Heating medium supply system, integrated solar combined cycle electric power generation system and method of controlling these systems

1. A heating medium supply system for a combined cycle gas turbine plant comprising:

a heating system configured to heat a heating medium by sunlight;

a heat exchanging device for generating steam to be supplied to a steam turbine of the combined cycle gas turbine plant, wherein said heat exchanging device is configured to heat feedwater using the heating medium supplied thereto from said heating system;

a heating medium supply passage extending from an outlet of said heating system to an inlet of said heat exchanging device for circulating the heating medium to said heating system and to said heat exchanging device;

a first heating medium temperature detecting device, a heating medium flow rate detecting device and a first heating medium flow rate controlling valve, which are provided on said heating medium supply passage at respective locations between said outlet and said inlet; and

a control device configured to control the flow rate of the heating medium led from said heating system to said heat exchanging device by controlling said first heating medium flow rate controlling valve based on results of detections by said first heating medium temperature detecting device and said heating medium flow rate detecting device.

2. The heating medium supply system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a bypass passage provided to said heating medium supply passage for circulating the heating medium to said heating system by bypassing said heat exchanging device;

a second heating medium flow rate controlling device provided on said bypass passage; and

a second heating medium temperature detecting device provided on said heating medium supply passage at a location adjacent an inlet of said heating system.

3. The heating medium supply system according to claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanging device comprises a preheating section for preheating feedwater, an evaporating section for evaporating feedwater preheated, and a superheating section for heating steam generated by said evaporating section to obtain superheated steam, the evaporating section being provided with a pressure detecting device for detecting a pressure of generated steam.

4. A method of controlling a flow rate of a heating medium in a heating medium supply system configured to generate steam by supplying thermal energy to feedwater in a heat exchanging device using a heating medium having absorbed solar thermal energy in a heating system, the method comprising the steps of:

continuously or intermittently calculating a value of thermal energy to be supplied to said heat exchanging device by the heating medium from a temperature and flow rate of the heating medium to be supplied to said heat exchanging device; and

controlling the flow rate of the heating medium led from said heating system to said heat exchanging device, wherein said heating medium supply system comprises a heating medium supply system including the heating system configured to heat the heating medium by sunlight, the heat exchanging device for generating steam to be supplied to a steam turbine of a combined cycle gas turbine plant, said heat exchanging device configured to heat feedwater using the heating medium supplied thereto from said heating system, a heating medium supply passage extending from an outlet of said heating system to an inlet of said heat exchanging device for circulating the heating medium to said heating system and to said heat exchanging device, a first heating medium temperature detecting device, a heating medium flow rate detecting device and a first heating medium flow rate controlling device, which are provided on said heating medium supply passage at respective locations between said outlet and said inlet of said heat exchanging device, and a control device capable of controlling an operation of said first heating medium flow rate controlling device based on results of detections by said first heating medium temperature detecting device and said heating medium flow rate detecting device.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein:

in the step of calculating a value of thermal energy to be supplied, said control device continuously or intermittently estimates the value of thermal energy to be supplied to said heat exchanging device by the heating medium based on results of detections by said first heating medium temperature detecting device and said heating medium flow rate detecting device; and

in the step of controlling the flow rate of the heating medium, said control device controls an operation of said first heating medium flow rate controlling device so that the rate of increase with time in the supply energy does not exceed the predetermined value.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising a step of estimating a saturation temperature of steam generated by said heat exchanging device, wherein

in the step of controlling the flow rate of the heating medium, the heating medium is supplied to said heat exchanging device when the temperature of the heating medium to be supplied to said heat exchanging device is higher than a predetermined temperature for starting supplying the heating medium and the flow rate of the heating medium to be supplied to said heat exchanging device is increased to such an extent that the rate of increase with time in the supply energy does not exceed the predetermined value as the temperature of the heating medium rises.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

said heating medium supply system comprises the heating medium supply system wherein said heat exchanging device comprises a preheating section for preheating feedwater, an evaporating section for evaporating feedwater preheated, and a superheating section for heating steam generated by said evaporating section to obtain superheated steam, the evaporating section being provided with a pressure detecting device for detecting a pressure of generated steam;

in the step of estimating a saturation temperature of steam, said control device estimates the saturation temperature of steam within said evaporating section from a steam pressure as a result of detection by said pressure detecting device provided in said evaporating section of said heat exchanging device;

in the step of controlling the flow rate of the heating medium, the temperature of the heating medium is detected by said first heating medium temperature detecting device and the temperature for starting supplying the heating medium is the sum of the saturation temperature of steam and a predetermined excess temperature; and

said control device controls the operation of said first heating medium flow rate controlling device so as to start supplying the heating medium to said heat exchanging device and increase the flow rate of the heating medium.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein:

said heating medium supply system comprises a heating medium supply system further including a bypass passage provided to said heating medium supply passage for circulating the heating medium to said heating system by bypassing said heat exchanging device, a second heating medium flow rate controlling device provided on said bypass passage, and a second heating medium temperature detecting device provided on said heating medium supply passage at a location adjacent an inlet of said heating system; and

said control device controls said second heating medium flow rate controlling device in such a manner as to cause at least a part of the heating medium outgoing from said heating system to pass through said bypass passage and join with the heating medium to be returned to said heating system so that the temperature of the heating medium to be returned to said heating system as a result of detection by said second heating medium temperature detecting device does not fall below a predetermined temperature.