Technical Assessment of a Concentrating Solar Thermal System for Industrial Process Steam
Abstract
The aim of this study is to present a techno-economic assessment of a concentrating solar thermal system for steam production for a food industry located in Kalamata, Greece. The solar system mainly consists of the parabolic trough collectors, the steam generator and the thermal oil storage. Initially, the potential hydraulic configurations of the system were demonstrated and evaluated. Following a thorough evaluation of a series of parameters, the most appropriate one was selected for analytical energy simulation. Energy simulation was performed with the Greenius software; the outcome of the simulations leads to measurable indicators of the overall system performance. The energy results of the selected system were presented in details followed by a parametric analysis modifying important system variables. The last section of this study provides technical conclusions accompanied with recent economic figures. Present study aims to further assist the penetration of such systems to a market which is still under development in Greece.
Keywords
Concentrating solar thermal system, Parabolic trough collectors, Industrial process heat, Solar steam