Abstract
Steam accumulation is one of the most effective ways of thermal energy storage (TES) for the solar thermal energy (STE) industry. However, the steam accumulator concept is penalized by a bad relationship between the volume and the energy stored; moreover, its discharge process shows a decline in pressure, failing to reach nominal conditions in the turbine. From the economic point of view, between 60% and 70% of the cost of a steam accumulator TES is that of the pressure vessel tanks (defined as US$/kWhth). Since the current trend is based on increasing hours of storage in order to improve dispatchability levels in solar plants, the possibility of cost reduction is directly related to the cost of the material of pressure vessels, which is a market price. Therefore, in the present paper, a new design for steam accumulation is presented, focusing on innovative materials developed specifically for this purpose: two special concretes that compose the accumulation tank wall. Study of dosages, selection of materials and, finally, scale up on-field tests for their proper integration, fabrication and construction in prototype are the pillars of this new steam accumulation tank. Establishing clear and precise requirements and instructions for successful tank construction is necessary due to the highly sensitive and variable nature of those new concrete formulations.
Highlights
High-strength self-compacting concretes (HSSCC) are made of the same materials used in conventional concretes, with the exception of the use of super-plasticizer admixtures, highest resistant category cements, and the addition of pozzolanic materials of high activity
A complete process of new materials development facing high thermo-mechanical requirements is carried out within a new technology developed by Abengoa, consisting in a cylindrical tank for thermal energy steam accumulation, composed of a double concrete wall made of an external wall of self-compacting high-strength concrete and an internal wall of insulating refractory concrete
Components and dosages analysis are carried out from materials selection to concrete formulations, counting on essential tests for this application until the proposal of definitive dosages, both patented by Abengoa Solar NT
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Large-scale thermal energy storage (TES) is a key component of concentrating solar power plants (CSP), offering energy dispatchability by adapting the electricity power production to the demand curve [1]. The industry is looking for more economical and efficient TES systems, especially for process heat applications between 150–250 ◦ C. New decarbonization strategies worldwide promote the solarization of the process heat, where direct steam generation is one of the most efficient technologies [2]. The need for effective steam storage penalizes this application
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