Abstract
A thermal energy storage system is a critical component in concentrating solar power plants (CSPP), owing to which concentrating solar power (CSP) has superiorities over photovoltaic and wind power. Currently, the sole thermal energy storage (TES) system which is commercially applied to parabolic trough solar power (PTSP) plants worldwide is the two-tank indirect TES. In this study, the dynamic models of a solar field (SF), a two-tank indirect TES system, and a steam generation system (SGS) in a PTSP plant were developed and validated. Control and operation strategies on a clear day and a cloudy day were provided, and the dynamic simulations of the coupled operation using actual meteorological data were conducted. The influence of the two-tank indirect TES system on the dynamic characteristics of SGS on a system level was analyzed. Other key parameter variations were also presented. The results show that during the transition from the charge to the discharge process, the steam parameters slowly decrease. The variation of the molten salt height is further affected by the molten salt mass flow rate at the inlet and outlet of the molten salt tank. We adopted the PI control to adjust the thermal oil mass flow rate, thermal oil temperature, and water height. The developed dynamic models are useful in guiding system operation and control.
Highlights
With the increasing prosperity in fast-growing and emerging economies, the world GDP is expected to be more than double by 2040, which will drive an increase in global energy demand [1].According to the BP Energy Outlook 2018 [1], renewable energy will account for 40% of the growth in primary energy and be the fastest growing energy source
This study focused on the influence of a two-tank indirect thermal energy storage (TES) system on the dynamic characteristics of the steam generation system (SGS); the steam turbine generator model was a simple model, and only the dynamic models of the solar field (SF), two-tank indirect TES system, and SGS were developed in detail
Because the interval of the measured meteorological data is 10 min and the running step of the dynamic simulation program is 0.5 s, the linear interpolation method is used in the simulation process to match them
Summary
With the increasing prosperity in fast-growing and emerging economies, the world GDP is expected to be more than double by 2040, which will drive an increase in global energy demand [1].According to the BP Energy Outlook 2018 [1], renewable energy will account for 40% of the growth in primary energy and be the fastest growing energy source. As a renewable energy utilization technology, CSP technology is increasingly emphasized by more countries, especially by those who are rich in solar energy resources [2]. This type of technology has superiorities over others due to its ability to integrate a TES system. During cloudy periods, it shifts from the peak time of solar radiation to that of electricity demand. It extends the generating period when there is no solar resources, i.e., nighttime [3]
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