TY - GEN
T1 - System level analysis of a sodium boiler receiver and PCM storage CSP plant using solartherm
AU - Kee, Zebedee
AU - Pye, John
AU - Coventry, Joe
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Institute of Physics Inc.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/12/11
Y1 - 2020/12/11
N2 - A system-level evaluation of a concentrating solar power (CSP) configuration, with high-temperature sodium boiler receiver, direct-contact NaCl phase change material (PCM) storage and a Stirling engine array at 1 MWe scale was performed using the modelling framework of SolarTherm to provide an estimate of system costs and comparison to a reference 100 MWe two-tank molten salt system. Assuming an allowable receiver peak flux limit of 1.75 MWth/m2 and a Stirling engine efficiency of 34.6%, a levelised cost of energy (LCOE) of 137 USD/MWhe is obtained via genetic optimisation of parameters including solar multiple, receiver size, and storage component geometry. For an optimistic power cycle efficiency at 75% of the Carnot limit, the calculated LCOE is 109 USD/MWhe. Assuming safety risks can be mitigated without major additional cost, this novel concept holds promise when compared to the reference case that has an LCOE of 123 USD/MWhe, especially for small-scale opportunities either off-grid or at the fringe-of-grid. As this concept operates at very high temperature, the thermal efficiency of the receiver is lower than for a conventional CSP plant, and the storage system is more expensive on a unit-cost basis due to the use of high strength alloys in the tank. However, these drawbacks are offset by the use of a low-cost steel lattice tower design which is feasible at small scale, and by high efficiency power conversion at ~800°C.
AB - A system-level evaluation of a concentrating solar power (CSP) configuration, with high-temperature sodium boiler receiver, direct-contact NaCl phase change material (PCM) storage and a Stirling engine array at 1 MWe scale was performed using the modelling framework of SolarTherm to provide an estimate of system costs and comparison to a reference 100 MWe two-tank molten salt system. Assuming an allowable receiver peak flux limit of 1.75 MWth/m2 and a Stirling engine efficiency of 34.6%, a levelised cost of energy (LCOE) of 137 USD/MWhe is obtained via genetic optimisation of parameters including solar multiple, receiver size, and storage component geometry. For an optimistic power cycle efficiency at 75% of the Carnot limit, the calculated LCOE is 109 USD/MWhe. Assuming safety risks can be mitigated without major additional cost, this novel concept holds promise when compared to the reference case that has an LCOE of 123 USD/MWhe, especially for small-scale opportunities either off-grid or at the fringe-of-grid. As this concept operates at very high temperature, the thermal efficiency of the receiver is lower than for a conventional CSP plant, and the storage system is more expensive on a unit-cost basis due to the use of high strength alloys in the tank. However, these drawbacks are offset by the use of a low-cost steel lattice tower design which is feasible at small scale, and by high efficiency power conversion at ~800°C.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85098090092&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1063/5.0029494
DO - 10.1063/5.0029494
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85098090092
T3 - AIP Conference Proceedings
BT - SOLARPACES 2019
A2 - Richter, Christoph
PB - American Institute of Physics Inc.
T2 - 2019 International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, SolarPACES 2019
Y2 - 1 October 2019 through 4 October 2019
ER -