Methods for cooling a carrier fluid of an electric power plant, electric power plants and cooling system

Abstract

A method for cooling a carrier fluid is provided. The carrier fluid is used to drive a turbine in an electric power plant. According to a first embodiment, at least part of a cooling process is performed by leading the carrier fluid and/or a cooling fluid for cooling the carrier fluid underground a soil to a depth in which the soil is substantially cooler than the ambient air. According to a second embodiment, at least part of a cooling process is performed by supplying at least some of the carrier fluid, and/or at least some of a cooling fluid used to cool the carrier fluid, from a cold storage which stores fluid at a significantly lower temperature than the temperature of the carrier fluid in the turbine.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for cooling a carrier fluid, which carrier fluid is used to drive a turbine in an electric power plant, comprising:
 performing at least a part of a cooling process by leading the carrier fluid and/or a cooling fluid for cooling the carrier fluid underground a soil to a depth in which the soil is cooler than the ambient air.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the depth is selected such that there is at least a temperature difference of 10° C. between the ambient air and the underground region in which the cooling takes place. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the depth is selected such that there is at least a temperature difference of 20° C. between the ambient air and the underground region in which the cooling takes place. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cooling is carried out in an electric power plant in a hot environment, wherein during at least 100 days of a year, a maximum temperature of 40° C. is reached. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cooling is performed for a carrier fluid in a solar power plant. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cooling is performed for a carrier fluid in a power plant comprising an air cooled condenser which carries out part of the cooling. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cooling is performed in a power plant comprising a wet cooling system which carries out part of the cooling. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the carrier fluid and/or the cooling fluid that is used for fooling the carrier fluid is cooled in a heat exchanger connected to a cooling circuit. 
     
     
         24 . A method for cooling a carrier fluid, which carrier fluid is used to drive a turbine in an electric power plant, comprising:
 performing at least part of a cooling process is realized by supplying at least some of the carrier fluid, and/or at least some of a cooling fluid used to cool the carrier fluid, from a cold storage which stores fluid at a lower temperature than the temperature of the carrier fluid in the turbine.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the cold storage is situated underground at a depth that is cooler than the ambient air. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the depth is selected such that there is at least a temperature difference of 10° C. between the ambient air and the underground region in which the cooling takes place. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the cold storage is replenished with fluid at night time which fluid is then supplied during daytime. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein some of the carrier fluid and/or some of the cooling fluid is stored in a plurality of cold storages. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling method is applied under extreme heat conditions and/or during times of peak power consumption. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the cooling method is initiated by a driving unit according to variable input data pertaining to temperature information and/or power consumption information. 
     
     
         31 . An electric power plant, comprising:
 a turbine;   a carrier circuit with a carrier fluid, which carrier fluid in operation drives the turbine; and   a cooling circuit with a cooling fluid for cooling the carrier fluid,   wherein at least a part of the carrier circuit and/or a part of the cooling circuit with the cooling fluid is led underground to a depth that is cooler than the ambient air.