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Title: Hybridizing Solar Heat with a Geothermal Binary Power Plant Using a Solar Steam Topping Turbine

Abstract

Solar-thermal hybridization is a way to boost power generation of geothermal power plants, especially when the geothermal resource cannot supply the design flow or temperature. A new process using a high-pressure steam topping turbine can almost double the conversion rate of solar energy to power compared to the common practice of solar brine heating, and thus improve economic viability. This study looked at one such plant. Output from a geo-solar hybrid is typically increased both from the additional solar energy and from restoring turbine design-point efficiency. In this new process, a third effect occurs: the addition of a solar topping cycle increases the geothermal energy extracted from the brine. Process flow diagrams, off-design results, and economic results are presented. Three representative geothermal locations in the U.S. are evaluated, as are the effects of thermal storage, solar field sizing, and tax incentives.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  2. Idaho National Laboratory
  3. KitzWorks LLC; U.S. Geothermal Inc.
  4. POWER Engineers, Inc.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office
OSTI Identifier:
1494061
Report Number(s):
NREL/CP-5500-71729
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Presented at the Geothermal Resources Council 2018 Annual Meeting: Geothermal's Role in Today's Energy Market, (GRC 2018), 14-17 October 2018, Reno, Nevada
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; geothermal; concentrating solar power; hybrid power plant; steam topping cycle; thermal storage; binary power cycle

Citation Formats

McTigue, Joshua Dominic P, Wendt, Dan, Kitz, Kevin, Kincaid, Nicholas D, Gunderson, Josh, and Zhu, Guangdong. Hybridizing Solar Heat with a Geothermal Binary Power Plant Using a Solar Steam Topping Turbine. United States: N. p., 2018. Web.
McTigue, Joshua Dominic P, Wendt, Dan, Kitz, Kevin, Kincaid, Nicholas D, Gunderson, Josh, & Zhu, Guangdong. Hybridizing Solar Heat with a Geothermal Binary Power Plant Using a Solar Steam Topping Turbine. United States.
McTigue, Joshua Dominic P, Wendt, Dan, Kitz, Kevin, Kincaid, Nicholas D, Gunderson, Josh, and Zhu, Guangdong. 2018. "Hybridizing Solar Heat with a Geothermal Binary Power Plant Using a Solar Steam Topping Turbine". United States.
@article{osti_1494061,
title = {Hybridizing Solar Heat with a Geothermal Binary Power Plant Using a Solar Steam Topping Turbine},
author = {McTigue, Joshua Dominic P and Wendt, Dan and Kitz, Kevin and Kincaid, Nicholas D and Gunderson, Josh and Zhu, Guangdong},
abstractNote = {Solar-thermal hybridization is a way to boost power generation of geothermal power plants, especially when the geothermal resource cannot supply the design flow or temperature. A new process using a high-pressure steam topping turbine can almost double the conversion rate of solar energy to power compared to the common practice of solar brine heating, and thus improve economic viability. This study looked at one such plant. Output from a geo-solar hybrid is typically increased both from the additional solar energy and from restoring turbine design-point efficiency. In this new process, a third effect occurs: the addition of a solar topping cycle increases the geothermal energy extracted from the brine. Process flow diagrams, off-design results, and economic results are presented. Three representative geothermal locations in the U.S. are evaluated, as are the effects of thermal storage, solar field sizing, and tax incentives.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1494061}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Wed Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

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