Lowering the Levelized Cost of Electricity of a Concentrating Solar Power Tower With a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Schmitt ◽  
Jason Wilkes ◽  
Timothy Allison ◽  
Jeffrey Bennett ◽  
Karl Wygant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Cycle Model ◽  
Concentrating Solar Power ◽  
Levelized Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Levelized Cost ◽  
Power Block ◽  
The Cost

In order to maintain viability as a future power-generating technology, concentrating solar power (CSP) must reduce its levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The cost of CSP is assessed with the System Advisor Model (SAM) from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The performance of an integrally geared compressor-expander recuperated recompression cycle with supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as the working fluid is modeled. A comparison of the cycle model to the integrated SAM cycle performance is made. The cycle model incorporates innovative cycle control methods to improve the range of efficiency, including inventory control. The SAM model is modified to accommodate the predicted cycle performance. The ultimate goal of minimizing the LCOE is targeted through multiple approaches, including the cost of the power block, the impact of system scale, the sizing of the thermal system relative to the power block system, the operating approach for changes in ambient temperature and availability of sunlight. Through reduced power block cost and a detailed cycle model, the LCOE is modeled to be 5.98 ȼ/kWh, achieving targeted techno-economic performance. The LCOE of the CSP system is compared to the cost of hybrid solar and fossil-fired systems. An analysis is made on the efficacy of a fossil backup system with CSP and how that relates to potential future costs of carbon dioxide emissions.

A Study of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle for Concentrating Solar Power Applications Using an Isothermal Compressor

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Young Heo ◽  
Jinsu Kwon ◽  
Jeong Ik Lee
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Brayton Cycle ◽  
Concentrating Solar Power ◽  
Power Cycle ◽  
Compressor Inlet ◽  
Supercritical Carbon

For the concentrating solar power (CSP) applications, the supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) power cycle is beneficial in many aspects, including high cycle efficiencies, reduced component sizing, and potential for the dry cooling option. More research is involved in improving this technology to realize the s-CO2 cycle as a candidate to replace the conventional power conversion systems for CSP applications. In this study, an isothermal compressor, a turbomachine which undergoes the compression process at constant temperature to minimize compression work, is applied to the s-CO2 power cycle layout. To investigate the cycle performance changes of adopting the novel technology, a framework for defining the efficiency of the isothermal compressor is revised and suggested. This study demonstrates how the compression work for the isothermal compressor is reduced, up to 50%, compared to that of the conventional compressor under varying compressor inlet conditions. Furthermore, the simple recuperated and recompression Brayton cycle layouts using s-CO2 as a working fluid are evaluated for the CSP applications. Results show that for compressor inlet temperatures (CIT) near the critical point, the recompression Brayton cycle using an isothermal compressor has 0.2–1.0% point higher cycle thermal efficiency compared to its reference cycle. For higher CIT values, the recompression cycle using an isothermal compressor can perform above 50% in thermal efficiency for a wider range of CIT than the reference cycle. Adopting an isothermal compressor in the s-CO2 layout can imply larger heat exchange area for the compressor which requires further development.

Analysis of Advanced Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycles With a Bottoming Cycle for Concentrating Solar Power Applications

2013 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeb M. Besarati ◽  
D. Yogi Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Brayton Cycle ◽  
Concentrating Solar Power ◽  
Working Fluids ◽  
Supercritical Carbon

A number of studies have been performed to assess the potential of using supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) in closed-loop Brayton cycles for power generation. Different configurations have been examined among which recompression and partial cooling configurations have been found very promising, especially for concentrating solar power (CSP) applications. It has been demonstrated that the S-CO2 Brayton cycle using these configurations is capable of achieving more than 50% efficiency at operating conditions that could be achieved in central receiver tower type CSP systems. Although this efficiency is high, it might be further improved by considering an appropriate bottoming cycle utilizing waste heat from the top S-CO2 Brayton cycle. The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is one alternative proposed for this purpose; however, its performance is substantially affected by the selection of the working fluid. In this paper, a simple S-CO2 Brayton cycle, a recompression S-CO2 Brayton cycle, and a partial cooling S-CO2 Brayton cycle are first simulated and compared with the available data in the literature. Then, an ORC is added to each configuration for utilizing the waste heat. Different working fluids are examined for the bottoming cycles and the operating conditions are optimized. The combined cycle efficiencies and turbine expansion ratios are compared to find the appropriate working fluids for each configuration. It is also shown that combined recompression-ORC cycle achieves higher efficiency compared with other configurations.

Analysis of Advanced Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycles With a Bottoming Cycle for Concentrating Solar Power Applications

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeb M. Besarati ◽  
D. Yogi Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Brayton Cycle ◽  
Concentrating Solar Power ◽  
Working Fluids ◽  
Supercritical Carbon

A number of studies have been performed to assess the potential of using supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) in closed-loop Brayton cycles for power generation. Different configurations have been examined among which recompression and partial cooling configurations have been found very promising, especially for concentrating solar power (CSP) applications. It has been demonstrated that the S-CO2 Brayton cycle using these configurations is capable of achieving more than 50% efficiency at operating conditions that could be achieved in central receiver tower type CSP systems. Although this efficiency is high, it might be further improved by considering an appropriate bottoming cycle utilizing waste heat from the top S-CO2 Brayton cycle. The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is one alternative proposed for this purpose, however, its performance is substantially affected by the selection of the working fluid. In this paper, a simple S-CO2 Brayton cycle, a recompression S-CO2 Brayton cycle, and a partial cooling S-CO2 Brayton cycle are first simulated and compared with the available data in the literature. Then, an ORC is added to each configuration for utilizing the waste heat. Different working fluids are examined for the bottoming cycles and the operating conditions are optimized. The combined cycle efficiencies and turbine expansion ratios are compared to find the appropriate working fluids for each configuration. It is also shown that combined recompression-ORC cycle achieves higher efficiency compared with other configurations.

Supercritical carbon dioxide cycles with multi-heating in Concentrating Solar Power plants

Solar Energy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 207 ◽  
pp. 144-156
Author(s):  
Luis F. González-Portillo ◽  
Javier Muñoz-Antón ◽  
José M. Martínez-Val
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Concentrating Solar Power ◽  
Solar Power Plants ◽  
Supercritical Carbon

scholarly journals Techno-Economic Analysis of Candidate Oxide Materials for Thermochemical Storage in Concentrating Solar Power Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reiner Buck ◽  
Christos Agrafiotis ◽  
Stefania Tescari ◽  
Nicole Neumann ◽  
Martin Schmücker
Keyword(s):  
Steam Generator ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Oxide Materials ◽  
Concentrating Solar Power ◽  
Levelized Cost Of Electricity ◽  
System Cost ◽  
Levelized Cost ◽  
Solar Power Plants

The thermal storage capability is an important asset of state-of-the-art concentrating solar power plants. The use of thermochemical materials, such as redox oxides, for hybrid sensible/thermochemical storage in solar power plants offers the potential for higher specific volume and mass storage capacity and as a consequence reduced levelized cost of electricity making such plants more competitive. For the techno-economic system analysis, three candidate redox materials were analyzed for their cost reduction potential: cobalt-based, manganese–iron–based, and perovskite-based oxide materials. As a reference process the use of inert commercial bauxite particles (sensible-only storage) was considered. A solar thermal power plant with a nominal power of 125 MWe and a storage capacity of 12 h was assumed for the analysis. For each storage material a plant layout was made, taking the specific thermophysical properties of the material into account. Based on this layout a particle break-even cost for the specific material was determined, at which levelized cost of electricity parity is achieved with the reference system. Cost factors mainly influenced by the material selection are storage cost and steam generator cost. The particle transport system cost has only a minor impact. The results show differences in the characteristics of the materials, for example, regarding the impact on storage size and cost and the steam generator cost. Regarding the economic potential of the candidate redox materials, the perovskite-based particles promise to have advantages, as they might be produced from inexpensive raw materials.

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