Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Cost and performance of thermal storage concepts in solar thermal systems, phase 2-liquid metal receivers

Conference · · Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6882057

Cost and performance of various thermal storage concepts in a liquid metal receiver solar thermal power system application have been evaluated. The objectives of this study are to provide consistently calculated cost and performance data for thermal storage concepts integrated into solar thermal systems. Five alternative storage concepts are evaluated for a 100-MW /SUB e/ liquid metal-cooled receiver solar thermal power system for 1, 6, and 15 hours of storage: sodium 2-tank (reference system), molten draw salt 2-tank, sand moving bed, air/rock, and latent heat (phase change) with tube-intensive heat exchange (HX). The results indicate that the all sodium 2-tank thermal storage concept is not cost-effective for storage in excess of 3 or 4 hours; the molten draw salt 2-tank storage concept provides significant cost savings over the reference sodium 2-tank concept; and the air/rock storage concept with pressurized sodium buffer tanks provides the lowest evaluated cost of all storage concepts considered above 6 hours of storage.

Research Organization:
Stearms Roger Services Inc., Denver, CO
OSTI ID:
6882057
Report Number(s):
CONF-820814-
Journal Information:
Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States) Vol. 4; ISSN PIECD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English