Conceptual design of advanced central receiver power system. Phase I. Executive summary and final report

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5964123· OSTI ID:5964123

Tracey, T. R.

The designed system has a net electrical output of 300 MWe and has sufficient heliostats and storage capacity to provide full load operation 24 hours per day at summer solstice. The system consists of nine heliostat fields with 7711 heliostats in each. The heliostats track the sun and direct the solar energy incident on them to one of four cavity apertures located at the top of a 155-meter (510 ft) tower. Inside the cavity the flux is absorbed on panels. The panels are cooled by molten salt that enters the receiver at 561/sup 0/K (550/sup 0/K) and leaves the receiver at 838/sup 0/K (1050/sup 0/F). Salt flowrate is controlled to maintain a constant salt exit temperature at the receiver outlet. The hot salt is pumped to the steam generator and/or the storage system. Hot salt pumped to the storage system is stored for later use by the steam generator. The hot salt pumped to the steam generating system is used by the steam generator to heat boiler feedwater and make 783/sup 0/K (950/sup 0/K), 16.5 MPa (2400 psig) superheated steam for the steam turbine/generator. During the process the hot salt is cooled to 561/sup 0/K (550/sup 0/K). The cold salt is pumped to the bottom of the thermal storage tank and/or back to the receivers. During periods when solar insolation is insufficient for rated operation, energy is extracted from the storage system and used to supply heat to the steam generator. The master control system is computerized and provides operator over-rides that serve as overall plant control. It also provides data display and storage.

• Research Organization: Martin Marietta Corp., Denver, CO (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-03-1724
• OSTI ID: 5964123
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/20314-1/1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140702* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems-- Central Receiver
CAVITY RECEIVERS
CENTRAL RECEIVERS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ENERGY STORAGE
FLUIDS
HEAT STORAGE
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
HEATING
HELIOSTATS
MOLTEN SALTS
POWER PLANTS
POWER RANGE 100-1000 MW
SALTS
SENSIBLE HEAT STORAGE
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR RECEIVERS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
STEAM TURBINES
STORAGE
SUPERHEATING
TOWER FOCUS COLLECTORS
TOWER FOCUS POWER PLANTS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY