Advances in Concentrating Solar Thermal Research and Technology Related titles Performance and Durability Assessment: Optical Materials for Solar Thermal Systems (ISBN 978-0-08-044401-7) Solar Energy Engineering 2e (ISBN 978-0-12-397270-5) Concentrating Solar Power Technology (ISBN 978-1-84569-769-3) Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy Advances in Concentrating Solar Thermal Research and Technology Edited by Manuel J. Blanco Lourdes Ramirez Santigosa AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Woodhead Publishing is an imprint of Elsevier Woodhead Publishing is an imprint of Elsevier The Officers’ Mess Business Centre, Royston Road, Duxford, CB22 4QH, United Kingdom 50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, OX5 1GB, United Kingdom Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 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Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. ISBN: 978-0-08-100516-3 (print) ISBN: 978-0-08-100517-0 (online) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library For information on all Woodhead Publishing publications visit our website at https://www.elsevier.com/ Publisher: Joe Hayton Acquisition Editor: Sarah Hughes Editorial Project Manager: Anna Valutkevich Production Project Manager: Debasish Ghosh Designer: Christian J. Bilbow Typeset by TNQ Books and Journals Contents List of contributors xi Editors’ biographies xiii Acknowledgment xv Part One Introduction 1 1 Introduction to concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies 3 M.J. Blanco, S. Miller 1.1 The sun as an energy source 3 1.2 Defining characteristics of CST technologies 4 1.3 Thermal efficiency and the need for concentration 5 1.4 Limits of concentration 6 1.5 Optimum operating temperature to maximize light-to-work conversion efficiency 8 1.6 Main commercially available solar concentrating technologies 9 1.7 Industry and market trends 14 1.8 Research priorities, strategies, and trends 22 References 25 Part Two Advances in the collection and concentration of sunlight 27 2 Advanced mirror concepts for concentrating solar thermal systems 29 A. Fernandez-García, F. Sutter, L. Martínez-Arcos, L. Valenzuela, C. Sansom Nomenclature 29 2.1 Introduction 30 2.2 Anti-soiling coatings 31 2.3 High-reflective mirror materials 34 2.4 High-temperature mirrors for secondary concentrators 36 2.5 Low-cost mirrors based on stainless steel 40 2.6 Conclusions 40 References 42 vi Contents 3 Improved design for linear Fresnel reflector systems 45 M. Collares-Pereira, D. Canavarro, J. Chaves 3.1 Introduction (motivation) 45 3.2 Advanced linear Fresnel reflector concentrators 48 3.3 Conclusion 54 References 55 Part Three Advances in the thermal conversion of concentrated sunlight 57 4 A new generation of absorber tubes for concentrating solar thermal (CST) systems 59 A. Morales, G. San Vicente 4.1 Introduction 59 4.2 Glass cover 60 4.3 Steel tube 63 4.4 Vacuum maintenance 65 4.5 Bellows 68 4.6 Conclusion 70 References 71 5 Innovative working fluids for parabolic trough collectors 75 E. Zarza Moya 5.1 Introduction 75 5.2 Direct steam generation 77 5.3 Molten salts 87 5.4 Compressed gases 94 5.5 Conclusions 101 References 103 6 A new generation of solid particle and other high-performance receiver designs for concentrating solar thermal (CST) central tower systems 107 C.K. Ho 6.1 Introduction 107 6.2 Particle receivers 108 6.3 Other high-performance receiver designs 117 6.4 Summary and conclusions 122 Acknowledgments 123 References 123 Contents vii 7 Next generation of liquid metal and other high-performance receiver designs for concentrating solar thermal (CST) central tower systems 129 M. Romero, J. Gonzalez-Aguilar 7.1 Introduction 129 7.2 Thermophysical properties of liquid metals 133 7.3 Liquid metals in central receiver systems 139 7.4 Innovative power conversion cycles with liquid metals as heat transfer fluid 147 7.5 Conclusions and outlook 151 References 152 Part Four Advances in the power block and thermal storage systems 155 8 Supercritical CO2 and other advanced power cycles for concentrating solar thermal (CST) systems 157 S.M. Besarati, D.Y. Goswami 8.1 Introduction 157 8.2 Stand-alone cycles 158 8.3 Combined cycles 169 8.4 Summary and conclusions 175 References 176 9 Advances in dry cooling for concentrating solar thermal (CST) power plants 179 K. Hooman, Z. Guan, H. Gurgenci 9.1 Introduction 179 9.2 Current cooling technologies for concentrating solar thermal power plants 180 9.3 Air-cooled heat exchanger and cooling tower sizing 184 9.4 Advances in dry cooling technologies for concentrating solar thermal power plants 191 9.5 Conclusions 211 References 211 10 High-temperature latent heat storage for concentrating solar thermal (CST) systems 213 K. Nithyanandam, J. Stekli, R. Pitchumani 10.1 General introduction 213 10.2 Introduction to latent heat storage 214 10.3 General challenges for concentrating solar thermal latent heat storage systems 216 viii Contents 10.4 Latent heat storage configurations for concentrating solar thermal applications 227 10.5 Summary 242 References 243 11 Thermochemical energy storage for concentrating solar thermal (CST) systems 247 L. Irwin, J. Stekli, C. Pfefferkorn, R. Pitchumani 11.1 Introduction to thermochemical energy storage 247 11.2 General challenges for CST thermochemical storage systems 252 11.3 Power plantˇ and chemical plant 256 11.4 Le Chatelier’s principle and thermochemical energy storage 260 11.5 Conclusions 265 References 266 12 Thermal energy storage concepts for direct steam generation (DSG) solar plants 269 L. Valenzuela Nomenclature 269 12.1 Introduction 270 12.2 Overview on direct steam generation solar plants 270 12.3 Basic considerations on thermal energy storage 272 12.4 Integration of thermal energy storage systems in direct steam generation solar plants 277 12.5 Conclusions 287 References 287 Part Five Advances in the control an operation of CPS plants 291 13 Forecasting and nowcasting of DNI for concentrating solar thermal systems 293 L. Ramírez, J.M. Vindel 13.1 Introduction 293 13.2 Main forecasting techniques 295 13.3 Forecasting systems for CST power plants 304 13.4 Solar radiation forecasting baseline 305 13.5 DNI and CST power plants forecasting: main challenges 305 13.6 Conclusions 306 References 307 Contents ix 14 Advanced control strategies to maximize ROI and the value of the concentrating solar thermal (CST) plant to the grid 311 E.F. Camacho, A.J. Gallego 14.1 Introduction 311 14.2 Optimal operation in solar trough plants 312 14.3 Optimization of flux distribution in solar tower plants 322 14.4 Conclusions and future works 333 References 334 Part Six Cost competitive CST plants concepts 337 15 Linear Fresnel reflector (LFR) plants using superheated steam, molten salts, and other heat transfer fluids 339 M. Collares-Pereira, D. Canavarro, L.L. Guerreiro 15.1 Introduction (motivation) 339 15.2 Heat transfer fluids 339 15.3 Higher temperatures: molten salts as HTF and thermal energy storage medium 342 15.4 Advanced LFR and molten salts: a new concept plant 344 15.5 Yearly performance 344 15.6 Discussion 348 15.7 Conclusions 351 References 351 16 Central tower systems using the Brayton cycle 353 R. Buck, S. Giuliano, R. Uhlig 16.1 Introduction and history 353 16.2 Solarization of gas turbines 357 16.3 Solar gas turbine cycle concepts 360 16.4 System components 365 16.5 System studies 377 16.6 Conclusions 378 Abbreviations 379 References 379 17 Solar power towers using supercritical CO2 and supercritical steam cycles, and decoupled combined cycles 383 M.A. Silva-Pérez 17.1 Introduction 383 17.2 Solar power towers with supercritical cycles 384 x Contents 17.3 Decoupled solar combined cycles 393 17.4 Summary and conclusions 399 References 400 18 Solar thermal processing 403 R. Bader, W. Lipinski 18.1 Introduction 403 18.2 H2/CO production 405 18.3 Material processing and chemical commodity production 427 18.4 Other thermal processes 442 18.5 Other solar processes 445 18.6 Conclusions and future trends 445 References 447 Index 461 List of contributors R. Bader The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia S.M. Besarati University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States M.J.