This chapter presents the general details on modeling and simulation of solar thermal plants along with an example of a step-by-step process to design and optimize a central receiver solar thermal power plant with a steam Rankine cycle and a two-tank molten salt storage system.
What is design of solar thermal power plants?
Design of Solar Thermal Power Plants introduces the basic design methods of solar thermal power plants for technicians engaged in solar thermal power generation engineering. This b read full description Since the beginning of the 21st century, energy and environmental problems have become increasingly more conspicuous.
How to design a solar thermoelectric generator?
The conventional route to design a STEG involves separate considerations of thermal engineering and materials science by using a thermal boundary condition of constant heat flux. This paper provides a more direct and convenient way to design solar thermoelectric generators.
This chapter also covers the recent developments in solar thermal technologies for power generation. In recent times, solar thermal technologies are integrated with conventional fossil-fuelled power plants as well as other renewable energy sources such as biomass, geothermal to improve its performance.
Can solar thermal power plants be integrated with conventional power plants?
Solar thermal power plants have enormous potential to be integrated with the existing conventional power plants. The integration of CSP systems with conventional power plants increases the efficiency, reduces the overall cost, and increases the dispatchability and reliability of the solar power generation system.
This high temperature is achieved by concentrating solar radiation on the receiver, and these technologies are known as concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. Hence, the electricity generation by solar thermal technologies involves the collection and concentration of solar radiation in the form of heat and its conversion into electricity.
How do solar thermal power plants work?
Solar thermal power plants are composed of three processes: collection and conversion of solar radiation into heat, conversion of heat to electricity, and thermal energy storage to mitigate the transient effects of solar radiation on the performance of the system.