Technical Manual for the SAM Physical Trough Model

Technical Report · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1016437· OSTI ID:1016437

Wagner, M J; Gilman, P

NREL, in conjunction with Sandia National Lab and the U.S Department of Energy, developed the System Advisor Model (SAM) analysis tool for renewable energy system performance and economic analysis. This paper documents the technical background and engineering formulation for one of SAM's two parabolic trough system models in SAM. The Physical Trough model calculates performance relationshipsbased on physical first principles where possible, allowing the modeler to predict electricity production for a wider range of component geometries than is possible in the Empirical Trough model. This document describes the major parabolic trough plant subsystems in detail including the solar field, power block, thermal storage, piping, auxiliary heating, and control systems. This model makesuse of both existing subsystem performance modeling approaches, and new approaches developed specifically for SAM.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1016437
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-5500-51825
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
AUXILIARY HEATING
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CSP
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ELECTRICITY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
HEAT STORAGE
PERFORMANCE
PRODUCTION
SAM
SIMULATION
Solar Advisor Model
concentrating solar power
optical efficiency
parabolic trough
physical trough
system modeling
technical manual
thermal performance
transient
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