Method of Draining Heat-Transfer Oil in a Solar Power Plant, and Equipment for Draining, Storing and Replenishing Heat-Transfer Oil in Order to Implement Said Method
A method of draining heat-transfer oil in a solar power plant, and equipment for draining, storing and repositioning heat-transfer oil in order to implement the method, includes filling auxiliary ducts, flushing the oil from the solar power plant loop, cooling the outgoing oil and extracting the oil by suction; replenishing includes filling the loop by impulsion and emptying the auxiliary ducts by aspiration, with the installation including an oil tank ( 7 ); a pumping assembly ( 6 ); an oil cooler ( 5 ); communication ducts between same; a depressor or aspiration assembly ( 8 ); an assembly of ducts for emptying ( 3 ) the loop of the installation, forming a closed loop; and an assembly of filling ducts ( 4 ), forming a closed loop.
1 . A method for draining thermal oil at a solar thermal plant, comprising the steps of:
unloading and loading at least one loop of the installation with the oil,
the step of unloading comprises the following steps:
filling auxiliary conduits for emptying and filling the at least one loop of the solar thermal plant, wherein the auxiliary conduits comprise conduits for communication between an external oil tank, a pumping set and an oil cooler; a set of emptying conduits, and a set of filling conduits;
rinsing the oil from the at least one loop of the solar thermal plant by driving oil from the external oil tank into this at least one loop, by the pumping set through said auxiliary conduits for emptying and filling the solar thermal plant;
cooling the oil from the at least one loop of the solar thermal plant by passage through an oil cooler until the oil reaches a temperature of around 80° C., and
returning the cooled oil to the oil tank;
extracting the oil from the at least one loop of the solar thermal plant through the action of one of a depression and suction set, and an external air intake which leads the oil to the oil tank.
2 . A method for draining thermal oil at a solar thermal plant, according to claim 1 , wherein the step of filling the auxiliary conduits for emptying and filling the at least one loop of the solar thermal plant includes the step of closing valves for connecting said at least one loop with the solar thermal plant.
3 . A method for draining thermal oil at a solar thermal plant, according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary conduits are filled sequentially in the following order:
the conduits for communication between the external oil tank, the pumping set and the oil cooler;
the set of emptying conduits; and
the set of filling conduits;
by opening and closing relevant valves.
4 . A method for draining thermal oil at a solar thermal plant, according to claim 1 , wherein the step of rinsing including rendering one branch of at least one of
the emptying conduit set and
the filling conduit set inactive by closing appropriate valves.
5 . A method for draining thermal oil at a solar thermal plant, according to claim 1 , wherein the step of extracting the oil from the loop of the solar thermal plant includes the step of opening at least one exterior air intake valve.
6 . A method for draining thermal oil at a solar thermal plant, according to claim 1 , further comprising the following steps:
filling the at least one loop of the installation, by impelling of the pumping set through at least one of the filling conduits, taking the oil from the oil tank, and returning the oil to the oil tank through at least one of the emptying conduits;
closing valves for connection between the auxiliary conduits and the at least one loop of the solar thermal installation; and
emptying the conduits of the installation by suction of the one of the depression and suction set, with all the valves communicating with an exterior opening.
7 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, comprising:
an oil tank;
conduits connected to the oil tank;
valves respectively set in said conduits which isolate the oil tank;
an atmospheric intake for the oil tank;
a valve for the atmospheric intake;
a pumping set including at least one pump for pumping oil to and from the oil tank,
valves respectively set upstream and downstream of each pump of the pumping set;
a conduit connecting the oil tank and the pumping set;
an oil cooler connected to conduits,
valves respectively isolating said oil cooler;
a conduit connecting the oil cooler with the oil tank;
a conduit connecting an outlet of the pumping set with the conduit connecting the oil cooler with the oil tank,
a conduit connecting the outlet of the pumping set with another conduit;
one of a depression and suction set connected to the oil tank by a conduit,
an isolation valve in the conduit that connects the oil tank with the one of a depression and suction set;
a filling conduit provided with valves;
a conduit which connects the oil cooler with said filling conduit and an emptying conduit
a set of emptying conduits for the at least one loop of the installation, forming a closed loop, said set of emptying conduits including in an area where it joins an emptying outlet of the at least one loop of the installation by a set of valves;
a set of filling conduits, forming a closed loop and including a set of filling conduits, said set of filling conduits including in an area where it joins a filling inlet of the at least one loop of the installation by a set of valves.
8 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, according to claim 7 , wherein the oil tank is heat-insulated and provided with heating resistances.
9 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, according to claim 7 , wherein the pumping set is formed of two pumps set in parallel.
10 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, according to claim 7 , wherein one said conduit which is connected to the oil tank is provided with an atmospheric intake valve.
11 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, according to claim 7 , wherein the conduit connecting an outlet of the pumping set with the conduit connecting the oil cooler with the oil tank, and the conduit connecting the outlet of the pumping set with another conduit, are the same conduit, and is provided with a valve in an area for connection with the conduit connecting the oil cooler with the oil tank and a valve for connection with the another conduit.
12 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, according to claim 7 , wherein the valves are electronically operated electric valves.
13 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, according to claim 12 , further comprising a control body for opening and closing the valves in accordance with operating phases.
14 . An installation for draining, storing and replacing thermal oil, according to claim 7 , wherein the installation is located on one of:
a platform of a vehicle and a trailer of a vehicle.