Design and simulation of a concentrated solar thermal system with an integrated concrete storage for continuous heat supply

Abstract

In this paper a feasibility study to use concentrated solar systems in combination with concrete storages for process heating is shown. As a process example a pasteurization process is examined in which the burner in the process is replaced or modified by the solar thermal system. The utilization of small Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) and Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) as heat sources is compared. Furthermore the usage of concrete storages for two different scenarios in four countries with different boundary conditions is investigated. A dynamic investment calculation is used to determine the amortization period which shows a outstanding value for most selected places. The results of the study show that the application of CPC below 180°C can achieve better outcomes compared to PTC from both the technical and the economical point of view.