Thermal Energy Storage Systems For Concentrated Solar Power Plants

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.

Thermal energy storage systems for concentrated solar power plants.

Steam accumulators and molten salts. Thermal energy storage tes improves the dispatchability of a csp plant. 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.

The integration of thermal energy storage systems enables concentrating solar power csp plants to provide dispatchable electricity. 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. 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. Solar thermal energy in this system is stored in the same fluid used to collect it.

Dynamic simulation results for a two tank direct thermal energy storage system used in a parabolic trough concentrated solar power system are presented by powell and edgar. Heat can be stored in either sensible latent or thermochemical storage. However one of the key factors that determine the development of this technology is the integration of efficient and cost effective thermal energy storage tes systems so as to overcome csp s intermittent character and to be more economically competitive. Solar thermal energy especially concentrated solar power csp represents an increasingly attractive renewable energy source.

This paper presents a review of the current commercial thermal energy storage systems used in solar thermal power plants. A concentrating solar power csp system converts sunlight into a heat source which can be used to drive a conventional power plant. 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.