IP Library Granted Patent US 10,788,022
Granted Patent B2
US 10,788,022 · App. 15/521,316 · Granted Sep 29, 2020

Tight structure for external solar receiver in a tower of a concentrating solar power plant

Inventors: Alfred Dethier (Sprimont, BE); Luc Fairon (Manhay, BE); Vincenzo Morreale (Anthisnes, BE); Stephane Winand (Angleur, BE)
Assignee: COCKERILL MAINTENANCE & INGENIERIE S.A.
F03G6/065F22B1/006F22B37/201F22B37/208F24S10/25F24S20/20F24S40/80F24S10/70F24S2020/10Y02E10/41Y02E10/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,788,022
App. No.
15/521,316
Granted
Sep 29, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An external solar receiver, for a concentrating thermodynamic solar power plant of the type with a tower and heliostat field, has a wind tight modular inner structure, also called “casing,” and a plurality of heat exchanger tube receiver panels fastened to that inner structure. Each panel has a plurality of metal boxes supporting the heat exchanger tubes and assembled to one another by assembly means allowing the disassembly, each box being covered with thermal insulation via an anchor. The tubes are secured to the boxes by a removable and floating connector.

Claims (29)

1. An external solar receiver for a concentrating thermodynamic solar power plant of the type with a tower and heliostat field, the tower comprising:

a wind tight modular inner structure, as a casing; and

a plurality of heat exchanger tube receiver panels fastened to that inner structure,

wherein each panel includes a plurality of metal boxes supporting the heat exchanger tubes, the plurality of metal boxes being removably fastened together by one or more removable fastening devices,

wherein each metal box is covered with thermal insulation via an anchor,

wherein the heat exchanger tubes are secured to the boxes by a removable and floating connector, allowing thermal expansion of the heat exchanger tubes and thermal expansion of a part of their support subject to a high temperature both in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger tubes and in transverse directions thereto,

wherein each heat exchanger tube includes several welded eyelets distributed over a height of the heat exchanger tube, each of the several welded eyelets being configured to slide along a respective key under axial thermal expansion of the heat exchanger tube, and

wherein each respective key is fastened to the metal box through the thermal insulation by support bars, so that movement of the heat exchanger tubes under expansion, substantially in the longitudinal direction and along a plane of the panel, occurs outside the thermal insulation,

the solar receiver further comprising:

different boxes including the thermal insulation, assembled with slight play facilitating their disassembly; and

a removable seal provided between the different boxes to ensure wind tightness,

wherein the removable seal includes a seal mounted crushed by bolting between flanges formed by U-shaped ends of two adjacent boxes and by a companion flange or an H-shaped profile.

2. The solar receiver of claim 1 , wherein each metal box comprises a single piece rectangular metal sheet bent in a “U” shape on each side of the metal box, and

wherein corners of each box are welded.

3. The solar receiver of claim 1 , wherein the thermal insulation is a block with a rectangular section corresponding to that of the metal boxes and including, on each of its sides, a male or female baffle, so as to be able to be assembled with an adjacent insulation block including additional baffles on its sides.

4. The solar receiver of claim 1 , further comprising:

a slightly bent staple configured to be mounted on two adjacent keys so as to ensure the locking of the keys.

5. The solar receiver of claim 1 , wherein the eyelets welded on the heat exchanger tube include a saddle-shaped base.

6. The solar receiver of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger tubes are connected to one another via their corresponding keys by lateral intermediate support plates providing a junction between the bars and the tubes.

7. The solar receiver of claim 6 , wherein the bars are connected to the support plates using axes that are inserted into oblong holes of the support plates.

8. An external solar receiver for a concentrating thermodynamic solar power plant of the type with a tower and heliostat field, the tower comprising:

a wind tight modular inner structure, as a casing; and

a plurality of heat exchanger tube receiver panels fastened to that inner structure,

wherein each panel includes a plurality of metal boxes supporting the heat exchanger tubes, the plurality of metal boxes being removably fastened together by one or more removable fastening devices,

wherein each metal box is covered with thermal insulation via an anchor,

wherein the heat exchanger tubes are secured to the boxes by a removable and floating connector, allowing thermal expansion of the heat exchanger tubes and thermal expansion of a part of their support subject to a high temperature both in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger tubes and in transverse directions thereto,

wherein each heat exchanger tube includes several welded eyelets distributed over a height of the heat exchanger tube, each of the several welded eyelets being configured to slide along a respective key under axial thermal expansion of the heat exchanger tube, and

wherein each respective key is fastened to the metal box through the thermal insulation by support bars, so that movement of the heat exchanger tubes under expansion, substantially in the longitudinal direction and along a plane of the panel, occurs outside the thermal insulation,

the solar receiver further comprising a slightly bent staple configured to be mounted on two adjacent keys so as to ensure the locking of the keys.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2023
From: JOHN COCKERILL S.A.
To: JOHN COCKERILL RENEWABLES S.A.
Reel/Frame 064584/0560 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 14, 2022
From: COCKERILL MAINTENANCE & INGENIERIE S.A.
To: JOHN COCKERILL S.A.
Reel/Frame 060365/0508 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2017
From: DETHIER, ALFRED; FAIRON, LUC; MORREALE, VINCENZO; WINAND, STEPHANE
To: COCKERILL MAINTENANCE & INGENIERIE S.A.
Reel/Frame 042372/0280 →
Priority Claims (1)
BE 2014/5036 · Oct 28, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170306932A1 · Oct 26, 2017