ETRANS: an energy transport system optimization code for distributed networks of solar collectors

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5139946· OSTI ID:5139946

Barnhart, J S

The optimization code ETRANS was developed at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory to design and estimate the costs associated with energy transport systems for distributed fields of solar collectors. The code uses frequently cited layouts for dish and trough collectors and optimizes them on a section-by-section basis. The optimal section design is that combination of pipe diameter and insulation thickness that yields the minimum annualized system-resultant cost. Among the quantities included in the costing algorithm are (1) labor and materials costs associated with initial plant construction, (2) operating expenses due to daytime and nighttime heat losses, and (3) operating expenses due to pumping power requirements. Two preliminary series of simulations were conducted to exercise the code. The results indicate that transport system costs for both dish and trough collector fields increase with field size and receiver exit temperature. Furthermore, dish collector transport systems were found to be much more expensive to build and operate than trough transport systems. ETRANS itself is stable and fast-running and shows promise of being a highly effective tool for the analysis of distributed solar thermal systems.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5139946
• Report Number(s): PNL-3327
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140703 -- Solar Thermal Power Systems-- Distributed Collector
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
CIRCULATING SYSTEMS
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
COOLANT LOOPS
COOLING SYSTEMS
COST
DESIGN
DISTRIBUTED COLLECTOR POWER PLANTS
E CODES
ENERGY LOSSES
EQUIPMENT
HEAT LOSSES
LABOR
LOSSES
OPTIMIZATION
PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
PARABOLIC DISH COLLECTORS
PARABOLIC TROUGH COLLECTORS
PERFORMANCE
PIPES
POWER PLANTS
SIZE
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS