Yield Analysis of a Power Plant with Parabolic-Trough Collectors and Direct Steam Generation (DSG) Using a Quasi-Dynamic Simulation Model in TRNSYS
Abstract
After the construction of the first commercial solar power plant with direct steam generation in Thailand, a new horizon will be open for this technology. In this industrial application for electricity generation, financing directly depends on the expected electricity production and corresponding financial revenues. The development of a simulation model for this technology will help reduce costs and hence increase plant output. The simulation model applied in this study reproduces the thermal and hydraulic behaviour of the solar field, including parabolic-trough collectors and connecting pipes. This quasi-dynamic model is able to address transient conditions with low computational resources. In addition, a power block suitable for a 35 MWe solar plant is defined and analysed, allowing its implementation into the whole solar plant model. An economic optimization of the solar field size has been performed considering standard economic parameters. The main results of thermal and electrical energy obtained from the annual simulation of the optimized plant are presented in this paper.
Keywords
Direct steam generation, Parabolic-trough collector, Yield analysis, Simulation model