Methods for utilizing the heat content of a heated carrier agent are disclosed including indirectly contacting the carrier agent with a working fluid which boils at a temperature lower than water, in order to vaporize the working fluid, producing mechanical energy by expanding the working fluid to a number of reduced pressures, including the condensation pressure of the working fluid corresponding to atmospheric temperature conditions at the time, and a reduced pressure intermediate between the initial elevated pressure of the working fluid and that condensation pressure, separating the working fluid into separate streams corresponding to the working fluid at each of these reduced pressures, condensing the working fluid stream at the lowest pressure by indirectly contacting it with the atmospheric air, condensing the working fluid at the condensation pressure by indirectly contacting it with a liquid heat carrier, and repressurizing both of those working fluid streams for recycle. In this manner the size of these various working fluid streams determines the amount of the heat content of the heated carrier agent used for producing mechanical energy and/or useful heat therefrom.

To cover peak loads an auxiliary circuit having a water store which can be charged from the main circuit is connected to the main circuit of a thermal power station. The stored energy carrier is expanded by throttling, whereupon the vaporous part performs work in a peak-load turbine or in part of the main turbine, which is designed for this purpose, while the unvaporized part is returned to the main circuit in such a way that the low-pressure bleed points of the main turbine are relieved and the output of the main turbine is thus increased. The water store is preferably fed with condensate from the reheater.

A method and system is described which employs a thermal energy accumulator in which a thermal energy fluid and hot water coexist with each other. Hot water is taken out of the accumulator and supplied as thermal energy to an energy utilization compound arrangement of a total flow turbine and a steam turbine driving an electric power generator. The thermal energy fluid may be in the form of saturated steam, for example.

A steam boiler having a steam accumulator connected between the boiler and a user, a flow meter provided on the inlet side of the steam accumulator, and a pressure detector provided on the steam accumulator for detecting the internal pressure thereof, wherein the steam boiler is arranged to detect by the flow meter the steam flow rate on the inlet side of the steam accumulator, which is varied in the fashion of following the mean value of steam load, to detect the internal pressure of the steam accumulator by the pressure detector, and to calculate the steam load on the outlet side of the steam accumulator by a steam load detector on the basis of signals of detected steam flow rate and pressure variation.

An auto-reheat system for use with a steam turbine in which a portion of the heat energy supplied to the turbine from a heat source is directed to an ensuing region of the vapor path where the transiting vapor has expanded to such an extent that it begins to become "wet." The portion of heat energy directed to the ensuing region is delivered concurrently with the supply of heat energy to the admission port of the turbine, permitting a higher temperature to be maintained within the transiting vapor and thereby reducing the quantity of moisture developing in the vapor during the latter stages of the turbine expansion cycle. The result is improved turbine energy output and reduced blade maintenance costs.