Development of a concentrating solar power system using fluidized-bed technology for thermal energy conversion and solid particles for thermal energy storage

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Energy Procedia (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2015.03.136· OSTI ID:1215022

Ma, Z. ^[1]; Mehos, M. ^[1]; Glatzmaier, G. ^[1]; Sakadjian, B. B. ^[2]

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1. National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
2. Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc., Barberton, OH (United States)

Concentrating solar power (CSP) is an effective way to convert solar energy into electricity with an economic energy-storage capability for grid-scale, dispatchable renewable power generation. However, CSP plants need to reduce costs to be competitive with other power generation methods. Two ways to reduce CSP cost are to increase solar-to-electric efficiency by supporting a high-efficiency power conversion system, and to use low-cost materials in the system. The current nitrate-based molten-salt systems have limited potential for cost reduction and improved power-conversion efficiency with high operating temperatures. Even with significant improvements in operating performance, these systems face challenges in satisfying the cost and performance targets. This paper introduces a novel CSP system with high-temperature capability that can be integrated into a high-efficiency CSP plant and that meets the low-cost, high-performance CSP targets. Unlike a conventional salt-based CSP plant, this design uses gas/solid, two-phase flow as the heat-transfer fluid (HTF); separated solid particles as storage media; and stable, inexpensive materials for the high-temperature receiver and energy storage containment. We highlight the economic and performance benefits of this innovative CSP system design, which has thermal energy storage capability for base-load power generation.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1215022
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA-5500-62799
• Journal Information: Energy Procedia (Online), Vol. 69, Issue C; ISSN 1876-6102
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
concentrating solar power (CSP)
solar receiver
heat transfer fluid
gas/solid two-phase flow