Thermal Energy Storage Systems For Concentrated Solar Power Plants

Department of energy along with several electric utilities built and operated the first demonstration solar power tower near barstow california during the 1980s and 1990s.

Thermal energy storage systems for concentrated solar power plants.

The adaptation of storage systems both to the solar energy receiver system and the power cycle of the plant is essential. The thermal energy storage capability allows the system to produce electricity during cloudy weather or at night. Fluid from the low temperature tank flows through the solar collector or receiver where solar energy heats it to a high temperature and it then flows to the high temperature tank for storage. Thermal energy storage systems are key components of concentrating solar power plants in order to offer energy dispatchability to adapt the electricity power production to the curve demand.

Steam accumulators and molten salts. Thermal energy storage for concentrating solar thermal power csp plants can help in overcoming the intermittency of the solar resource and also reduce the levelized cost of energy lcoe by. This paper presents a review of the current commercial thermal energy storage systems used in solar thermal power plants. The integration of thermal energy storage systems enables concentrating solar power csp plants to provide dispatchable electricity.

The presence of the storage system its interaction with the other components of the plant and how it can be leveraged to control power output in addition to the collector outlet temperature was emphasized. A concentrating solar power csp system converts sunlight into a heat source which can be used to drive a conventional power plant. Thermal energy storage tes improves the dispatchability of a csp plant. Solar thermal energy especially concentrated solar power csp represents an increasingly attractive renewable energy source.

Among the various options of thermo chemical energy storage calcium looping represents a promising alternative for concentrated solar power plants thanks to high operating temperatures high. Heat can be stored in either sensible latent or thermochemical storage. The fluid is stored in two tanks one at high temperature and the other at low temperature.