Effects of thermal buffer storage performance on parabolic dish solar power systems

Conference · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980 · Alternative Energy Sources; (United States)

OSTI ID:6990979

Wu, Y C

The performance of a parabolic dish solar thermal power system is highly susceptible to sudden changes in weather conditions. This high sensitivity is expected not only to affect system performance, but may cause great difficulties in system operation. A thermal storage unit integrated with a solar receiver, called a thermal buffer storage subsystem, is believed to be capable of alleviating these problems. Therefore, an analytical study was made to ascertain the effects of such a subsystem on the performance of a parabolic dish solar thermal power system. This paper reports the preliminary results of this study. The study is based on a lumped parameter approach. The subsystem considered is a simple cavity receiver surrounded by phase change material (PCM) in which are embedded heat transfer tubes for the extraction of the heat stored in the PCM. The PCM selected for the study is a NaF-MgF/sub 2/ (66.9% - 33.1% by weight) eutectic salt mixture. The buffer storage subsystem analyzed is suitable for a power system using a Stirling engine for the generation of electricity at a rate of about 25 kW for an insolation condition of 1.0 kW/m/sup 2/. The results include the effects of storage capacity and heat transfer enhancement on both the subsystem efficiency and the transient behavior of the subsystem under different operating conditions such as start-up, shut-down, and short cloud passage. Preliminary results indicate that heat transfer characteristics within the PCM and at the PCM-solid surface interface are the crucial factors affecting subsystem performance, and that the effects become more severe as the storage capacity increases. However, PCM heat transfer enhancement can greatly alleviate the effects of these factors.

• Research Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California
• OSTI ID: 6990979
• Report Number(s): CONF-801210-
• Journal Information: Alternative Energy Sources; (United States), Vol. 3; Conference: 3. Miami international conference on alternative energy sources, Miami Beach, FL, USA, 15 Dec 1980
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
DISTRIBUTED COLLECTOR POWER PLANTS
CAVITY RECEIVERS
PARABOLIC DISH COLLECTORS
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
MAGNESIUM FLUORIDES
HEAT TRANSFER
SODIUM FLUORIDES
STIRLING ENGINES
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
CAPACITY
HEAT EXTRACTION
INSOLATION
LATENT HEAT STORAGE
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WEATHER
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT STORAGE
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER PLANTS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR RECEIVERS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
STORAGE
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
140703* - Solar Thermal Power Systems- Distributed Collector
142000 - Solar Energy- Heat Storage- (1980-)