Solar central receiver hybrid power system. Monthly technical progress report for the month of December 1978

Technical Report · Wed Jan 17 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6216397· OSTI ID:6216397

Levelized busbar energy costs for the sodium-cooled hybrid central receiver concept using both oil and coal as a fuel were developed as a function of the plant capacity factor and as a function of the solar multiple. The fuel escalation question was reviewed in detail on the basis of past historical data, and it was concluded that the lower escalation numbers that are provided in the requirements definition document appear to be more likely to represent the real situation. Subsystem-level trade studies were continued during this reporting period. A detailed investigation of the series/parallel arrangement of the sodium heater and solar receiver was conducted. The various performance, lifetime, and cost factors were determined for each arrangement for the receiver and nonsolar subsystems, respectively. Collector subsystem studies were continued. Revised cost algorithms that include levelized O and M costs for the heliostats were generated in order that they can be used in the field optimization. On the basis of the subsystem studies and the economic assessment work, a reference configuration was tentatively derived. This configuration does not require storage and uses a parallel arrangement of the receiver and the heater. At this time, a coal-fired heater seems to have a potential economic advantage under realistic assumptions for the escalation of coal relative to oil over the next decade or so.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International Corp., Canoga Park, CA (USA). Energy Systems Group
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-78ET20567
• OSTI ID: 6216397
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/20567-T4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140702* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems-- Central Receiver
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200106 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Economics
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CENTRAL RECEIVERS
COAL
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUELS
HYBRID SYSTEMS
MATERIALS
OPTIMIZATION
POWER PLANTS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR RECEIVERS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TOWER FOCUS POWER PLANTS