Streamlining the Power Generation Profile of Concentrating Solar Power Plants

Abstract

A scheme to streamline the electric power generation profile of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants of the parabolic trough collector (PTC) type is suggested. The scheme seeks to even out heat transfer rates from the solar field (SF) to the power block (PB) by splitting the typical heat transfer fluid (HTF) loop into two loops using an extra vessel and an extra pump. In the first loop, cold HTF is pumped by the cold pump from the cold vessel to the SF to collect heat before accumulating in the newly introduced hot vessel. In the second loop, hot HTF is pumped by the hot pump from the hot vessel to a heat exchanger train (HXT) to supply the PB with its heat load before accumulating in the cold vessel. The new scheme moderately decouples heat supply from heat sink allowing for more control of heat delivery rates thereby evening out power generation.