Techno-economic optimization of a scaled-up solar concentrator combined with CSPonD thermal energy storage
Name
Techno-economic_optimization_of_a_scaled-up_solar_.pdf
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706.13 KB
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Author(s)
Musi, Richard
Grange, Benjamin
Diago, Miguel
Topel, Monika
Armstrong, Peter
Calvet, Nicolas
Slocum, Alexander H
Date Issued
June 2017
Journal
AIP Conference Proceedings
Publisher
AIP Publishing
Citation
Musi, Richard, et al. "Techno-Economic Optimization of a Scaled-up Solar Concentrator Combined with CSPonD Thermal Energy Storage." AIP Conference Proceedings,1850.1 (2017): p. 110010.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
A molten salt direct absorption receiver, CSPonD, used to simultaneously collect and store thermal energy is being tested by Masdar Institute and MIT in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Whilst a research-scale prototype has been combined with a beam-down tower in Abu Dhabi, the original design coupled the receiver with a hillside heliostat field. With respect to a conventional power-tower setup, a hillside solar field presents the advantages of eliminating tower costs, heat tracing equipment, and high-pressure pumps. This analysis considers the industrial viability of the CSPonD concept by modeling
a 10 MWe up-scaled version of a molten salt direct absorption receiver combined with a hillside heliostat field. Five different slope angles are initially simulated to determine the optimum choice using a combination of lowest LCOE and highest IRR, and sensitivity analyses are carried out based on thermal energy storage duration, power output, and feed-in tariff price. Finally, multi-objective optimization is undertaken to determine a Pareto front representing optimum cases. The study indicates that a 40° slope and a combination of 14 h thermal energy storage with a 40-50 MW[subscript e] power output provide the best techno-economic results. By selecting one simulated result and using a feed-in tariff of 0.25 $/kWh, a competitive IRR of 15.01 % can be achieved.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
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Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4984484
