Point Concentrating Technologies

Solar Tower

Bernhard Hoffschmidt
Director, Solar-Institute Jülich,
Aachen University of Applied Sciences

ENERGY FORUM - 10,000 SOLAR GIGAWATTS

Hannover Messe, 23. April 2008
Contents

 Why Tower Technology?

 What are the Advantages and Disadvantages?
 Which Technologies are Available?
 What are the Future Options of the Technology?
Contents

 Why Tower Technology?

 What are the Advantages and Disadvantages?
 Which Technologies are Available?
 What are the Future Options of the Technology?
Concept of Tower Technology

Storage
Concept of Tower Technology: Main Difference: Absorber

Tube Receiver open volumetric closed volumetric.

Receiver Receiver

250°C - 600 °C 700°C -1000°C 15 bar

800 °C -1200°C
heat transfer medium: water/steam, air, molten salt
Capacity of Tower Technology

¾ Maximal thermal efficiency of cyclic process

TP − Ta
ηth,Carnot =
TP
!Thermodynamic!
¾ Thermal efficiency of a solar thermal absorber
concentration ratio of
ε σs TP4 direct radiation
ηabsorber = αeff − and Tp=Tabsorber
cS
⇒ The maximum efficiency capability of a solar-
thermal plant increases with the concentration ratio
of the direct solar radiation
ηmax = ηth,Carnot * ηabsorber
Capacity of Tower Technology

C=4000
C=1000 Parabolic Dish
Solar Tower
C=100
ηabsorber

C=1 Parabolic Trough

Flat Plate Collector

ε σs TP4
ηabsorber = αeff − and Tp=Tabsorber
cS

Tabsorber [K]
Capacity of Tower Technology

Parabolic Dish
Solar Tower
Parabolic Trough

Flat Plate Collector

ηabsorber

TP − Ta
ηth,Carnot =
TP

(Tabsorber =Tprocess) [K]

Capacity of Tower Technology

ηmax= ηth,Carnot* ηabsorber

Parabolic Dish

Solar Tower
ηmax

Parabolic Trough

Flat Plate Collector

(Tabsorber =Tprocess) [K]

Why Tower Technology?

Tower Technology means:

MIPS Analysis
¾ higher concentration ratio
of Power Plant
T = 1200°C T = 600°C
Components η = 25 % (annual) η = 16 % (annual)
¾ higher efficiency potencial
Consumption of
Abiotic
¾ Resources of resources
less consumption

Heliostat
¾ and in the long run less costs in electricity Field
production
Contents

 Why Tower Technology?

 What are the Advantages and

Disadvantages?
 Which Technologies are Available?
 What are the Future Options of the Technology?
Advantages

 High efficiency capacity

 Compact power block and absorber design
 High freedom in the choose of cycle fluids
 Easy solutions due to safety aspects

 Use in hilly areas

 Compensation of low
concentrator accuracy by
a high sophisticated control
 Future use for synergetic fuel
and hydrogen production DLR, Spain, 2008
Disadvantages

 Maximal unit size is probably less than for parabolic

trough systems due to
 absorption of radiation for long distance
heliostats/concentrators
 limits in receiver size

 High demands on receiver material and design

Available Technologies

Plant Status Receiver / Cycle Storage

Fluid /
Temperature
PS10 in operation Š Tube receiver Saturated Steam
Š unsaturated steam steam storage
Š 257°C
STJ under Š Open vol. receiver Superheated Packed bed
construction Š Air steam
Š 700°C
Solar planned Š Tube Superheated Molten salt
Tres Š Molten salt Steam
Š 565°C
Available Technologies: PS10

Plant Status Receiver / Cycle Storage

Fluid /
Temperature
PS10 in operation Š Tube receiver Saturated Steam
Š unsaturated steam steam storage
Š 257°C
STJ under Š Open vol. receiver Superheated Packed bed
construction Š Air steam
Š 700°C
Solar planned Š Tube Superheated Molten salt
Tres Š Molten salt Steam
Š 565°C
Available Technologies: PS10, Abengoa Solar

Source: Abengoa Solar

Available Technologies: PS10, Cycle

Solar Receiver Generator

Steam Turbine
11.0 MWe
40bar, 250°C

Heliostat field

Storage

Condensator
0,06 bar, 50°C
Available Technologies: PS10, Performance of Plant

 Maximal Electrical Power: 11 MW

 Solar field 75.000 m2

 Tower 115 m

 Storage 0,5 h

 Solar Multiple 1

 Fossil co-firing 12-15% of elec. production

 Energy Production 24,3 GWh/a

Available Technologies: PS10, Next Steps

 Design of a high temperature superheating receiver

 Expected increase power output of about 35%

Available Technologies: STJ

Plant Status Receiver / Cycle Storage

Fluid /
max. Temperature
PS10 in operation Š Tube receiver Saturated Steam
Š unsaturated steam steam storage
Š 257°C
STJ under Š Open vol. receiver Superheated Packed bed
construction Š Air steam
Š 700°C
Solar planned Š Tube Superheated Molten salt
Tres Š Molten salt Steam
Š 565°C
Available Technologies: STJ Solar Thermal Power Plant
Jülich, Kraftanlagen München

Source: Stadtwerke Jülich

Available Technologies: STJ, Cycle

Hot air (680°C;

1 bar) boiler
Receiver
ambient air steam
(480°C; 26 bar)

turbine with
generator
concentrated
solar radiation
thermal
storage ~

Heliostat field compressor compressor condenser

recirculation air (120°C; 1 bar)

Concentrator system
Solar Power Block hot gas cycle Water-Steam-Cycle
Conventional Power Cycle
Available Technologies: STJ, Performance of Plant

 Maximal Electrical Power: 1,5 MW

 Solar field 19.000 m2

 Tower 60 m

 Storage 1h

 Solar Multiple 1,2

 Fossil co-firing no

 Energy Production 1 GWh/a

Available Technologies: STJ, Next Steps
 Improvement of absorber design (up 10% higher Eff.)

 Hybrid operation (combined cycle)

~
700°C hot air
Available Technologies: PS10

Plant Status Receiver / Cycle Storage

Fluid /
max. Temperature
PS10 in operation Š Tube receiver Saturated Steam
Š unsaturated steam steam storage
Š 257°C
STJ under Š Open vol. receiver Superheated Packed bed
construction Š Air steam
Š 700°C
Solar planned Š Tube Superheated Molten salt
Tres Š Molten salt Steam
Š 565°C
 Available Technologies: Solar Tres

Source: Sener, Madrid, 2005

Available Technologies: STJ, Cycle

Receiver

hot cold
storage storage

solar field

steam generator

net
turbine / generator condenser
Available Technologies: Solar Tres, Performance of Plant

 Maximal Electrical Power: 17 MW

 Solar field 264.825 m2

 Tower 120 m

 Storage 15 h

 Solar Multiple -

 Fossil co-firing 15%

 Energy Production 105 GWh/a

Contents

 Why Tower Technology?

 What are the Advantages and Disadvantages?
 Which Technologies are Available?

 What are the Future Options of the

Technology?
Future Options: Up Scaling

 Connection of several tower units to one big block

Heat Transport Medium

Š PS10: Steam
Š STJ: Steam / Hot Quartz Sand
Š Solar Tres: Molten Salt
Future Options: Increase of Process Temperature

 Combined cycle with solar input into gas turbine

Combine Cycle
Solar Part

Heliostat
Field Gas
turbine Steam Cycle
Future Options: Increase of Process Temperature
 Combined Cycle with solar input into Gas Turbine
LT Module

MT Module

MT/HT Module

Gas turbine

Generator
Future Options: Increase of Process Temperature
Heliostatfeldaufstellung
 Combined Cycle 4000
für 227 MWth Receiverleistung

with solar input 3500

into Gas Turbine 3000

2500

Entfernung nach Norden [m]

2000

1500
1 Receivercluster (Nordfeld)
6 Receivercluster (Rundumfeld)

1000

500

-500

-1000
-2500 -2000 -1500 -1000 -500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
Entfernung nach Westen [m]
Conclusion

 Tower technology provides high overall system efficiency

 Though that it reduces the consumption of resources per
generated kWh
 Tower technology can be installed in hilly areas
 The maximal unit size of tower plants is probably smaller
than for parabolic trough
 Up-scaling could be realized with a connection of several
tower units to one big power block
 In the future tower technology enables solar driven
combined cycles for further efficiency increase