Thermal Energy Storage for Power Generation Applications

Conference · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6674137

Drost, M. K. ^[1]; Antoniak, Z. I. ^[1]; Brown, D. R. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Studies strongly indicate that the United States will face widespread electrical power constraints in the 1990s. In many cases, the demand for increased power will occur during peak and intermediate demand periods. While natural gas is currently plentiful and economically attractive for meeting peak and intermediate loads, the development of a coal-fired peaking option would give utilities insurance against unexpected supply shortages or cost increases. This paper discusses a conceptual evaluation of using thermal energy storage (TES) to improve the economics of coal-fired peak and intermediate load power generation. The use of TES can substantially improve the economic attractiveness of meeting peak and intermediate loads with coal-fired power generation. In this case, conventional pulverized coal combustion equipment is continuously operated to heat molten nitrate salt, which is then stored. During peak demand periods, hot salt is withdrawn from storage and used to generate steam for a Rankine steam power cycle. This allows the coal-fired salt heater to be approximately one-third the size of a coal-fired boiler in a conventional cycling plant. The general impact is to decouple the generation of thermal energy from its conversion to electricity. The present study compares a conventional cycling pulverized coal-fired power plant to a pulverized coal-fired plant using nitrate salt TES. The study demonstrates that a coal-fired salt heater is technically feasible and should be less expensive than a similar coal-fired boiler. The results show the use of nitrate salt TES reduced the levelized cost of power by between 5% and 24%, depending on the operating schedule.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Conservation & Renewable Energy (CE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6674137
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-17992; CONF-9004133--4; ON: DE90016539
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
014000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Combustion
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200107* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Off-Peak Energy Storage-- (1980-)
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
296000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
BOILERS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUELS
HEAT STORAGE
HEAT TRANSFER
LOAD ANALYSIS
MATERIALS
MOLTEN SALTS
OFF-PEAK ENERGY STORAGE
OPERATION
PEAK LOAD
PEAKING POWER PLANTS
POWER DEMAND
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
SALTS
STEAM GENERATORS
STORAGE
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
VAPOR GENERATORS