater; the method comprising:

passing steam through the second resuperheater and then through the first resuperheater after passing through a high-pressure part of the turbine and before entering into a medium-pressure part of the turbine; and

extracting a portion of the steam between the first resuperheater and the second resuperheater when the steam power plant is operating at a low load.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steam power plant further includes a first superheater and a second superheater; the method further comprising:

passing steam sequentially through the first superheater and the second superheater before entering into a high-pressure part of the turbine; and

extracting a portion of the steam passing between the first superheater and the second superheater when the steam power plant is operating at low load.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the extracted portion of the steam is used for loading a heat reservoir, for drying and fluidising coal, supplying one or more of the preheaters with thermal energy, running a separate steam turbine or a steam motor and/or energy supply for industrial processes.

4. A computer program comprising a program that is programmed to control a steam power plant according to claim 1 .

5. An electronic storage medium for a control unit of a steam power plant, comprising a computer program according to claim 1 is stored in it.

6. A control unit of a steam power plant programmed to control a steam power plant according to the method of claim 1 .

7. The method according to claim 1 ,

further comprising extracting the portion of the steam upstream of the second resuperheater when the steam power plant is operating at low load.

8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the steam power plant further includes a third superheater fluidly coupled between the first superheater and the second superheater; the extracting a portion of the steam further comprising that at low load of the steam power plant extracting the portion of the steam before a last between the first superheater and the third superheater and/or between the second superheater and the third resuperheater of the steam power plant when the steam power plant is operating at low load.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the extracting a portion of the steam comprises extracting only a portion of the steam upstream of the first resuperheater when the steam plant is operating at low load.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the extracting a portion of the steam comprises extracting a portion of the steam upstream of the first resuperheater to maintain maximal steam temperature when the steam plant is operating at low load.

11. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the extracting a portion of the steam passing between the first superheater and the second superheater comprises extracting only a portion of the steam passing between the first superheater and the second superheater to maintain maximal steam temperature when the steam plant is operating at low load.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY'S ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 71474 FRAME 283. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 30, 2025
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
To: GE VERNOVA INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 071771/0479 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2025
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
To: GE VERNOVA INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 071474/0283 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 17, 2016
From: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
Reel/Frame 039714/0578 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2013
From: SCHULE, VOLKER; HEINTZ, JULIA; HELLWEG, STEPHAN
To: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
Reel/Frame 030119/0901 →