Design and optiization of a concentrated solar power plant using a volumetric receiver and Kalina cycle

Abstract

Consulta en la Biblioteca ETSI Industriales (Riunet)

[EN] Concentrating solar thermal power promises to be one of the main ways to deal with the current energy demand growth and to replace fossil fuel power plants. This thesis focuses on the implementation of the air volumetric receiver technology and Kalina power generation cycle in a concentrated solar power plant. Steady-state models of the power cycles are developed and the plant is designed in order to meet the requirements of the power block. Further, dynamic models for the plant components are evolved and the annual performance is analyzed. The design process of the plant and the simulation model have been developed in MATLAB and different power cycle configurations as well as component design specifications have been analyzed. Due to the intermittent behavior of the power source, the control strategy adopted plays a key role in the development of such a power plant. A general strategy has been adopted with the aim of optimizing the electricity generation of the plant. Furthermore, a financial analysis has been carried out. It has been found that increasing the storage capacity of the plant entails a reduction in the levelized cost of the electricity and raises the electricity produced. Integrating a Kalina power cycle with a working solution made up with an 80 % ammonia mass fraction mixture and optimizing the thermal storage unit capacity, a levelized electricity cost of 80.4 €/MWhe and specific investment costs of 3065 €/kWe have been achieved; proving the high potential of this promising technology. However, the oversizing of the solar field and receiver reveals an increase in the levelized cost of electricity, increasing the solar multiple from 1.5 to 2.5 the cost of electricity grows in more than 24 %. Therefore, it can be concluded that this work expounds the satisfactory integration of the Kalina cycle power generation technology in a solar thermal power plant with air volumetric receiver, obtaining promising economic results.