Model and study of a solar tower power plant using molten salt and Rankine cycle

In the present paper, a model of a solar tower power plant (STPP) is presented. This is the result of a Master semester project led at the Laboratory for Industrial Energetic Systems (LENI) at the Swiss Federal Institute in Lausanne (EPFL). The modelized plant uses molten salt as heat transfer fluid (HTF), within a circuit including a direct storage system. The hot salt is used to provide power to a conventional Rankine cycle based on steam. For this first step a Rankine cycle without any improvement is modelled, in order to provide a simple running model being subject to improvements later. The model is realized using the program Vali, allowing to submit it to a multicriteria optimization algorithm, aiming the best feasible solution seen from a thermo-economic point of view. This report is exposing the work done on the model. The modelling of certain details is carefully described, then the operating parameters used for the model validation are presented. The results are then exposed in details, including several different strategies for the usage of the stored mass. A discussion of the presented results is then led, the results being compared to those of an unknown solar power plant (Solar Two). Finally, the major points that are subject to improvements are listed and the further work to be done is detailed.

THERMOECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND OPTIMISATION OF AIR-BASED BOTTOMING CYCLES FOR WATER-FREE HYBRID SOLAR GAS-TURBINE POWER PLANTS

Raphaël Michel Adrien Marie Sandoz

Among the plethora of alternatives available, concentrated solar power (CSP) appears as one of the most favourable options. The stability and dispatchability of production achievable by the integration of storage and fuel-solar hybridisation are amidst the major advantages of this technology. Nevertheless, conventional CSP plants are based on stream-turbine cycles which consume large amounts of water. In addition to the low thermodynamic efficiency of this type of cycle, the installation of such plants in water-scarce areas is complicated by their reliance on water resources. Thus, the study of new concepts that overcome these drawbacks is necessary for the future of this technology. The availability of high temperature solar receivers for solar tower systems opens the way for the use of gas-turbines in hybrid solar- natural gas configurations. In order to increase the efficiency of the cycle while keeping the water consumption as low as possible, a promising alternative to the recovery of the waste heat in steam-turbines is to use a low-temperature intercooled-recuperated gas-turbine cycle. This work focuses on the analysis and optimisation of the performance of an innovative hybrid solar gas-turbine power plant with an air-based bottoming cycle (ABHSGT). The evaluation considers thermodynamic performance, economic viability and environmental impact as interrelated concerns. With this in mind, detailed steady-state and dynamic models of the power plant have been developed and validated by comparison with existing components. A second model without bottoming cycle has been built for comparison. A multi-objective optimisation using an evolutionary algorithm has then been performed, optimising both capital cost and specific CO2 emissions and resulting in a Pareto-optimal set of possible designs. The analysis of the trade-off curves resulting from the optimisation reveals promising outcomes. The global minimum for the levelised cost of electricity, found at relatively high solar shares, proves the economic potential of the technology. The integration of the bottoming cycle decreases significantly the levelised cost of electricity and the CO2 emissions of the system compared to the reference plant, and higher efficiencies are achieved. The optimal design selected for an in-depth thermoeconomic and environmental analysis exhibits a levelised cost of electricity of 109 [USD/MWhe] for a solar share of 20% and an overall exergetic efficiency 38.5%. The specific CO2 emissions are reduced by 33% compared to those of a simple gas-fired power plant. The water consumption is kept at very low levels compared to other CSP plants, making the system suitable for the deployment in water-scarce areas. In addition, the environmental impact induced by the land use requirements is considerably lower than that of other renewable energy technologies. The sensitivity analysis performed to assess the consequence of changes in varying financial conditions on the levelised cost of electricity and the net present value reveals that the system studied represents a profitable investment in the presence of feed-in tariffs. In the light of the performance obtained in the three aspects considered (thermodynamic, economic and environmental), it can be concluded that the ABHSGT represents a promising alternative to other renewable energy technologies, especially in water-scarce areas.

2012

Concept d’une minicentrale électro-thermo-solaire hybride adaptée aux pays en voie de développement.

Daniel Favrat, El Hadj Malick Kane

This paper presents the analysis of an original design of small hybrid solar plant using Organic Rankine Cycles with hermetic scroll expander- generators. The hot supply is provided from vacuumed collector tubes along the focal line of solar concentrators made of mirror bands fixed on a plane surface (CEP). The plant is integrated with a cogeneration Diesel engine unit to ensure power availability independently from the variations of solar radiation. It is primarily intended for isolated sites in developing countries. Measurements on the power unit of 13 kWel show an excellent behavior over a broad range of parameters with an efficiency of the order of 18% (50% exergetic efficiency), which is very promising, particularly when considering that the concept of superposed cycles will allow operations at higher supply temperatures with further technological developments.

2000

Thermoeconomic Analysis of Advanced Solar-Fossil Combined Power Plants

Daniel Favrat, El Hadj Malick Kane

Hybrid solar thermal power plants (with parabolic trough type of solar collectors) featuring gas burners and Rankine steam cycles have been successfully demonstrated by California's Solar Electric Generating System (SEGS). This system has been proven to be one of the most efficient and economical schemes to convert solar energy into electricity. Recent technological progress opens interesting prospects for advanced cycle concepts: a) the ISCCS (Integrated Solar Combined Cycle System) that integrates the parabolic trough into a fossil fired combined cycle, which allows a larger exergy potential of the fuel to be converted. b) the HSTS (Hybrid Solar Tower System) which uses high concentration optics (via a power tower generator) and high temperature air receivers to drive the combined cycle power plant. In the latter case, solar energy is used at a higher exergy level as a heat source of the topping cycle. This paper presents the results of a thermoeconomic investigation of an ISCCS envisaged in Tunisia. The study is realized in two phases. In the first phase, a mixed approach, based on pinch technology principles coupled with a mathematical optimization algorithm, is used to minimize the heat transfer exergy losses in the steam generators, respecting the off design operating conditions of the steam turbine (cone law). In the second phase, an economic analysis based on the Levelized Electricity Cost (LEC) approach was carried out for the configurations, which provided the best concepts during the first phase. A comparison of those advanced concepts (ISCCS) to pure fossil fueled Plants (CC+GT) is reported for the same electrical power load. A sensitivity analysis based on the relative size of the solar field is presented.

2000

THERMOECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND OPTIMISATION OF AIR-BASED BOTTOMING CYCLES FOR WATER-FREE HYBRID SOLAR GAS-TURBINE POWER PLANTS

Raphaël Michel Adrien Marie Sandoz

2012