Abstract
The energy production of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants not only depends on their design, but also of the weather conditions and the way they are operated. A performance model (PM) of a CSP plant is an essential tool to determine production costs, to optimize design and also to supervise the operation of the plant. The challenge is developing a PM that is both easy enough to be useful during the earlier stages of the project, and also useful for supervision of plant operation. This requires one to be able to describe the step between the different modes of operation and to fit the response to transient meteorological phenomena, not so relevant in terms of aggregate values, but crucial for the supervision. The quasi-dynamic performance model (QD-PM) can predict the net energy exported to the grid, as well as all the key operational variables. The QD-PM was implemented using Matlab-Simulink of Mathwoks (MA, USA) with a modular structure. Each module is developed using specific software and a state machine is used to simulate the sequence between the operation modes. The validation of the PM is made using one complete year of commercial operation of a 50 MWe CSP plant situated in Spain. The comparison between the actual data and the results of the model shows an excellent fit, being especially noteworthy as follows the transients between the different CSP operation modes. Then, QD-PM provides an accuracy better than the usual PM, and, almost, as good as that of a fully dynamic model but with a shorter simulation time. But, the main advantage of the QD-PM is that it can be use not only in the feasibility and design stages, but it can be used to supervise the operation of the plant.
Highlights
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants use solar radiation to produce superheated steam for electric power generation on a thermic cycle
It is mandatory to give the performance model (PM) to the client as a guarantee evaluation tool when the engineering procurement construction (EPC) contract is signed
When the plant is handed to the operation and maintenance (O&M) team, it will be a big help for continuously improving the operation of the plant
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of CSPs is being reduced in a constant way, but this reduction rate is lower than the one from PV This improvement is achieved by reducing each systems’ costs [2] but rather by improving plant performance. Since there is no current system for massive and economic electricity storage, energy must be generated at the time it is consumed This issue is one of the main concerns regarding alternative power plant like PV or wind power. Focusing on aspects such as the response to transients and other rapid meteorological phenomena. It ends with the conclusions of the development carried out
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